mid-biennium review update

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Mid-Biennium Review Update

WILL PETRIK

State DirectorAdvocates for Ohio’s Future

Featuring:

Gayle Channing Tenenbaum Director of Policy & Governmental Affairs, Public Children Services Association of Ohio (PCSAO)

Joel PottsExecutive Director, Ohio Job & Family Services Directors’ Association (OJFSDA)

Katie KellyExecutive Director, groundwork

Zach SchillerResearch Director, Policy Matters Ohio

THE MID-BIENNIUM REVIEW

ADVOCATES FOR OHIO’S FUTUREWHO WE ARE

A statewide coalition of over 450 organizations working together to promotes health and human service budget and policy solutions so that all Ohioans live better lives.

• Strengthen Ohio with Healthy Communities

• Create More and Better Jobs for Ohioans

• Make Ohio More Competitive with Great Public Services

ADVOCATES FOR OHIO’S FUTUREOUR FOCUS

MID-BIENNIUM REVIEW TIMELINEMar 11 – Kasich Administration releases MBR proposal (House Bill 472 – HB 472).Mar 18 – Speaker Batchelder announces HB 472 will be split into 14 different bills and assigned to 11 different committees and subcommittees.Mar 23 – Columbus Dispatch reports Republican legislative leaders might wait until after the November election before acting on Gov. John Kasich’s proposed tax packageApr 9 – Ohio House of Representatives passes nine bills related to the MBREarly May – Hearings for the MBR start in the Senate

Director of Policy & Governmental Affairs, PCSAO

THE MBR AND CHILD WELFARE

Gayle Channing- Tenenbaum

• The General Assembly should appropriate an additional $20 million for SFY 2015 in the 523 State Child Protection Allocation line item, as follows:

• $3.2 million to match federal capped Title IV-B ESSA funds to strengthen families and capped Title IV-E Chafee funds serve youth aging out of foster care

• $12.6 million (75% of remaining funds) to 88 county agencies according to current formula

• $4.2 million (25% of remaining) to hardship counties

IMPROVING CHILD OUTCOMES WITH SHARED RESOURCES

Why?• Ohio ranks 50th in the nation in state investment for

child welfare. • Ohio is highest in the nation for local child welfare

investment, but funding is extremely inequitable.• Local child welfare agencies have suffered a 20% loss

of scarce state funds in the past few years, including cuts to the State Child Protection Allocation and state portion of Adoption Assistance.

IMPROVING CHILD OUTCOMES WITH SHARED RESOURCES

IMPROVING CHILD OUTCOMES WITH SHARED RESOURCESHow will this help?• County agencies will select from a menu of strategies

and technical• Counties must abide by a permissive local

Maintenance of Effort • Ohio should also allow indefinite/extended time

frames for child welfare• “Hardship” can be defined in a number of ways to help

identify those counties in most need of state aid.

How Old are the Children with Substance Abusing Parents?

From the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services

When a Parent Has Substance Abuse Issues, How Long Does a Child Remain in Custody?

From the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services

12

85% will stay longer than 30 days

50% will stay longer than

300 days

From the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services

13

Who Stays in Custody Longer:Those With or Without Substance Abuse Issues?

70% of Non-substance abuse will stay longer than 80 days.

70% of Substance abuse kids will stay longer than 110 days

IMPROVING CHILD OUTCOMES WITH SHARED RESOURCESInterested PartiesThis proposal was developed by a special PCSAO committee of county children services agency executives and fiscal experts. We have worked closely with:• ODJFS• County Commissioners Association of Ohio• Ohio Job and Family Services Directors Association• Advocates for Ohio’s FutureWe also have worked to educate other child- and family-serving entities, including:• Ohio Family Care Association• Ohio Grandparent-Kinship Coalition• Ohio Association of Child Caring Agencies• Ohio Adoption Planning Group• Overcoming Hurdles In Ohio Youth Advisory Board

Do all children deserve, safety, permanency and well being regardless of

where they live?

Joel PottsExecutive Director,

Ohio Job & Family Services Directors' Association

THE MBR AND ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES

ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES

• State currently invests $500,000 • 50 counties receive less than $2,000 annually• Counties invest $20 million per year in the APS

program• MBR proposes $10 million investment• Most state has ever invested in program -

$3.35 Million in 1997

Katie KellyExecutive Director,

groundWork

THE MBR AND EARLY CHILDHOOD

CONTINUOUS AUTHORIZATION FOR CHILD CARE

• Legislative change would offer 13 weeks of “continuous authorization” for families enrolled in child care with a temporary change in their work or training status

Goals of this change: • Allow children to remain in a stable early learning

environment during temporary changes in parents’ work status, as well as provide support for parents to reenter the workforce

PRESUMPTIVE ELIGIBILITY FOR CHILD CARE

• Legislative change would allow parents to receive presumptive eligibility for child care from the time an application is submitted to the County to the time of certification

Goal of this change: • To allow parents to secure a child care provider for a

child more quickly after a job or training position is obtained

Zach SchillerPolicy Director,

Policy Matters Ohio

THE MBR AND UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION

UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION• As introduced, House Bill 483 would have required

that new applications and continuing weekly claims for unemployment compensation (UC) be done over the Internet, with limited exemptions

• Half of Ohioans make their initial application for UC benefits on the phone

• 150,000 Ohio households are not served by broadband, and 300,000 adults cannot go online to look for jobs because they lack the necessary digital literacy skills, according to Connect Ohio

UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION• Online-only registration for initial claims or follow-up

job-matching led to thousands of claimants being denied benefits in Florida and Pennsylvania

• ODJFS is implementing other UC changes for claimants – we should wait to make sure they work before adding more requirements

Next Steps• The finance committee deleted this mandate, but it is

expected to resurface

TALKING POINTS TO STRENGTHEN FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES

Talking Points• I’m working to ensure that Ohio is a place where everyone can

participate in our economy and where working Ohioans have what they need to support themselves and their families.

• Ohio’s families and communities need our support. Too many Ohioans lack essential human resources - things like food, housing, health care, education, child care, access to treatment, and transportation - that they need to prosper and live better lives.

• I believe Ohio can be a great place for all Ohioans to live and work, and we can get our state and our economy back on track by making bold investments in families and our communities.

NEXT STEPS: WHAT CAN YOU DO TO STRENGTHEN FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES?

Act Now!• Make thank you calls to House leaders.• Meet with your State Senator over the break.

Share your ideas to help strengthen your community.

• Review our “effective legislative visits” webinar here.

• Don’t forget to send thank you’s and let us know how your visit went.

Get Connected With Advocates for Ohio’s Future Today!

• Find us on Facebook

• Join our coalition of over 450 organizations.

• Endorse Advocates for Ohio’s Future today.

• Follow us on Twitter @Advocates4OH

QUESTIONS?

Advocates for Ohio’s Future510 East Mound Street, Suite 200Columbus, OH 43215www.advocatesforohio.org

Will Petrik | 614-602-2464wpetrik@advocatesforohio.org Gail Clendenin | 614-602-2463gclendenin@advocatesforohio.org