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Issue 67: September 15, 2026

Celebrating Shared Success of 2026 KIDS Summit

On September 2, the Ohio Department of Children and Youth hosted its second KIDS Summit, centered on Driving Solutions: Collaboration, Efficiency, and Action. State leaders and cross-agency teams—with almost 700 in attendance and representing counties throughout the state—came together to move Ohio’s priorities forward: reducing infant mortality, expanding access to early care and education, and lowering the foster care entry rate.

We were fortunate to have Governor Mike DeWine, First Lady Fran DeWine, Lt. Governor Jim Tressel, keynote speaker Maurice Clarett, emcee Jennifer Bullock, Dominique Johnson from Groundwork Ohio, Jackie Nelson and Katie Abbott from Findlay City Schools, and Rebecca Kotewicz from DCY join the conversation. Each of them brought a different perspective—policy, lived experience, early care and education, and local innovation—which pushed our discussions to be more focused, more honest, and more action driven. Their engagement helped elevate the conversation and reinforced why cross sector collaboration matters.

Thank you to every participant who showed up ready to collaborate, problem solve, and push for better outcomes. Your commitment continues to strengthen the path forward. Let’s keep the momentum going—and keep our focus to DO WHAT’S RIGHT FOR KIDS!

Maternal & Infant Wellness

Programs focus on 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.

DCY’s Every Baby Sleeps Safe Program and Help Me Grow Program Work Together to Enhance Family Support

New in State Fiscal Year 2027, the Ohio Department of Children and Youth’s (DCY) Every Baby Sleeps Safe Program, previously known as Cribs for Kids, will provide each family with a "Help Me Grow Systems of Supports" flyer with every crib or sleep sack. The flyer includes valuable information on home visiting programs, early intervention services, community resources, and the Sparkler App. All these services are free! Additionally, the flyer features a QR code for easy access to more information, allowing individuals to refer themselves or someone they care about for services.

This is just one example of how DCY programs are collaborating to DO WHAT’S RIGHT FOR KIDS!

For more information, please visit the Help Me Grow page.

Ohio Stillbirth Prevention and Awareness

September 19 is Ohio Stillbirth Prevention Day, and this day’s purpose is to educate Ohioans about stillbirth and share available health care resources with expecting mothers.  While infant mortality – defined as the death of an infant before his or her first birthday – is often the focus of attention on reproductive loss, stillbirths or fetal death at 20 or more weeks gestation –made up 46% of all reportable fetal and infant losses to Ohio families in 2023. Fetal mortality rate (FMR) is defined as the number of stillbirths per 1,000 reportable pregnancies (live births and stillbirths combined). In 2023, there were 775 stillbirths in Ohio, for a rate of 6.1 per 1,000.

The Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) is committed to reducing stillbirths and aims to meet the national Healthy People 2030 goal of a maximum of 5.7 stillbirths per 1,000 live births and stillbirths. Ohio’s FMR has had an average annual decrease of 1.1% since 2014, and early data analysis suggests this trend will continue for 2024.

Rates of stillbirth vary across demographic groups, with non-Hispanic Black mothers experiencing rates more than double that of non-Hispanic White mothers. Mothers younger than 20 experienced an FMR 1.5 times greater than all other age groups combined. Mothers with less than a high school education experienced the highest FMR, followed closely by those with a high school education, respectively 1.8 and 1.7 times the rate of stillbirths amongst mothers with a college degree or higher.

In 2023, almost one-third (31%) of stillbirths had an unspecified cause of death. This figure is similar to the proportion of stillbirths that were unspecified across 38 states and the District of Columbia in the same year. Perceptions of importance, physician engagement, and a less-robust knowledge base about stillbirth, compared to infant death, have been suggested as possible reasons for lack of a specific cause of death noted on fetal death reports.

There are overlapping risk factors between stillbirth and infant mortality. In 2023, women who smoked during pregnancy experienced higher rates of stillbirth than women who did not smoke during pregnancy. A woman’s health prior to pregnancy is also an important factor. In 2023, women with high blood pressure prior to pregnancy experienced stillbirth rates 2.6 times that of women without high blood pressure prior to pregnancy. Women with diabetes prior to pregnancy experienced rates 3.7 times that of women without diabetes prior to pregnancy.

