Concerns persist regarding Ohio youth residential treatment facilities

Chokeholds and punches used in Ohio youth treatment homes, report finds
Laura Bischoff, Columbus Dispatch, May 13, 2026. 

Abuse and neglect, painful restraints, bullying and intimidation plague youth residential treatment facilities across the state, according to Disability Rights Ohio.

The leading disability rights group released a report May 13 based on 75 visits to youth homes over the past six years. DRO investigators found "serious and systemic cases of abuse, neglect and inappropriate treatment," including chokeholds and punches.

"This is a 911 call. This is kids are being hurt and things are not happening," said Disability Rights Ohio Director Kerstin Sjoberg. Working behind the scenes with facilities and state officials "is just not moving the needed. We cannot wait any longer. We have to address this now."

Residential treatment facilities, which are state licensed and must meet minimum standards, are highly restrictive places that serve vulnerable, at-risk kids who need mental health care.

Ohio has roughly 50 licensed facilities, ranging in size from six to 100 beds, for children as young as five.

The Ohio Department of Behavioral Health, which licenses the facilities, said in a written statement that it "is firmly committed to protecting the health and safety of Ohioans. We take this statutory responsibility seriously and work diligently to ensure that providers comply with all applicable rules, regulations, and quality standards governing the delivery of behavioral health services in Ohio."

DRO recommended reforms, including:

• Creating a statewide registry to prevent the re-hiring of abusive employees.
• Providing families and guardians with information about facilities that fail to meet minimum standards.
• Requiring state licensing agencies to take swift action when a facility fails to meet minimum standards, including removing children.
• Increasing ongoing training for facility staff.
• Raising the minimum standards to ensure better care and outcomes.

DRO investigators reviewed video footage, incident reports and treatment files and repeatedly flagged issues for state licensing agencies to address. In 2024, DRO issued a public report on a facility in Youngstown. The facility relinquished its license in 2025.

In November 2025, The Marshall Project - Cleveland published an investigation into Mohican Young Star Academy, a troubled residential treatment center surrounded by a state park. The center had multiple brawls, 911 calls and runaways.

Disability Rights Ohio, a non-profit organization, investigates reports of abuse or neglect of people with disabilities in state-operated, certified and licensed facilities, such as residential facilities, jails and prisons. DRO issued similar recommendations to improve the residential treatment facilities in 2016.

Raven's interview in The Land

SNAP changes could impact nearly 5,000 Greater Clevelanders
Gregory Burnett, The Land, May 12, 2026. 

Community leaders gathered at the Greater Cleveland Food Bank on Friday to discuss changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the critical need for recipients to understand what’s ahead before eligibility changes on June 1.  Those in attendance included representatives from United Way of Greater Cleveland, Cuyahoga County Job and Family Services and Dave’s Markets.

Letters have already gone out to those who will be affected by this change, but the attending organizations want everyone to understand what these new requirements mean. They estimate more than 1,000 Cuyahoga County residents could lose their SNAP benefits before the end of this month.

Last year, President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” initiated changes that will force able-bodied individuals, now up to age 64, to work or volunteer 80 hours a month to continue receiving SNAP benefits. The new law will also enforce the work requirements for parents with children older than 14. The bill also removes exemptions from the work requirement for veterans, the homeless or former foster youth.

The Federal Reserve reported in March that 190,000 people in Cuyahoga County were receiving SNAP benefits. After the recent shutdown, that number dropped to approximately 181,000.

According to Kevin Gowan, director of Cuyahoga County Job and Family Services, participants need to do the following things to maintain their benefits: Work a minimum of 20 hours per week or volunteer 20 hours per week and get documentation from whoever you’re volunteering with. A pay stub would act as your proof of employment.

“There are 5,000 individuals impacted by this,” he said. “It’s going to come in waves, so roughly 1,300 people will be affected by the end of May, then the rest are going to happen six to 12 months later. We have many resources available to help those who need it.” 

Some of those resources can be found at this link. The county also has a SNAP Training Program that is fully funded.  Students can take advantage of seven workforce providers to earn their hours.

A copy of the letter sent to impacted SNAP recipients this month is below.

ABA Discontinuance Batch Notice Example (REDACTED)Download

Losing a line of defense: The Greater Cleveland Food Bank covers six counties: Lake, Lorain, Ashtabula, Ashland, Richland and Cuyahoga. Last year, along with their 1,000 partner programs, they served 404,000 unique individuals. That’s almost one in five residents in their six-county service area.

According to Kristin Warzocha, president and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, the organization is seeing more seniors asking for help because of high grocery bills and gas bills. She says the organization is ready to help anyone who comes through their doors. 

