LORAIN COUNTY CHILDREN SERVICES Overview Lorain County Children

LORAIN COUNTY CHILDREN SERVICES Overview

Lorain County Children Services Earns National Accreditation Lorain County Children Services’ commitment to deliver the highest quality of service to Lorain County’s children and families has officially been recognized by the Council on Accreditation for Services to Children and Families (COA). LCCS received its initial Accreditation in 1999 and was reaccredited in 2015. LCCS is currently one of twenty-five children services in Ohio to maintain accreditation.

In 2015… Lorain County Children Services received 4, 912 referrals from people in our community who were concerned about a child. Nearly 2, 500 of those calls were screened out or the person calling was provided with Information and Referral. 2, 012 referrals were screened in as possible child abuse or neglect. Workers were assigned to these 2, 012 situations to see if the allegations were true/child needs our intervention. 49% of these cases were provided with a Traditional Response, and 51% cases were assigned the Alternative Response pathway (once that pathway became available to us in June 2014. ) Of the cases investigated through the Traditional Response, 415 situations were substantiated.

Types of Cases 2013 Total Received Screened Out I/R Dependency Screened in CAN FINS Screened in Emotional Maltreatment Screened in Physical Abuse Screened in Sexual Abuse Screened in Medical Neglect Screened in Shaken baby Multiple Allegation Reports Number Percentage Indicated/substantiated 4000 195 1402 9 2192 170 299 1041 251 113 1244 0 634 655 -29. 88% 2014 Total Received Screened Out I/R Dependency Screened in CAN FINS Screened in Emotional Maltreatment Screened in Physical Abuse Screened in Sexual Abuse Screened in Medical Neglect Screened in Shaken baby Multiple Allegation Reports Number Percentage Indicated/substantiated 4343 1054 890 20 2156 175 308 1075 322 119 1248 1 589 498 -31. 52% 2015 Total Received Screened Out I/R Dependency Screened in CAN FINS Screened in Emotional Maltreatment Screened in Physical Abuse Screened in Sexual Abuse Screened in Medical Neglect Screened in Shaken baby Multiple Allegation Reports Number Percentage Indicated/substantiated 4912 2443 136 25 2012 190 364 999 273 93 1282 0 389 415 – 44. 96%

Ohio’s Differential Response System Screening: Does the report meet the statutory threshold for CPS intervention? NO Screened Out/Referred for other community services YES Alternative Response • Child Protection Response • Option for reports that DO NOT allege serious or imminent harm Traditional Response Pathway Assignment • Child Protection Response • Identification of victim and perpetrator • No formal finding • Process results in a determination/ finding • Safety-driven

How a case is investigated/assessed Alternative Response (AR) Traditional Response (TR) • Applied when report DOES NOT allege serious or imminent harm • Required for reports of sexual abuse or abuse resulting in serious injury or serious and immediate risk • No formal finding/substantiation of the allegation • Facilitates safety-focused partnership with families • Process results in a determination/ finding regarding the allegation • May involve intervention of the court • Safety, Risk and Comprehensive Family Assessment completed • Emphasis on "front-loading" needed services by providing services earlier and without requirement of a finding • Case Plan developed following completion of the Family Assessment for families with ongoing services needs Pathway assignment may change from Alternative Response to Traditional Response if needed in order to assure safety.

Coming up in 2017 1. Opiate/heroin crisis – effect on children and relatives/foster families 2. Safe and Together – a different child welfare approach to children affected by domestic violence 3. Community Advisory Network meetings will be restarting in 2017! Email Patti. Jo. Burtnett@Children. Services. org to be included on invitation list. 4. Joining the state’s computer network. This will mean all our emails will change sometime this year.

Referrals • • To make a referral • 440 -329 -5340 (typical office hours) • 440 - 406 -5121 (after hours pager/hotline) Staffing (113 people on staff): All Direct Services eligible to take screened in reports and either do an assessment or start an investigation • Family Based Care and Independent Living • Administrative departments • Website: Children. Services. org Facebook: www. facebook. com/Lorain. County. Children. Services/ www. facebook. com/LCCSFoster. Parents/

Contact Us To Report Abuse or Neglect, call : 440 -329 -5340 (during regular business hours. ) After hours, on weekends and holidays, please use 440 -406 -5121. Our mailing address is: Lorain County Children Services 226 Middle Avenue Elyria, OH 44035

Questions?