Visit the Ohio Department of Children and Youth’s Data Reporting webpage to view the full stillbirth report. The Maternal and Infant Vitality Data webpage also contains more information about Ohio Study of Associated Risks of Stillbirth Survey (Ohio SOARS) including the Action Guide summarizing opportunities for stillbirth prevention and support for individuals and families who experience stillbirth in Ohio.

Early Childhood Development

The Early Childhood Development programs provide technical assistance, education, and referrals for families and youth with evaluations regarding specific needs and disabilities.

Early Intervention Program Update

Action Required: Ohio Preschool Program Grantees Review KinderConnect Authorization Reports

To ensure accurate State Fiscal Year 2027 enrollment and payment, Ohio Preschool Program (OPP) grantees must actively review their KinderConnect authorization reports and confirm that all children expected to participate are both determined eligible for OPP and have an open authorization assigned to the correct site location. Payment for SFY 2027 is tied directly to these authorizations.

It is essential that grantees and their local County Department of Job and Family Services (CDJFS) partners work together to ensure all eligible children appear accurately in KinderConnect and can be authorized to the correct preschool site.

Training videos and guidance can be found here: https://ohiocctap.info/

For questions or assistance with pulling KinderConnect reports, please contact EarlyChildhoodEducation@childrenandyouth.ohio.gov.

Early Care & Education

Initiatives work to connect educators, families, and youth to education
services and supports.

Teaching Strategies GOLD Assessment Checkpoint Dates 

Early Learning Assessment Website Updated 

Each school year, programs that receive Ohio Preschool Program (OPP) funding —formerly known as ECE Grantee—or Preschool Special Education (PSE) funding must complete a child-level assessment in the fall and spring for each funded child and report the scores to the Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY). Programs serving children funded through OPP or PSE may use either the Early Learning Assessment (ELA) or Teaching Strategies GOLD Assessment (GOLD) to meet this requirement. 

To better support programs utilizing one of these assessments, the website has been updated with additional resources. Visit Preschool Assessment | Department of Children and Youth explore these materials and learn more about both the ELA and GOLD.

Email ELAHelp@childrenandyouth.ohio.gov. for further support or with any questions.

Family Support & Stabilization

Focuses on enhancing the resources and supports available to parents and families.

Father's Walk 2026

Fathers and father-figures can show support for the children in their lives by being present in daily routines such as mealtimes, shared interests and hobbies, or other small moments of connection. 

On September 17, the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood encourages fathers, grandfathers, foster fathers, step-fathers, uncles, cousins, big brothers, significant male caregivers and friends of the family to walk your child to school. It's a simple activity that can foster feelings of trust, safety, and connection between a trusted adult and child.

According to the National Fatherhood Initiative in Father Facts™ 9, involved fathers contribute to their children's overall cognitive and prosocial development, reading proficiency, and self-esteem.

Help foster success for a child today and visit fatherhood.ohio.gov to learn more.

Ohio Commission on Fatherhood Champions Re‑Entry Success at Community Event

OCF Executive Director Kim Dent with President and CEO of the The Starts Within Organization Carlos Christian

On September 1, Ohio Commission on Fatherhood Executive Director Kim Dent and Carlos Christian, President and CEO of the The Starts Within Organization participated as the keynote speakers during the Top Priority event hosted by Four Seven Ministries, Care Source, Molina Healthcare, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), and the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. Executive Director Dent’s keynote speech focused on making healthy relationships one of your top priorities when coming home from incarceration. Although there are successes and challenges returning citizens encounter, maintaining healthy and positive relationships is key to successful re-entry.

This event was hosted at Butler County OhioMeansJobs and recognized returning citizens and those who walk the journey with them. Attendees received pertinent information that will assist them with successful re-entry from incarceration to society.

Children Services, Foster, Kinship, and Adoption

Children Services, Foster, Kinship, and Adoption programs provide caregivers with support via resources for their individualized needs.

