Butler Co. Children Services Board defends Jann Heffner

Butler children's board sees last chance to defend itself
McGurk, Margaret. Cincinnati Enquirer, March 28, 2007, pg. B1.

HAMILTON - Butler County's embattled Children Services Board agreed Tuesday to mount what one member called a "last-ditch" defense against charges of bad management and fiscal irresponsibility.

Six members of the appointed volunteer board that oversees child welfare agreed to organize a two-hour presentation about their accomplishments to Butler County commissioners, who voted this month to dissolve the board and fold its operations into the county Department of Job and Family Services.

A special task force created by commissioners to analyze the agency's performance and structure released a blistering report on March 15 saying, among other criticisms, that the board had lost the confidence of the public and many of the front-line employees who provide services to vulnerable children. That report called for placing the child agency under county administration.

Commissioners agreed and notified the board that its days are numbered.

The child agency has been under increasing pressure since last August, when 3-year-old Marcus Fiesel died at the hands of the Clermont County foster parents where the Butler County agency had him placed by a private agency. Ex-foster parents Liz and David J. Carroll Jr. were convicted of murder and sentenced to possible life in prison.

Outgoing chairman the Rev. Johnny Wade Sloan, whose four-year term ended Tuesday, admitted that the board's presentation may not sway commissioners, but would "give us a chance to be heard."

"Time will prove that we are good people doing a good job in a difficult time," he said.

Board members took turns praising agency director Jann Heffner, whose resignation takes effect April 15.

"I have a whole lot of respect and admiration for Jann," said board member Maurice Maxwell. Fellow member Susan Noonan said Heffner "may be the best Butler County will ever see" in charge of child welfare.

"This is a tragedy, really," said Frankie Carlson, who was elected Sloan's successor. "We have lost a terrific director and the county commission has treated us in a shabby way that needs to be accounted for down the line."

Members said their presentation to commissioners will stress agency accomplishments under Heffner, who cited such advances as lower caseloads, improved performance on quality benchmarks set by federal authorities, and the introduction of management tools that cut down on the number of children needlessly taken from their homes.

Heffner and board members complained repeatedly that their good work had been ignored in news coverage of the agency's problems, and discussed a direct-mail campaign targeting Butler County residents.

Improvements credited to director Jann Heffner
-Expanded in-home services to help keep troubled families intact.
-Certificates of insurance required of foster-care contract service providers
-Contracts are reviewed by financial staff, instead of program staff.
-Information on how to contact the children services board is provided to people who want to dispute agency actions.
-Payment rates and performance standards for contracts have been defined.