On October 20, Ohio Governor DeWine signed into law Ohio House Bill (HB) 8 upon unanimous approval from the General Assembly. The bipartisan legislation was sponsored by State Representatives Susan Manchester (R-Waynesfield) and Tavia Galonski (D-Akron). It takes effect in January 2021 and authorizes the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) to re-design foster parent training curriculum and hour requirements. The legislation will enable agencies to onboard foster parents quicker and utilize virtual training opportunities. This is especially important given Ohio’s recent rise in foster care placements and the need to leverage virtual technology amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. It will also empower Ohio’s child welfare agency to customize a training pathway for kin to become licensed foster caregivers. Overall, it modernizes foster care training by offering greater flexibility to respond to foster caregiver needs, as well as helping to better recruit and retain foster parents.
- A summary of the legislation is available here.
- A press release by the Ohio CHAMPS partner, the Ohio Children’s Alliance, is here.