“SNAP is the first line of defense in our nation’s use of vitamins; it’s a critically important program,” she said.  “It supports people who are really struggling to get by with nutritious food. It also supports local grocery stores where they spend their SNAP benefits. So, it’s an economic dream, as well as being a critical resource for people.”

Grocery stores are indeed feeling the effects of changes related to SNAP benefits. Dan Saltzman, president of Dave’s Markets, said stores, including their Lucky’s Markets, have experienced a 10% drop in SNAP-related revenue. According to him, there is no major underlying economic reason for the decline. Instead, he believes many SNAP recipients are confused about what benefits or products are still available to them, leading them to spend less or avoid using their benefits.

Navigating the changes: The United Way of Greater Cleveland’s 211 program will try to aid SNAP recipients as they navigate the new rules. The 24/7 hotline is available just by dialing 211.

“211 is there to answer any question about the new SNAP rules,” said Chiara Cameron-Wood, United Way 211 director. “We will have answers relating to education, training, food and utilities. We have hundreds of resources and information to pass along.”

Last March, a story in The Land spoke about a program through the Cleveland Department of Public Health titled “Cultivating Cleveland’s Next Generation” Four people would be chosen to become navigators who would canvas the community door-to-door helping those who received the letter understand it. An update from David Margolius, director of the Cleveland Department of Public Health states: “The City of Cleveland is working hand and hand with the county, the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, and all our partners to prepare for and advocate against the cuts to SNAP this year,” he said. “I think the information to deliver has just been released – so that work will begin shortly.”

For 23-year-old Raven Wolfe, a Cleveland resident, there’s really no confusion as to what’s about to happen. She just wants the government to understand that as a former foster youth, the obstacles are harder to overcome. Wolfe’s current employer offers hours up to 40 hours a week — but because her hours vary, she hardly ever reaches it. 

“They want us to work 20 hours a week to keep benefits,” she said. “My job is supposed to be forty hours a week. But it depends on our daily workload. Last week I only worked sixteen hours. I do other things to supplement my income, however, it’s hard to document. That makes it hard for those of us who have to make ends meet. Most people are on their jobs during the time they are needed to fulfill the 20 hour a week requirement. As a former foster youth, I don’t have family support to help me to get from place to place.”  

Because of the many gray areas relating to this change,  Loren Genson, communication specialist at Cuyahoga County Jobs and Services, offered this tidbit. 

“With hours that fluctuate, we may ask for more than a month of pay stubs so we can get a better estimate of average hours,” she said. “If an individual sometimes has weeks that are less than 20 but some weeks are more, they may be OK if it averages 20 or more hours. If the average is a little below the 20 hours, they might be offered options to make up the difference, for example, if a person is working an average of 18 hours per week, we may work with them to find unpaid or volunteer work for two hours per week.”

Raven's interview in the Cleveland Plain Dealer

New SNAP work rules hitting older residents, former foster youth hardest in Cuyahoga County
Kaitlin Durbin, Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 11, 2026

*New work requirements went into effect for SNAP recipients in March, and users who don't meet the requirements or qualify for an exemption will start seeing their benefits terminated at the end of this month.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Raven Wolfe has done everything expected of a young adult working toward full self-sufficiency: she went to college, she found a job and when that fell through, she found another job.

But unlike many young adults, the 24-year-old hasn’t had family members to fall back on to help cover groceries or order pizza during late-night study sessions. Instead, the former foster youth has largely relied on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to help feed herself while using her paychecks to cover rent and utilities.

Now, she is at risk of losing that support too.

Recent changes to the federal food assistance program expanded work requirements for able-bodied adults up to age 64, including veterans, homeless residents, former foster youth and parents of children older than 14 who were previously exempt. That means Wolfe must now work, volunteer or participate in another qualifying program about 20 hours per week to keep receiving food benefits.

Wolfe is already working. She has been.

After three months of applying and interviewing, she landed her current position working with children at a behavioral health center. But the hours have not been steady enough to meet the new requirements.

Last week alone, she said her boss sent her home three of the five days because there weren’t enough kids in attendance. That means lost income and fewer qualifying work hours, which she said ultimately means less food — especially healthy food.

“The first thing that always goes whenever I’m struggling with finances is always going to be eating decent,” she told cleveland.com/The Plain Dealer. “Everyone always tells me to meal prep, but getting the stuff that you need to meal prep costs a lot more than grabbing a bunch of grab-and-go freezer meals. That’s just the unfortunate reality.”

Wolfe is among 5,400 Cuyahoga County residents affected by the new rules who are likely to see their SNAP benefits being terminated starting at the end of the month, when a three‑month grace period expires. Recipients who do not qualify for an exemption or meet work requirements can receive benefits for only three months in a three-year period.

