COLUMBIANA COUNTY Family service agency has money but not coordinators

Job and Family Services is searching for coordinators to administer two family-assistance programs.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- Columbiana County Job and Family Services has about $100,000 in federal funds to administer two family-assistance programs but no one to coordinate them.
Pam Skinner, Job and Family Services program evaluator, said the agency has about $50,000 each for two separate programs. Some parts of each program can be administered through Job and Family Services' regular programs, but having a coordinator for the programs is more desirable, she said.
Two coordinators are needed in separate part-time, six-month contracts, Skinner said.
She said JFS officials expected bids from individuals, or from social service agencies who have personnel who could serve as coordinators.
There was to be a bid opening for the contracts, but the county commissioners said no one submitted bids.
Skinner said although a social service background would be helpful in the positions, the person to serve as coordinator in either post need not have a college degree.
Family assistance
One program is designed to assist people who are rearing children not their own, such as neighbors, grandparents or aunts and uncles.
Skinner said families who choose to rear such children save the state thousands of dollars each year by keeping the children out of the foster-care system.
The coordinator would help link families with various agencies that can assist them, she said.
The families don't have to be in Job and Family Services assistance programs to qualify, she added.
Parenting education
A coordinator also is needed for a home-based parenting education program, Skinner said.
The coordinator would work one on one with parents in mentoring situations in the home, she said.
The parenting skills program is for families enrolled in Job and Family Services programs, Skinner said.
The coordinator helps parents with basic skills such as budgeting, buying groceries and helping children prepare for school in the morning, she said.
Another of the coordinator's duties would be to ensure that parents have a backup plan for child care if children are sick or school is canceled, she said.
The contracts for each program would be six-month contracts from January to June with renewal options, Skinner added.
tullis@vindy.com