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Agency will monitor Trumbull CSB
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, which has oversight for Trumbull County Children Services, says it has “never assumed control” over a county children services agency.
Benjamin Johnson, spokesman for Ohio JFS, says agencies such as Trumbull Children Services are “a function of county commissioners and county judicial systems,” but Ohio JFS “will be monitoring Trumbull County’s performance closely.”
Johnson made these comments in response to a letter from Atty. David Engler this week that asked Ohio Gov. John Kasich to “immediately seek a state takeover” of Trumbull County Children Services Board as a result of the alleged videotaped rape of a child in CSB custody.
The rapes are alleged to have been committed by the child’s biological parents while visiting the child at the CSB offices in July.
Ohio Job and Family Services last week released its review of Trumbull CSB’s visitation policies in relation to the alleged rape, but the language used in the review left much open to interpretation.
Engler said the Trumbull CSB executive director, Nick Kerosky, viewed the report as an “exoneration” of his agency. Engler called that a “remarkable spin that is sickening.”
The review said Trumbull CSB was guilty of some poor record-keeping and “technical errors” regarding documentation the agency had in its possession. Johnson said he could not be more specific than that.
Kerosky cited language in the review that said Ohio JFS “found no issues with the level of supervision of the parents in this case.” He also said the record- keeping problems Ohio JFS cited “could not have prevented” the purported rape.
When Johnson was asked whether that is true, he said, “The rules and policies are there for a reason, and it’s important that they be followed.”
Johnson said he would not answer the question directly because he “won’t pretend to know all the details of the CSB’s operation well enough” to know.
Johnson noted that Ohio JFS is the closest thing to a supervisory agency within state government for Trumbull CSB and that the Ohio JFS director is a member of Gov. Kasich’s Cabinet.
Trumbull County Commissioner Paul Heltzel was angered last week during a commissioners meeting when Harold L. Smith of Massillon once again questioned Heltzel regarding the supervisory role the commissioners have over CSB.
When Heltzel asked Smith what “basis” Smith had for asking the commissioners to become involved in CSB’s operation, Smith did not answer.
County commissioners appoint the members of the CSB board of directors. The Trumbull County Family Court and Trumbull County Probate Court make decisions regarding children under CSB care.