September is Grandparent and Kinship Month

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jim Tressel signed a proclamation recognizing September as Grandparent and Kinship Month to highlight the importance of kinship caregivers and caretakers in the lives of Ohio children.

A kinship caregiver is a relative or another trusted adult with an emotionally significant relationship that helps maintain a child’s essential connections. Kinship offers stability for children and a connection to the child’s family and support network.

DCY partners, providers, and kinship caregivers and caretakers can help spread the word about the benefits of kinship care and the support available to Ohio’s kinship caregivers’ community. 

Recognizing Kinship Caregivers and Sharing Available Resources

Check out this 2025 video message from Governor Mike DeWine sharing his sincere gratitude to those relatives and nonrelatives with an emotionally significant relationship with the child or child’s family.

The Ohio Department of Children and Youth would also like to acknowledge the support and efforts of the following organizations, which passionately advocate for Ohio’s kinship caregivers and caretakers, including the Ohio Grandparent Kinship Coalition (OGKC), Ohio Federation for Health Equity and Social Justice, Public Children Services Association of Ohio (PCSAO), Ohio Family Care Association (OFCA), Kinship Caregivers Connect (KCC), and other kinship navigator programs.

The state of Ohio also supports kinship caregivers and caretakers and the children they are caring who may qualify for the following programs.

• Kinship Support program (KSP) provides financial payments to eligible kinship caregivers for when a child is in the custody of a public children services agency and placed in a kinship home.
• Kinship Permanency Incentive program (KPIP) provides a limited number of incentive payments to caretakers caring for kin.
• Ohio Kinship and Adoption Navigator Program (OhioKAN) is a statewide, flexible, and responsive kinship and adoption navigator program designed to assist children, caregivers, and families. Navigators help connect families to local resources to meet their individualized needs.
• Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program (KGAP) provides financial assistance to eligible kinship caregivers who have been granted legal custody or guardianship of a child that was placed in the home as a foster care placement for at least six consecutive months.
• Ohio Works First (OWF) Child Only Benefits is the financial assistance portion of the state’s Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program.

Visit fosterandadopt.dcy.ohio.gov/kinship-care to learn more.

Ohio Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System and Ohio Residential Treatment Information System Updates

Updates have been made to the Ohio Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS) and Ohio Residential Treatment Information System (RTIS) in Release 4.47 to multiple areas. Read this memo to learn more.

Additionally, SACWIS users can review this memo regarding fixes for reported address functionality issues.

Updated Administrative Code Adoption Rules Effective September 15 

The revised Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) rules within Chapter 5180:2-33 go into effect September 15, 2026. Information on these rules can be viewed here: Official Letters & Guidance | Department of Children and Youth (Transmittal Letter 82). The rules included in this package are being updated because of their five-year review and are being rescinded and readopted under OAC chapter 5180:3-1.

Title IV-E Foster Care Maintenance Ceilings for Federal Fiscal Year 2027

Please see the following procedure letter on updated Foster Care Maintenance (FCM) reimbursement ceilings effective September 30, 2026.

Update to 2026 Monthly Adoption Assistance Statewide Maximum

Please see the on an update to the 2026 monthly adoption assistance statewide maximum (MAASM) amount effective October 1, 2026.

Your Experience Matters: Help Inform Child Welfare Practice in Ohio

Are you a child welfare caseworker or supervisor currently working at an Ohio Public Children Services Agency (PCSA)? Share your professional perspectives in a research study examining how issues of poverty and neglect are considered in child welfare screening decisions.

Participants will complete a one-time interview lasting approximately 45 minutes. Interviews may be conducted by phone, Teams, or Zoom. Participation is voluntary and confidential.

To participate, you may select an appointment time by visiting: https://go.osu.edu/DNsu

This study is being conducted in partnership with the Ohio Citizen Review Panels (CRP) and The Ohio State University’s College of Social Work. Findings will help inform recommendations provided to the Ohio Department of Children and Youth regarding child welfare policy and practice.

Email Josie Bonnette, CRP Manager, at bonnette.34@osu.edu with questions or to learn more about the project.

