Testimony before the House Health and Family
Services Committee on H.B. 424
March 20, 2002
Good Morning Chairman Jolivette and members of the Health and Family Services Committee. My name is Michelle Haskins and I am the Legislative Director with the Ohio Association of Child Caring Agencies. Thank you for the opportunity to offer proponent testimony on House Bill 424 sponsored by Representative Raga.
OACCA is a statewide association of almost 100 private and public agencies that provide an array of services to children and families. They are leaders in providing services to unruly and delinquent youth, sex offender treatment, adoption, all levels of foster care, and mental health services. OACCA member agencies are certified by the Ohio Departments of Job and Family Services, Mental Health and Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services and are accredited by nationally recognized accreditation organizations.
We believe that Ohio's most vulnerable population has the right to be in safe, stable settings that meet their physical, developmental and emotional needs. House Bill 424 will help assure that such needs are met, and it will enable the department to sanction agencies that violate certification standards. We further believe that adherence to the state's minimum standards of practice for the care of children is necessary in order to protect the safety and well being of children in all types of substitute care.
Thank you for the opportunity to offer proponent testimony this morning and I will be happy to try and answer any questions that you may have.
ORC 5103.02
(A) "Association" or "institution" includes any incorporated or unincorporated organization, society, association, or agency, public or private, that receives or cares for children for two or more consecutive weeks; any individual who, for hire, gain, or reward, receives or cares for children for two or more consecutive weeks, unless the individual is related to them by blood or marriage; and any individual not in the regular employ of a court, or of an institution or association certified in accordance with section 5103.03 of the Revised Code,
ORC 5153.01 Definitions. (County Children Services)
(B) As used in this chapter:
(1) "Certified foster home" means a foster home, as defined in section 5103.02 of the Revised Code, certified under section 5103.03 of the Revised Code.
(2) "Certified organization" means any organization holding a certificate issued pursuant to section 5103.03 of the Revised Code that is in full force and effect.
(3) "Child" means any person under eighteen years of age or a mentally or physically handicapped person, as defined by rule adopted by the director of job and family services, under twenty-one years of age.
(4) "Executive director" means the person charged with the responsibility of administering the powers and duties of a public children services agency appointed pursuant to section 5153.10 of the Revised Code.
(5) "Organization" means any public, semipublic, or private institution, including maternity homes and day nurseries, and any private association, society, or agency, located or operating in this state, incorporated or unincorporated, having among its functions the furnishing of protective services or care for children or the placement of children in certified foster homes or elsewhere.
ORC 5153.16 Duties of public children services agency as to children in need of public care or protective services.
(A)(8) Find certified foster homes, within or outside the county, for the care of children, including handicapped children from other counties attending special schools in the county;
(10) Acquire and operate a county children's home, establish, maintain, and operate a receiving home for the temporary care of children, or procure certified foster homes for this purpose;
(C) Except as provided in section 2151.422 [2151.42.2] of the Revised Code, in accordance with rules of the director of job and family services, and on behalf of children in the county whom the public children services agency considers to be in need of public care or protective services, the public children services agency may do the following:
(1) Provide or find, with other child serving systems, specialized foster care for the care of children in a specialized foster home, as defined in section 5103.02 of the Revised Code,certified under section 5103.03 of the Revised Code;
OAC 5101:2-1-01"Certificate" means a document prescribed by ODHS issued pursuant to Chapter 5103. of the Revised Code authorizing an agency to perform specific functions or authorizing a foster caregiver to care for children.