FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Mark Mecum, CEO
Phone: 614.461.0014x02
OHIO CHILDREN’S ALLIANCE ANNOUNCES NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH ODJFS
Collaboration to Increase Adoptive and Resource Home Recruitment Efforts in the State
Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio Children’s Alliance is proud to announce the award of a grant from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) to increase adoptive and resource (kinship and foster) family recruitment.
In 2020, the Children Services Transformation Advisory Council, led by Governor Mike DeWine, released 37 recommendations to transform Ohio’s children services, including recommendations to address a major shortage of available adoptive and resource homes in Ohio.
Through this partnership with ODJFS, the Ohio Children’s Alliance commits to expanding Ohio’s adoptive and resource home availability through innovation and the formation of new community partnerships. In collaboration with local agencies, Ohio Children’s Alliance will develop regional marketing campaigns aimed at increasing resource homes by driving attention to the ODJFS’ It Takes Heart Ohio campaign.
“We’re going to bring together proven best practices and new, innovative ideas to develop a multi-faceted recruitment campaign.” said Bridget Graber, Ohio Children’s Alliance Program Manager. “This campaign has the potential to dramatically increase the number of available adoptive and resource homes in Ohio.”
“The new program will also create long-term benefits for the entire children services system”, said Ohio Children’s Alliance CEO Mark Mecum.
“All of the new skills, tools, and insights developed will be shared with children services, foster care agencies and stakeholders statewide and will be a jumping-off point for future innovation.”
He continued, “We are grateful for the leadership provided by ODJFS and the DeWine administration and look forward to working with them to continue to improve children services in Ohio.”
To learn more and get involved with It Takes Heart Ohio, visit the ODJFS website here.
Recent 2022 data shows, on any given day in Ohio, almost 15,000 children are being cared for away from their parents. About 4,000 of those children are placed with a relative or family friend. Roughly 8,500 of them are living with foster parents. The remaining children are in residential care or another placement setting. More than 3,400 children are waiting to be adopted.
The Ohio Children’s Alliance is a not-for-profit organization based in Columbus, Ohio. They are dedicated to sustainably improving the provision of services to children, young adults, and families through advocacy, education, and innovative solutions. Learn more at www.ohiochildrensalliance.org. ###