Motivational Interviewing Training Opportunity and Upcoming Information Session

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a practice tool that promotes behavior change through deep listening, reflection, and principles rooted in empathy and supporting self-efficacy. The Ohio Department of Children and Youth is offering no-cost Motivational Interviewing training to Public Children Service Agencies (PCSA) provided by Public Consulting Group and Evidence Based Strategies beginning in September. This training is designed to strengthen staff’s ability to engage families in a respectful, collaborative way that supports meaningful behavior change. Training will be offered in tiers, with each tier building upon the previous training.

What can you gain from the training?

• Understand MI foundations and core principles
• Learn how MI can be applied with families involved with children services
• Develop and practice MI skills

Click here to learn more and register for MI training.

An information session for PCSAs will be held on Thursday, September 17 from 11 a.m. – noon If you want to learn more about the MI initiative and determine if it is a good fit for your agency, register here.

OhioKAN Launches New Community Learning Series

The Ohio Kinship and Adoption Navigator (OhioKAN) program is proud to introduce a new Community Learning series designed to strengthen support for schools, caregivers, and child‑ and family‑serving agencies across Ohio. Each session will offer practical guidance, tools, and insights to help community members and professionals better understand and assist kinship and post‑adoptive families.

September Session: Building Strong Networks for Students & Families

Date/Time: Wednesday, September 23 from 1-2 p.m.

Hosted by: Britney Breidenstein, OhioKAN Co‑Director

Educators and school staff play an essential role in supporting students from kinship and adoptive families. This no-cost webinar will help participants deepen their understanding of caregivers’ unique needs and build confidence in connecting families to resources through OhioKAN.

Participants will:

• Explore the unique needs of kinship and adoptive caregivers
• Learn how to identify students who may benefit from additional support
• Gain confidence referring families to OhioKAN
• Receive an electronic copy of OhioKAN’s Guide to Creating Kinship-Friendly Schools

Learn more and register: Webinar Registration - Zoom

What’s Ahead

OhioKAN will continue the Lunch & Learn series with additional sessions in late 2026 and into 2027. These future sessions will expand topics and audiences to reach caregivers, county partners, and child‑serving agencies across the state.

While specific dates are still being finalized, upcoming Lunch & Learns are expected to include:

• Program Overview & General Information Session: November 12 | 1-2 p.m.
• Supports for Kinship & Adoptive Caregivers: February 17 | 1-2 p.m.
• Strengthening Partnerships Across the Child & Family System: May 12 | 1-2 p.m.

More information and registration links will be shared as each session approaches on the OhioKAN Information Center.

DCY and OhioKAN remain committed to ensuring every kinship and adoptive family in Ohio has the support they need, and we look forward to connecting with you throughout this series.

Update to Form 1673‑A – Child Characteristics Checklist

The Ohio Department of Children and Youth is updating the 1673-A “Child Characteristics Checklist for Foster Care and/or Adoption” to remove outdated and insensitive language. These revisions were made to ensure the checklist promotes respectful terminology and supports more accurate documentation for children entering foster care or adoption. Additional, more comprehensive updates are planned for future revisions.

Please share this information with staff who utilize Form 1673‑A and ensure the updated version is used moving forward.

Register for October Traverse 101 Webinar Training

New or existing Traverse users at Public Children Services Agencies are welcome to register for the next monthly Traverse 101 Training Webinar on Thursday, October 22 from 11 a.m.–noon.

During this one-hour session, attendees will learn the basics of Traverse, a content management system designed for human services agencies. On the web platform, we’ll add finished content (scans, uploads, and virtual prints) to the system and work with forms. On the mobile platform, we’ll collect information in the field.

The end of the webinar will feature a bring-your-own problem (BYOP) session where participants can ask questions about how Traverse can improve their business processes.

Young Adult Supports

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.

Ohio Strengthens Community Support for Young Adults with Statewide Warm Handoff Expansion

The Ohio Department of Children and Youth is advancing its commitment to young adults transitioning from foster care with the statewide expansion of the Warm Handoff (WHO) Specialist role within the Bridges program. This expansion ensures that each Public Children Service Agency (PCSA) will have a dedicated Bridges representative to support them as they work to transition a youth from PCSA custody to the Bridges program upon emancipation.

