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Good Morning,
When people ask us about our work, whether that's someone new to the field or a certain stakeholder, we always strive to explain the complexities of our juvenile justice system. I recently had the opportunity to submit a Guest Column to the Canton Repository discussing the work we do and how we have succeeded in transforming juvenile justice here in Ohio.
We began this month in such a positive way by hosting Governor DeWine at our Circleville facility for the new Career Technology Center ribbon-cutting - check out the highlights of that historic visit below. Some of our staff also had the opportunity to attend the most recent American Correctional Association Conference, which resulted in our agency receiving several reaccreditation of our facilities/sites that are outlined in this newsletter. We have continued to focus on our team, as you can scroll below to see how we have recently honored both new and retiring staff.
With those initiatives and many others, thank you again for subscribing to "DYS Updates." If you have any immediate questions about our agency, please reach out to us at (614) 466-4314.
Sincerely,
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Circleville Career Technology Center Ribbon-Cutting |
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 Click or tap the image above to watch a recap of the event!
To kick-off Career Technical Education Month in February, we hosted Governor Mike DeWine at our Circleville Juvenile Correctional Facility for the ribbon-cutting of the new career technology center. The new space provides educational and vocational opportunities for justice-involved youth at the facility.
The career center offers expanded career pathways in four areas: Hospitality and Tourism, Construction Technologies, Media Arts, and Transportation Systems. These lanes offer youth more opportunities at earning industry credentials to utilize once they are formally released from DYS.
"All kids deserve the opportunity to live up to their full potential, including the justice-involved youth at DYS," said Gov. DeWine. "The youth here have all gone through a lot in their young lives, but because of this new center, they know there are opportunities awaiting them. When they head home, they'll be leaving here with skills that are in-demand and talents that employers are looking for."
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Director Amy Ast thanked all those involved, including staff who helped with the financing, construction, and development of the career tech center. She also highlighted the significance of providing these career pathways to the youth.
“The administration’s investment speaks to our alignment as an agency and school district with the ever-increasing value of career and technical programs and opportunities,” said Ast. “I cannot wait to see what the future holds as we continue to expand on our credentials and partnerships, but I do know the future is a bright one with this career center here at our Circleville facility.”
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Some of the industry credentials offered to the youth at the new center within the career pathways include:
- Forklift certification
- Food management and safety
- Customer service and sales
- Adobe Photoshop and InDesign certification
- Engine repair
- Construction
- Carpentry
Various DYS staff, community members, and other partner organizations attended the event.
As of academic year 2024-2025, youth completed over 160 credentials in various career avenues that the young men can utilize when they reenter the community.
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A project this size requires support from the across the agency to not only build the physical stuff but also build the programs that will provide opportunities for our young men to reach their potential. Thank you to all the frontline staff from educators and youth specialists and the administrative staff behind the scenes for showing what's possible when we work together as part of our mission to transform and save lives.
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 Click or tap the image above to watch staff discuss what Black History means.
As an agency proud of its diverse workforce, February was a time for us to honor the life-changing work of staff and historical figures through Black History Month.
At Cuyahoga Hills, Luther E. Ball High School held its annual Black History Month celebration day where staff coordinated a day of education and engagement through cuisine, art, and trivia.
The facility also held the latest installation of its Career Speaker Series where nearly 30 graduates listened to financial executive turned entrepreneur Garrick Doss talk about how education and faith shaped his journey from an MBA at Northwestern University to former VP of Ally financial to operating his own Chick-fil-A franchise.
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The staff on our Circleville campus similarly focused on remembering famous African American figures who've helped shape the world and created a better understanding of their influences on American cuisine. Additionally, the Ralph C. Starkey education team held various activities and made foods for educational purposes for the youth.
They also hosted a hands-on session dedicated to the history and use of the Djembe drum, which originated in the western African nation of Mali.
Director of Federally Funded Grant Programs Scharron Kane arranged for master drummer Rosemary Valentine to provide hands-on drumming instruction. They held a similar event at Indian River.
Youth practiced their new skills alongside Ms. Valentine, and other staff, including Fatherhood Program Administrator Joshua Hatch and Contract Program Coordinator Marcus Peacock.
The facility staff also featured an event allowing staff to highlight their specific roots through African Culture Celebration Day. The visitation area was decorated and staff set up different tables and displays that illustrated clothing, artwork, and different flavors of their native countries.
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Central Office hosted a variety of events to celebrate Black history, including highlighting culture and lived experiences with our staff. Thank you to all staff for the work and passion you brought to these meaningful events and informational activities to celebrate culture, learning, and connection. |
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American Correctional Association Conference |
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 DYS is proud to announce that several of our core offices, facilities, and the Community Correctional Facilities (CCFs) in Ohio have officially been reaccredited by the American Correctional Association (ACA).
Each entity achieved a perfect 100% compliance rating on all mandatory standards, a distinction that underscores DYS’s unwavering commitment to safety, security, and industry best practices.
“I am incredibly proud of the collective effort required to reach this milestone,” said DYS Director Amy Ast. “The ACA auditors are seasoned, out-of-state corrections professionals who conduct deep-dive inspections to ensure our standards are not just met but maintained daily. Achieving 100% on mandatory standards across our Central Office, Parole Bureau, and these specific facilities speaks to the high level of professionalism and heart our staff brings to their work.”