About 1,000 county residents have already received notices saying their benefits will end May 31, if they do not comply with the rules, Cuyahoga Job and Family Services Director Kevin Gowan said Friday. He expects more will drop off gradually as recipients reach out to recertify their benefits.

“There’s going to be waves of this over the next six months to a year,” Gowan said.

Older residents impacted: County officials say they are particularly worried about older residents. Of the group now subject to the new rules, 57% are over the age of 55, Gowan said. At least 39% of them are over the age of 60.

Some of them are trying to care for teenage grandchildren on fixed incomes, and though children themselves cannot lose SNAP because of the work rules, households can still see significant reductions if one adult loses eligibility.

Many impacted residents may also be homeless, Gowan said, noting that about 1,000 recipients lost exemptions based on their housing status.

He’s started hearing from frustrated residents now faced with going back to work in a competitive job market or volunteering out of the home 80 hours a month.

“That’s a lot of time for an average of $225 [a month] in SNAP benefits,” he said.

Gowan is starting to see more families opt out of the program altogether, leading to the lowest enrollment numbers in years. About 11,000 people fell off the rolls since October alone, he said, attributing the decline to confusion amid the government shut down and the changing rules.

But he said that when families do contact the Jobs and Family Services office about their benefits, often they turn out to qualify for an exemption anyway, especially older adults with chronic medical conditions who were previously exempt based on age alone.

He described a situation involving an older couple where the husband, who has severe back problems, had applied for disability and mistakenly believed he would lose his benefits before receiving a decision. During the wait, they were facing a reduction in benefits from $350 a month to $115.

Gowan said he was able to intervene and obtain documentation for the man’s work exemption before any benefits were cut. He stressed that recipients do not need to qualify for disability to get a work exemption.

“We just need a medical professional to indicate they’re physically or mentally unable to work,” he said. “It’s the equivalent of a doctor’s note.”

Other exemptions vary, based on age. Recipients 59 and younger can be exempt if they are:

• Physically or mentally unable to work
• Caring for a child under 14 or an incapacitated person
• Participating in an alcohol or drug treatment program
• In school or a training program
• Applying for or receiving unemployment benefits
• Are employed or self-employed and working a minimum 30 hours per week
• Pregnant
• Certain Native Americans

Recipients aged 60 to 64 may only be exempt if they are:

• Physically or mentally unable to work
• Caring for a child under 14
• Pregnant
• Certain Native Americans

The county is also preparing for similar work requirements and exemptions to be phased in for some Medicaid recipients starting later this year. About a third of the county’s population is enrolled in Medicaid, but the changes will apply only to the 98,000 people who gained coverage through the 2014 expansion — roughly 33,000 of whom would be required to meet the new rules.

For noncitizens, the Medicaid work requirements are expected to take effect Oct. 1. For all others, the changes will begin phasing in on Jan. 1.

“These changes are being implemented,” county Health and Human Services Director David Merriman stressed. “This is the law and we really want the public to engage with us ... so that we can support their continued access to public assistance.”

Officials stand ready to help however they can, he said.

The county’s Hunger Response Team is helping connect residents to groceries and meal programs, working alongside organizations like the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, Hunger Network and the United Way of Greater Cleveland.

All of them have been reporting rising demand as residents try to fill the void of the lost benefits, Gowan said.

At the same time, the consequences could ripple far beyond individual recipients.

Dan Saltzman, president of Dave’s Markets, said SNAP revenue across the grocery chain has already declined roughly 10%, with sharper drops in lower-income neighborhoods where residents have fewer alternatives for groceries.

Over the last two decades, Dave’s and other retailers helped expand food access into struggling neighborhoods, including Ohio City, Slavic Village and Midtown. But Saltzman worries the new restrictions could begin unraveling some of that progress, especially after the county reported a $2 million drop in SNAP benefits entering the economy since October alone.

Saltzman wasn’t ready to predict store closures, but warned that continued reductions could eventually affect jobs and neighborhood grocery access.

“We’re concerned for our customers, for young families with children, for our seniors and concerned about how this is going to affect our business model,” he said. “In today’s economy, gas and utilities and everything else are going up, so on top of that to add a decrease in dollars that they have to spend on food is not a very pretty picture.”

Wolfe says that uncertainty is magnified for former foster youth. They age out of county support systems at 18, they age out of extended support through Ohio’s Bridges program at 21 and have to find their own insurance by age 26 – all while paying their own rent and buying groceries.

Where youth coming from traditional families have a bigger safety net to fall back on, especially in tight economies, her safety net has been the public welfare system. And while she says she is still receiving SNAP, the warning letters keep coming, reminding her that she’ll need to meet the work requirements by her next check-in or her food benefits will disappear.