WHO Specialists partner directly with PCSAs before a young person leaves custody. Their role is to ensure eligible youth are identified early, understand the benefits of the Bridges program, and receive individualized assistance completing the Bridges application. This early engagement improves continuity of care and promotes a smoother transition into adulthood.

Two additional specialists will be added to Bridges, enabling coverage across all 88 counties. With each PCSA now connected to a designated WHO Specialist, young adults will benefit from quicker enrollment, more reliable guidance, and a more coordinated transition process.

By expanding these services statewide, Bridges is reinforcing its commitment to ensuring young adults have a supported and informed start as they move into independence. This growth strengthens the program’s ability to meet the needs of youth across the state and reflects the Bridges program’s dedication to leading with consistent, compassionate, and effective transition support.

Ohio Education and Training Voucher Student Co-Presents at the Daniel Memorial Independent Living Conference

JaVawnia McKinney and Amanda Davis

In August, Foster Success, the Ohio Department of Children and Youth's (DCY) Ohio Education and Training Voucher (ETV) grantee, attended the Daniel Memorial​ Independent Living Conference in Reston, Virginia. Amanda Davis, the Assistant Director of Program Delivery, co-presented From Surviving to Thriving: Strategies and Lived Expertise That Improve Postsecondary Outcomes alongside JaVawnia “Jay” McKinney, a current Ohio ETV student and graduate of Virginia Union University.

The workshop highlighted practical strategies for supporting young people with foster care experience as they navigate postsecondary education, while centering the value of lived expertise. Jay’s perspective was the shining star of the session. Drawing from her own experience in care and as a college student, she shared first-hand insight into the importance of building authentic relationships, providing consistent coaching, and truly meeting students where they are.

Her experiences brought the strategies to life and reinforced a core message of Foster Success: financial resources can open the door, but relationships, trust, and meaningful support help students stay and thrive​.

Promising Practices Conference Supporting Older Foster Youth in Education

The Ohio Education and Training Voucher provider Foster Success, in partnership with the Ohio Department of Children and Youth, will be hosting the Promising Practices Conference September 16 and 17 at the Doubletree by Hilton in Dublin. This conference is no-cost to participants and will bring professionals from education and child welfare together to promote promising practices around helping foster youth succeed in high school and beyond. 

Please see the attached flyer from Foster Success for more information about the conference and to register for this event.

Every Child Seen: How Ohio’s Foster Youth are Supported Through Partnership

The Ohio Department of Children and Youth and the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce are providing an education session for an introduction and refresher regarding the educational stability for youth in foster care on September 23 from 10 a.m. to noon at Union County Human Services, 940 London Ave, Suite 1800, Marysville, Ohio 43040.

The session will cover basic provisions included in ESSA, expanded understanding of the role of district foster care liaisons, the importance of partnership, and an opportunity to network and collaborate. A link to register is available from the following form.

Contact Jennifer Miller at jennifer.miller@childrenandyouth.ohio.gov or Betsy Hauck at FosterCare@education.ohio.gov with any questions.

Strengthening Student Success: Practices to Support Students Impacted by Foster Care, Homelessness, and Special Education

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s Family Engagement and School Partnerships team and Office for Exceptional Children team will be presenting on September 29 at the Dayton Metro Library from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. about supports for youth in foster care. This opportunity is based on feedback from the field. Often youth in foster care may move and that makes it necessary to bring as many local education agencies and child protective service agencies as possible to the table to discuss supports. Please consider inviting colleagues who may be beneficial to this forum. 

Questions?

If you have questions about the content above, please reach out to info@childrenandyouth.ohio.gov

The Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) is committed to access, inclusion, and reasonable accommodation in all programs and activities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). To request an accommodation, contact the meeting organizer or DCY's ADA Coordinator, at DCY.HumanResources@childrenandyouth.ohio.gov or 614-728-2832 (TTY 711) at least 14 days before the event.

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