By: Rebecca Miller
During the first portion of the Monday morning meeting on February 22,2021, Commissioner Terry Rummel gave a Covid Vaccine Call Center update.
There are two COVID Vaccine Clinics scheduled for March 2 and March 4, 2021 and presently the Call Center is scheduling through the 70 year olds.
Anyone older than the 70’s can still schedule if they have not gotten it yet. The Hotline has been busy and the center is making calls as well.
It is busier in the mornings so it might be best to call in the afternoon. That phone number is 419-636-0081.
In Regular business, the Commissioners approved:
•Resolution 74 Fixing Final Hearing for Ditch #737 Petitioned by Robert Thiel for March 25, 2021 at 10 a.m.
•Resolution 75 Fixing Final Hearing for Ditch #738 Petitioned by John Corman for March 25, 2021 at 10:30 a.m.
•Resolution 76 Entering into an MOU between WC Job and Family Services and Health Partners of Western Ohio, Term of January 1, 2021 with auto renewal
•Resolution 77 Entering into a Subgrant Agreement between WC JFS and Northwestern Ohio Community Action Commission (NOCAC) at a cost not to exceed $35,000, Term January 1-December 31, 2021
•Resolution 78 Entering into a IV-4 Contract between WC Child Support Enforcement Agency and WC Common Pleas Court at a cost not to exceed $28,264.81, Term Jan.1-Dec.31, 2021
•Resolution 79 Entering into a IV-D Contract between WC Child Support Enforcement Agency and WC Juvenile Court at a cost not to exceed $52,566.77, Term Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2021
•Also signed were Special Hauling Permit #21-007 CD-365; Dog Warden Report for week of February 8 – 14, 2021; Monthly Expenditure for Month of March for Commissioners’ Office; and Items 420 and 500 for Project #1-2021
•Minutes for February 18, 2021 and payment of bills as submitted by Auditor
At 10 a.m. the commissioners met with Fred Lord and Monica Gazarek, from Job and Family Services to hear an update on the Kinship Care Permanency Incentive Program.
The description of this program online is, “Kinship Care refers to a temporary or permanent arrangement in which a relative or any non-relative adult who has a long-standing relationship or bond with the child and/or family, has taken over the full-time, substitute care of a child whose parents are unable or unwilling to do so. …. Kinship care represents the most desirable out-of-home placement option for children who cannot live with their parents.”
“It offers the greatest level of stability by allowing children to maintain their sense of belonging and enhances their ability to identify with their family’s culture and traditions.”
Commissioner Brian Davis stated that this session was to get updated on “some changes that have been made to the Law and what that entails for the county.”
Ms. GazarekInformed the commissioners that there are some changes that will allow for Kinship providers to be licensed and to “actually receive payment for caring” for children.”
“The payment is not connected to whether or not they are licensed. $10.20 will be paid per day for each kinship child placed through the agency.”
“They consider Kinship Providers a preventative measure that will help keep children out of Foster Care and also to get those out who are already in “the system.” “We complete full home studies and transfer temporary custody to the relative care giver while we work ramifications,” Gazarek said.
“In those situations, the payments would not be a factor. They would need to apply for Child Cash only through income maintenance and not actually have this other payment.”
She explained how this got started due to a court case in Kentucky in which the “Federal Court decided that basically the Kinship Providers that we are using have the same standings as foster parents.”
“Ohio got on board about two years later. Financially, the burden of payment will be shared by the state and some of it will be “eventually on the shoulders of the County.” This is a Federal District program and Ohio and Kentucky are in the same district.
Mr. Lord added that they have been watching for this to come to Williams County for about two years and that some lawsuits in Ohio have forced the State to deal with the issue.
He stated that with the COVID situation causing money to be shifted, he is not sure how the Governor plans to handle it, but “We are just going to try to put together a strategy as best we can.”
“We are licensing our own foster homes and doing those kinds of things. We are also encouraging people that if we can move the custody over, then the relatives are eligible for what is called OWF Cash or Commonly Cash for those things.”
“We are working through those to make sure that they get those payments and then we might only be responsible for the OWF Cash.”
Further discussion, questions and answers and explanations ensued, with Lord restating at one point, “This Court decision basically puts the Kinship Providers in the same standing as Foster Parents now, so they are entitled to the same per diems that foster parents are. That is what has changed.”
Commissioner Rummel said that he is not feeling “like we take very good care of our kids once they are out. I hear of families that took custody, and they can’t get any help for that.”
He explained his concerns further, stating, “I was hoping this was going to pug the hole and to be honest I hear you say things like we have that covered so it is not going to cost us money. I think there is a lot in that bucket.”
“We put $400,000 in and the State put $400,000 in so there should be $800,000 I a bucket of money that we don’t seem to be able to tap into because of rules and regulations and stuff that gets in our way.”
Gazarek responded, “I think the people that you are talking about need to be applying for Income Maintenance Child Cash Only. Their income doesn’t count because it is based on that child.”
After further discussion, Lord added, “If you identify some of those people, put them in touch with us and we will help out as we do have money available and we would spend money.”
“We do not want the children to go to Foster Care.” Rummel asked if a caseworker tells someone “there is no funding available for that, what do they do next?”
And Gazarek said that there is funding out there, that people just have to jump through the hoops, so they should call her if it is Child Welfare. Rummel stressed that everyone, the relatives, friends, JFS and all should be doing this for the betterment of the children.
Davis expressed the need for a print out of actual program names and what they can do, a Quick Fact Sheet, so that people are not confused by all the information. Lord said they will work on getting that accomplished.
With no further business for the day, the Commissioners adjourned.
Rebecca can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com