Nucleus of people does not include foster care alumni

Foster care forum held: Fiesel case was impetus
Craig, Jon. Cincinnati Enquirer, Dec. 7, 2006, Metro pg. C1.

COLUMBUS - About 30 state and local officials responsible for enforcing child protection laws met with legislators, lobbyists and a representative of Gov.-elect Ted Strickland's transition team Wednesday to suggest improvements to Ohio's foster-care system, spurred by the August death of a 3-year-old foster child from Butler County.

Marcus Fiesel's death led to state and county investigations into the foster-care system.

More than two dozen suggestions were made Wednesday by officials including representatives from Butler and Clermont counties.

The group plans to meet again Jan. 10 after critiquing a state report and coming up with more short- and long-term solutions. They agreed some local actions can be taken now to protect children, as well as new laws when a new Ohio General Assembly begins Jan. 2.

"We have a nucleus of people that crosses party lines and administrations," said state Sen. Tom Niehaus, R-New Richmond.

But Niehaus warned it's a fine line between taking action too fast and taking a measured approach as early as possible in the legislative session.Niehaus said a knee-jerk reaction can result in more harm to children. He said that good foster parents may be subjected to criticism that isn't deserved because of all the attention given to the Fiesel case.

"Let's develop a master list of things that need to be addressed," Niehaus said. "If there are things you can fix locally, don't wait for us."State Sen. Gary Cates, R-West Chester, said the aim is to come up with ideas for new state legislation, but also to remind county agencies that they are encouraged to take corrective action now.

Fred Williams, deputy director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, said Marcus' case heightened awareness and scrutiny. "

Agencies are being a lot more vigilant than they were before," he said.

Williams said a Nov. 27 report by the state Office for Children and Families was meant to prompt discussion and has received a lot of criticism. The state wants to improve the system, not place blame, he said.

Marcus, a child with disabilities from Middletown, died in the Clermont County home of his foster parents, David and Liz Carroll, in early August, prosecutors said, because the couple tied him up, locked him in a closet, then left town for two days.

In addition to murder charges, the couple also face charges of staging the boy's disappearance as a kidnapping, which sparked an intense search that involved thousands of people.

The Carrolls - recruited, trained and licensed by Lifeway for Youth, a private agency working under contract for Butler County - got into the foster system through multiple deceptions that highlighted glaring weaknesses in the foster-care screening process.

Tim McCartney, director of the Clermont County Department of Job and Family Services, said foster parents need to get appropriate and enough training. Public employees who assess the foster homes also need enough training, he said.

Anne Arbaugh, deputy director of Clermont County Department of Job and Family Services, said staff turnover and the transfer of licenses can contribute to lapses in scrutinizing private agencies.

Bruce Jewett, director of Butler County's Department of Job and Family Services, and John Bohley of the county's alcohol and drug addiction services also participated.

Gayle Channing Tenenbaum, a lobbyist for the Public Children's Services Association of Ohio, called it an opportunity to look where the best programs happen in Ohio. "I want to make sure we're looking at best practice here," she said.

Other questions or suggestions raised Wednesday involved:
-Improving assessments of foster-care children's needs.
-Whether to create a statewide council to work on systematic reform.
-Better communication between law enforcement and a county in domestic violence and other issues.
-Whether statewide law enforcement associations should be involved in future meetings.
-Seeking more money to train agency staff or to better administer existing programs.
-Weighing the rights of children against the rights of foster parents.Improving placements involving siblings.
-Assessing the mix of children in day care as well as foster care homes.
-Giving local agencies more input into licensing homes.
-Whether there should be a cabinet level job overseeing children's services.Maintaining and better enforcing standards already in place.
-What alcohol, drug addiction and mental health services are available to children?

What's next?
Lifeway for Youth certification expires on Jan. 18. "We are in the throes of that review as we speak," said Fred Williams, deputy director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

The next meeting of the state-county task force is Jan. 10 at 10 a.m. at the Riffe Office Building, Columbus.