SB 238
CHILD WELFARE (Niehaus, T. – R) 

Introduced to Senate: December 8, 2005
Assigned to Senate Health, Human Services and Aging Committee (Coughlin)
Reported out of Committee: March 2, 2006
Passed Senate: March 8, 2006
Assigned to House Health (White)
Reported out of Committee as Amended: May 10, 2006
Passed House: May 10, 2006

This new law becomes effective September 19, 2006 as a comprehensive piece of child welfare legislation increasing the safety and permanency of Ohio’s children.  It incorporates:

·      many adoption process reforms, including the requirement of a large family assessment when five or more children reside in the home and increased sharing of information provisions among all the entities involved in the adoption process;

·      SACWIS is written into law, along with confidentiality protections;

·      implementation of the new Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children provisions for improved coordination with other states;

·      creation of an alternative response pilot program in ten counties;

·      increase of caseworker core hours from 90 to 102 hours the first year and requires all caseworkers and supervisors complete 12 hours of domestic violence training within their first two years of employment;

·      creation of a task force to study domestic violence issues within public assistance programs;

·      creation of a licensure category for crisis nurseries;

·      and many more provisions. 

You can access an outline and final language of the act through this webpage with the links contained below…