New standards in place

This is the second in a series on the child welfare system.
By SARAH WEBER
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
After 11 disabled Huron County children kept in cages were removed from the home of their adoptive parents last summer, Gov. Bob Taft directed the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to conduct a statewide study of Ohio's foster care and adoption system.
Reform legislation written from the state agency's recommendations was signed into law by Taft on June 21. Though this law will help to standardize adoption and foster care practices, Bob Kubiak, director of Trumbull County Children Services, said little would change at his agency.
"What they are trying to do is make universal good practice standards that we already abide by here," Kubiak said.
Points
He noted that the new law has several major points.
The first is a requirement that families share any information regarding past involvement with child welfare agencies. Carmen Stewart, spokeswoman for ODJFS, said that ensures counties will have information about any previous adoptions or problems adoptive or foster care families may have had.
"Previously, if a family would adopt in say, Franklin County, then they adopt in Mahoning County, Mahoning would have no record of the prior adoption," Stewart said.
She said that the improved law would also help the counties share information about foster families.
The second major requirement is that adoptive families who already have four or more children in their home must go through a special assessment to evaluate the ability of the family to support another child. There also is an evaluation of the home to make sure there is room for an addition to the family.
"It does not prohibit families from adopting another child," Kubiak said. "It just ensures that families will be able to care for that many kids. There is no magic number."
Collaboration
The third major requirement Kubiak noted is increased communication between the county agencies so that the home county can keep track of adopted children who move out of the county. If a child is taken out of the county where he or she is adopted, and then for some reason gets back into the child welfare system in another Ohio county, the two counties must work together to decide the next step for the child.
"The home county will be re-involved in planning the direction for the child," Kubiak said. "Sometimes problems do occur, and we like to have a hand in where the kids are going."
Stewart emphasized that the new law does not hinder adoption or foster care, it just ensures that county agencies are properly handling each child's case.
"It is to protect the children who are being adopted," Stewart said.
He noted that ODJFS will pilot the new law in Muskingum County in August to make sure that the new system works. All other counties should be on board by Jan. 1, 2008.
Mahoning County Children Services did not return calls seeking comment on the new law.