Statewide information sharing system could avoid future deaths in foster care

Info-sharing system could cross-check court records
McGurk, Margaret. Cincinnati Enquirer, March 30, 2007.

A statewide information-sharing system for police and child-welfare authorities is among pending reforms prompted by the death of Marcus Fiesel, state Sen. Tom Niehaus said Thursday.

Marcus, a disabled 3-year-old from Middletown, died in foster care in Clermont County last year; his foster parents are in prison for murder. Before the boy died, his foster father, David Carroll Jr., was arrested for domestic violence but failed to tell caseworkers about it.

Niehaus, a New Richmond Republican, said legislation in draft form would authorize an information-sharing system that cross-checks foster parents' names against court records.

Hamilton County recently unveiled a similar system.

A handful of license holders were found to have past arrests on serious charges. Foster officials are looking into those cases to determine whether the parents can keep taking care of county children.

The statewide system, if approved by lawmakers, would automatically flag child-welfare officials any time a licensed foster parent is arrested.

The system is included in a package of two bills drawn up by a task force of lawmakers, social-service professionals and child advocates that began analyzing Ohio's foster-care system in December.

"The (Fiesel) case was the catalyst," he said. "There tends to be a knee-jerk response. But we said, 'Let's take a step back and look at the whole system.'"

Also included are new standards for how foster parents are trained, screened, licensed, monitored and supported.

He discussed the bills, in draft form, during a visit with The Enquirer's editorial board to drum up support for Gov. Ted Strickland's child-welfare budget.

Several state and local child-welfare officials accompanied him.

Strickland is asking for an extra $18 million over two years to help the state's 88 counties offer more and better services.

Crystal Allen, executive director of the Public Children Services Association of Ohio, said the state money will help ease stark inequities between poor and affluent counties.

"It's the exact same dynamic as school funding," she said. Ohio is under a court order to fix its lopsided education formula, which still relies heavily on local property taxes.

The budget also calls for more money for:
- Health care.
- Early learning programs
- Mental health treatment
- Families that adopt kids with problems

It also would make it easier for relatives and family friends to take permanent custody of vulnerable youngsters.

The system's ultimate goal is to cut the need for foster care, said Moira Weir, assistant director of Hamilton County Job and Family Services. "Foster care is meant to be temporary. It is not a permanent solution."

Gregory Kapcar, assistant legislative director for the children's services association, said early intervention and in-home services pay off in the long term by keeping families intact.

"We have to be bold in our investment," he said.