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For Your Awareness
Taking Early Action Matters (TEAM) Ohio Office Hours
Please join DCY for TEAM Ohio Office Hours on July 30, 2025, from 12:30 – 2 p.m. During this 90-minute session, users will have the opportunity to ask questions they have about TEAM Ohio and receive assistance. Breakout rooms can be created for users to share their screens as needed. Office hours will be held monthly based on participation and need.
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Maternal & Infant Wellness |
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Programs focus on eliminating health disparities, improving birth outcomes, and improving the health status of pregnant women, infants, and children to ensure moms and babies celebrate the child’s first birthday.
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Paper Published to Share Lessons Learned from Creation of Ohio Council to Advance Maternal Health
Ohio was one of nine recipients of the initial Maternal Health Innovation Program (MHI) offered by the Health, Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in 2019. As part of the MHI program, each state was asked to stand up a state-level Maternal Health Task Force (MHTF). This spurred the creation of the Ohio Council to Advance Maternal Health (OH-CAMH), Ohio’s state maternal health task force. This paper, written alongside colleagues from Illinois and North Carolina and recently published in the Public Health Reports Journal, shares the journey and lessons learned of the three states MHTFs and their responses to improve maternal health in each state. OH-CAMH continues to convene a wide array of partners in the collective goal to improve maternal health in Ohio. To learn more please contact OH-CAMH or visit the OH-CAMH page on the DCY website.
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Early Childhood Development |
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The Early Childhood Development programs provide technical assistance, education, and referrals for families and youth with evaluations regarding specific needs and disabilities.
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Webinar Teaches Strategies for Early Literacy
Join the Early Childhood Center of Excellence for the Literacy in the Little Moments webinar on August 14 at 12:30 p.m. to learn how everyday routines are filled with opportunities to nurture literacy skills in young children.
Part of the In The Know Naptime Series, "Literacy in the Little Moments" will explore essential foundational skills for literacy development and share practical strategies to seamlessly incorporate them into daily activities—no matter the age or stage. Early care and education professionals, administrators, and parents/caregivers of young children are encouraged to attend this engaging one-hour webinar.
What you’ll learn:
- Key foundational skills that support early literacy
- Simple, effective ways to build literacy into daily routines
- Tips and ideas for supporting children at every stage of development
Special Opportunity: the Early Childhood Center of Excellence will randomly select 50 Ohio attendees to receive a FREE communication board sleeve with communication board!
Don’t miss out—register now to reserve your spot!
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Initiatives work to connect educators, families, and youth to education
services and supports.
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Emergency and Health Guidelines for Schools Now Available
The Ohio Department of Health School Nursing Program is pleased to announce the release of the revised Emergency and Health Guidelines for Schools. These procedures give a general overview of the recommended steps in an emergency situation and the safeguards that should be taken. A colored flow chart format is used to guide you easily through all steps and symptoms from beginning to ending. In addition, information has been provided about:
- Infection Control.
- Planning for Students with Special Needs.
- Injury Reporting.
- School Safety Planning.
- Emergency Preparedness.
You may find it on the Ohio Department of Health website, here.
Family Child Care Curriculum and Assessment Update
The Department of Children and Youth (DCY) is excited to offer Family Child Care providers the opportunity to receive curriculum and assessment materials and resources. We are in the process of finalizing the contract and a vendor will soon be announced. If you are a Family Child Care provider. please complete the Family Child Care Curriculum and Assessment Survey here so that DCY can be prepared to provide materials as soon as they become available.
Early Care and Education Hot Topic Webinar:
Child Assessment
Please join us Thursday, July 24 from 2-3 p.m. for a webinar to learn more about the Step Up To Quality standard for child assessment. No registration is required. Use this link to join the meeting.
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Family Support & Stabilization |
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Focuses on enhancing the resources and supports available to parents and families.
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Supporting Teams with Complex Needs
The Ohio Department of Children and Youth’s (DCY) placement team ensures that children and families receive the treatment and/or placement support to help them thrive. The placement team receives calls and emails from our public children services agencies (PCSA) and stakeholders across the state and responds when needed.
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DCY Memos and Resources
No updates at this time.
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Children Services, Foster, Kinship, and Adoption |
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Children Services, Foster, Kinship, and Adoption programs provide caregivers with support via resources for their individualized needs.
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Have thoughts on CAPM tools? We want to hear them!
As Ohio continues to assess current practices related to Comprehensive Assessment and Planning Model (CAPM), it is essential to gather feedback and suggestions from those who work directly with our families and children every day.
The Child Protective Services (CPS) Policy Unit within the Ohio Department of Children and Youth will be hosting Listening Sessions to gather input from Ohio’s Public Children Services Agencies—specifically focused on the Safety Assessment/Reassessment and Family Assessment tools with additional tools to follow.
Whether or not you sign up to attend a Listening Session, we would love to have your input on these important tools. Your answers will not be connected to your name or any identifying information in any way. Each survey is specific to the individual tool and will only take three to five minutes to complete. Click on each link below to give us your thoughts!
Safety Assessment- Click here for the safety assessment survey link
Family Assessment- Click here for the family assessment survey link
Surveys will be open through the close of business on July 29, 2025.
Listening Session Details: Each session will include discussion around the tools’ use, application, efficiency, challenges, and opportunities for improvement. They will be held:
- August 7, 2025
- 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. (Safety Assessment)
- 2 – 4 p.m. (Safety Assessment)
- August 12, 2025
- 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. (Family Assessment)
- 2 – 4 p.m. (Family Assessment)
Ideally, staff responsible for assessment and investigation casework would participate in these sessions; however, all are welcome and encouraged to attend.
We will reach out to those who indicated an interest in the Listening Session through the survey. To make the time with participants as meaningful as possible, we will limit each session to 20 people. In the event of a large interest, we may offer additional dates.
Juvenile Court Attorneys Are Invited for Training Series
The Ohio CASA/GAL Association invites eligible Ohio juvenile court attorneys to the second Tuesday Training series: virtual sessions designed to further juvenile court practice with all new topics. Eligible attorneys can attend individual sessions or the entire series; each session is pending two hours of free CLE credit, with selected attorney professional conduct hours. To verify eligibility and receive registration information, please email Megan Heydlauff, Ohio CASA Director of Attorney Services: mheydlauff@ohiocasa.org. This opportunity is made possible through Federal Children’s Justice Act Grant funds administered by the Ohio Department of Children and Youth.
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Programs are designed to provide support for teens and young adults who either are in foster care or have aged out of foster care systems and need assistance.
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Youth Introduced to Local and State-Wide Resources During
Independent Living Fair
Coshocton County Children Services hosted its second annual Independent Living Fair for youth in custody, 14 and older. Approximately 20 young people, along with their caregivers. Attendees received valuable information about local and statewide services available to them.
Vendors included local banks, Coshocton County Comprehensive Case Management and Employment Program, Ohio Department of Children and Youth, Bridges, the Ohio Youth Ombudsman and more!
Youth in attendance received a resource bag from their county, lunch, and were entered to win prizes which included televisions and other household items. At the conclusion of the fair, youth who needed a state ID were taken to the local BMV where staff were ready to process the requests at a mobile station prepared just for this event.
Reach out to DCY's TAY Team if you are planning a similar event and would like them to share information on Independent Living and Young Adult Services with attendees.
To find out more about how Coshocton County Children Services plans and executes its Independent Living Fair, contact Director Jed McCoy.
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