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Foster families needed in county, state
YOUNGSTOWN
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services recently unveiled a new website, fosterandadopt.jfs.ohio.gov, and a public awareness campaign aimed toward potential new foster families to take in some 16,000 in the custody of children-services agencies across the state.
“This new website and public awareness campaign will help Ohioans interested in foster care and adoption better access information about the process with the goal of encouraging more families to open up their homes and hearts to children in need,” Gov. Mike DeWine said. “Every child deserves to grow up in a safe and loving home. Because of the opioid crisis ravaging our state, the need for families is greater than ever.”
Randy Muth, Mahoning County Children Services executive director, said Thursday the state had been “shedding” foster families for more than a decade before the drug crisis took root and led to a surge in child removal cases. In Mahoning County, the number of opioid-related removals doubled from 2016 to 2018, when they accounted for close to a third of all cases.
The county currently maintains 33 contracts with private foster-home providers and has 54 local, county-licensed foster families, but Muth said, “We need more. We’re full.”
Like the state, the county has been amping up foster family recruitment efforts since 2015 and hired a dedicated recruiter, bought billboard space and radio and screen ad time, Muth said. It’s all aimed at having more in-county options for children in the state system, who face far worse outcomes when moved out of the county for services or placement.
“The last thing I want to do is have to place a child in a purchased-care facility four counties away because we don’t have room in our county system,” he said.
An informational session on becoming a licensed foster parent in Mahoning County is set for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Mahoning County Children Services offices, 222 W. Federal St. Potential parents can learn more about fostering and adopting, meet Children Services workers and ask questions.
Registration is required. To register, call 330-941-8727 or email Brittany.Snyder@jfs.ohio.gov.