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Telecommunications Service Priority Program |
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To ensure operational continuity during Ohio’s turbulent weather season, DYS has officially enrolled in the federal Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP) Program.
As the risk of severe storms increases throughout March and April, this enrollment provides a legal mandate for service providers (including AT&T, Verizon, and Spectrum) to prioritize DYS critical circuits.
Key highlights of the rollout include:
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Priority Restoration: Guaranteed fast-tracked repairs for infrastructure damage or localized outages.
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Critical Sites: Unique TSP Authorization Codes are currently being issued for IRJCF, CHJCF, CJCF, and the DYS Training Academy.
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Proactive Protection: Technical teams are flagging these accounts now to ensure "Priority Active" status before the spring storm window peaks.
A final status update will be shared once all vendors have confirmed that our critical communication lines are fully secured.
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Third Annual Socks Showdown |
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We have officially kicked off our Third Annual Socks Showdown fundraiser in partnership with Shoes 4 the Shoeless and the Hamilton County Juvenile Court.
The Socks Showdown was created to support Shoes 4 the Shoeless, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing socks and shoes to children in need across Ohio. By turning the donation drive into a competition, both agencies aim to raise significant awareness about a basic yet critical need that many families face.
DYS staff are encouraged to "hit the ground running" to help the agency secure a victory while supporting a vital cause. Donation bins for newly purchased socks have been placed at each facility and office location for easy drop-off.
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 Click or tap above to watch highlights from the ceremony!
Our DYS family grew in February at our first preservice graduation of the year.
The graduating class had 30 new team members, filling eight different roles within the agency. Among them was Circleville Behavioral Healthcare Provider and class speaker Hannah Kramer.
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The licensed social worker was drawn to the justice system because she's seen how providing hope and pairing with accountability can be life-changing, and even life-saving, for those who've made mistakes. She's a firm believer in habilitation because many youth we serve were influenced by very challenging upbringings filled with negativity, instability, and violence.
"My why is rooted in the belief that youth are more than their worst moments," Kramer said. "Every youth we serve arrives with a story, a story that is shaped by family, community, trauma and unmet needs.
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She and keynote speaker Scott Barwick both highlighted the importance of connecting with our youth. Barwick, the 2024 Juvenile Parole Officer of the Year who's based in Dayton, has been with DYS for eight years starting off as a General Activities Therapist at Cuyahoga Hills.
In that role, but especially as a parole officer, Barwick knows how important it is to build a rapport with a young person. The camaraderie helps a youth realize we want them to realize their full potential, which can lead to their positive transformation.
"To the world, you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world," said Barwick. "You are the Ohio agents of hope."
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It was a bittersweet month as several DYS veterans are onto the next chapters of their lives or their careers, including multiple team members retiring after decades of service to the agency. Fortunately, we had the privilege to give them celebratory sendoffs for their years of dedicated service to our office, our youth, and our mission.
Phil Born (above) was celebrated for his 34 years of dedication to DYS. Recently serving as an Investigator from our Chief Inspector's Office, Phil has been a pillar of dedication and leadership to everyone around him. He was one of five retirees with a combined 155 years to the agency.
Sherrie House celebrated her retirement after 33 years of service to our mission at DYS.
She was presented with the Director's coin, like all the other retirees, which is one of the agency's highest honors. The award reflects the impact staff had on youth, each other, and the agency. Sherrie's last role with us was as External Auditor for the Finance and Planning division.
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Drew Janning also retired after 32 years with DYS. He served in a number of roles throughout the agency, most recently as a Parole Resources Administrator. Drew has been a vital part of the Bureau of Parole's transformation in recent years where he's always been a willing teammate traveling statewide to help however he can with various programs and events.
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Indian River Human Services Program Administrator Bobbi Leasure announced her retirement after dedicating 32 years of hard work to our mission. Starting her career as a college intern, she held a variety of roles at Indian River supporting youth and staff throughout her career. We truly appreciate everything she has done to transform and save lives throughout the last three decades here at DYS.
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Joining them in retirement after 24 years of service was Perry Palumbo, Program Development Manager for the Bureau of Community Reinvestment. Perry enters retirement leaving a legacy under his work with RECLAIM grants, but even more importantly, critical mentorship that impacts our youth, staff, and agency. We know his positive impact he has left will last for many years to come within juvenile justice in Ohio.
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We also said goodbye to two Central Office employees who spent many years with us, and we thank them for their tremendous service as they have gone on to new opportunities:
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Jackie Doblinger: Thank you to Jackie for her 10 years of dedicated service to DYS! We are so grateful for her hard work and everything she contributed to this agency over the last decade.
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Kim Times: We appreciate over 20 years of dedicated service from Ms. Times to our agency. She contributed incredible commitment and heart to this agency during her time with us.
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We’re proud to welcome individuals committed to supporting and guiding Ohio’s youth as we continue to transform and save lives. Meet some of our newest DYS team members and hear their “why." |
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 Julianna Reese
Behavioral Healthcare Provider
Cuyahoga Hills
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 Anthony Mendoza
Youth Specialist
Cuyahoga Hills
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 Tiffani Jackson
Nursing Supervisor
Indian River
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 Aaron Seldon
Youth Specialist
Circleville
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Youth Resources
Columbus:
Cincinnati:
Cleveland:
Local Resources:
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