Children Services better than numbers indicate

Data found in the most recent “Kids Count Factbook” by The Annie E. Casey Foundation does not reflect current child maltreatment rates in Richland County.

A recent News Journal article was based upon that data, which was collected in 2012. The “factbook” data does not reflect the current state of local child abuse and neglect today, and it also does not reflect some fundamental changes in the way the agency has done business since I became executive director in February of 2013.

One big misconception is that children in Richland County, compared to the state average, are three times more likely to be victims of child abuse and neglect. That simply is not true today. The fact is local children are in no more danger today than other locations around the state.

When I arrived at the agency, we had discussions with state Job and Family Services officials. We looked at the agency’s processes, procedures and expectations in reported child abuse and neglect cases. We found our team had been taught to suspect abuse/neglect in some instances that could not be supported under state policies and were not in line with established best practices in child welfare.

We began a series of strategic changes at the agency that moved our child abuse and neglect investigations more in line with the rest of the state and nation. These changes did not negatively impact children. In fact, they did not expose children to unnecessary case dispositions and family disruptions.

To date in 2014, our data indicates the Richland County rate of child maltreatment is 4.27 per 1,000 children. That is actually better than the current state average of 5.11 per 1,000 children. We are not proud of even this low number. In our work, we strive for zero maltreatment. As realists, however, we know child abuse and neglect will occur. We also know these numbers are estimates and look forward to the publication of the factbook in the next few years to see if we are on target.

Overall, our cases have decreased, not because we are not concerned, but because we have focused our work on the children and families who we should be focused on, based upon state policies and nationwide best practices. We are more focused on quality casework and assistance to families and children, rather than sheer numbers of cases.

We have an excellent team of caring, well-educated staff members at Richland County Children Services. We have 93 employees with bachelor’s degrees, 39 of whom also have master’s degrees. These men and women work very hard at their jobs — jobs which are high stress and high risk, working with families who often do not want our services initially.

As part of our strategic changes, we have begun a concentrated effort to provide our team members even more updated training and resources. These changes require more than training however, they require a shift in culture. We are pleased to report that shift is well underway.

The new “Kids Count Factbook” also revealed a number in which we take great pride. Children in Richland County are three times less likely than the state average to enter the foster care system.

This does not mean children are left in unsafe homes. Rather, it means we work closely with parents, the Richland County Juvenile Court and others to keep children safe in their own homes. We also make extensive use of the Kinship care program recently noted in the News Journal. We believe all children have a right to family first.

We admire and respect all of our foster homes. But the fact is that removing a child from his or her home and placing that child with strangers, albeit loving strangers, should always be the last option.

We participate with 16 other Ohio counties in a program titled Protect Ohio, a waiver meant to help the federal government find methods to replace a broken system of funding for child protection. With this waiver, we are able to provide services with flexible funding that allows us to pay for services to children and their families, support kinship providers and make sure kids stay as safe as possible. We are not reimbursed based upon the number of children who come into agency custody.

We invite anyone interested in the work being done by Richland County Children Services to call us at 419-774-4100; visit our agency; attend one of our monthly, public board meetings; visit our website at www.richlandcountychildrenservices.org; or find us on Facebook.

Patty Harrelson is executive director for Richland County Children Services, the county’s public child welfare agency.