She doesn’t know what she’ll do if that happens.

“How do I know that I’m going to be able to support myself?” she wondered. “Constantly feeling the threat that I might lose that support...and that’s the only thing keeping me afloat...”

Ohio Bill Could Force State to Shut Down Troubled Residential Treatment Facilities
Brittany Hailer, Marshall Report, May 22, 2026.

Mohican Young Star Academy, a youth residential treatment facility in Ashland County, Ohio, in August 2025. The facility rebranded as Empowering to Elevate Academy in late 2025.  This proposal comes just months after The Marshall Project - Cleveland exposed violence at a residential youth facility northeast of Columbus.

Ohio officials would be required to take measures against youth treatment facilities with incidents of violence and other serious violations under a bill proposed in the state legislature — including shutting them down.

The proposed Ohio House Bill 811 comes just months after a Marshall Project - Cleveland investigation exposed repeated violence at a treatment facility northeast of Columbus. The state is now trying to revoke that facility’s license.

The new bill would remove the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health’s discretion to decide whether to intervene in troubled residential treatment facilities and instead require the agency to suspend admissions, deny license renewals or shut down facilities after serious violations.

Bill sponsor Rep. Crystal Lett, a Democrat from Columbus, said she was filing the measure in response to The Marshall Project - Cleveland’s reporting on Mohican Young Star Academy. The investigation documented escalating violence, staff injuries and campus-wide fights at the state’s largest youth residential treatment facility following an ownership change in November 2024.

“Just the fact that it's continuing in real time. It was our proof that this isn't a hypothetical situation that we're legislating for. It's a real situation unfolding,” Lett said in an interview Monday. “I can't help thinking: If my kid were in there right now, what am I doing to help that kid?”

'Mohican staff, neighbors and local law enforcement described chaos at the facility in Perrysville, including a massive police presence after youth attacked staff, climbed walls inside the facility and made makeshift weapons. Youth who escaped the facility broke into nearby shops in the town or appeared in neighbors’ yards. Mohican ownership declined to comment at the time of that investigation.

The residential treatment facility in Perrysville, Ohio, is surrounded by a state forest.  

After The Marshall Project - Cleveland published the investigation, the state suspended admissions to the facility.

Officials are now seeking to revoke Mohican’s license, alleging that between April 4 and Dec. 1, 2025, Mohican failed to protect residents from abuse and neglect, and citing multiple incidents in which staff used improper restraints on youth. The state also found that Mohican failed to report critical incidents, lacked documentation showing that staff were properly trained and vetted, and did not provide required treatment services for multiple boys.

A license revocation hearing is scheduled for May 7.

Zach Logan, co-owner of Mohican, wrote in an email: “We look forward to vindicating our rights through the appropriate legal process and do not believe there is merit to the alleged violations.”

With its license and certification now at risk, Mohican has filed a lawsuit against the state seeking $750,000 allocated in the 2025 state budget. In court filings, the facility argued the state is attempting to revoke Mohican’s license to avoid paying those funds. In a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, the state said Mohican is “failing to protect residents from acts of physical, sexual and emotional abuse, neglect, and exploitation.”

Logan wrote that, “Mohican believes it is entitled to the funds that the Ohio General Assembly directed to Mohican.”

Mohican — which late last year rebranded as Empowering to Elevate Academy — has previously withstood at least two state efforts to shut it down. In 2021, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost sued to remove the facility’s operator over improper restraints, but a judge dismissed the case for lack of evidence. Yost and the state vowed to move forward with revoking the facility’s license, but that effort — a lengthy hearing process lasting from December 2021 through April 2022 — failed, too. 

Lett characterized her bill as giving officials more power to act when abuses are discovered.

“To me, that bill is the immediate off switch for bad actors,” Lett said. “This is a 911 moment where, if we do nothing, children will continue to die and be harmed and run away in these facilities. And so we have to have an off switch to protect children immediately.”

For years, after pressure from media or other investigative agencies, Ohio residential treatment centers have surrendered licenses to operate, but few actually have had their licenses revoked.

A watchdog group, Disability Rights Ohio, has the right under federal law to visit and investigate residential treatment facilities. It first works with facilities and licensing agencies to address complaints from children and parents. Following a nine-month investigation by the group, the state suspended admissions at Sequel Pomegranate Health Systems in Columbus. The facility first changed its name, but ultimately voluntarily relinquished its license in 2021.

Separately, a 16-month investigation by Disability Rights Ohio into Youth Intensive Services in Youngstown found pervasive abuse and frequent runaways who returned to the facility after being sexually or physically abused. Despite these findings, the facility remained licensed by the state.

After the investigation was made public, the state temporarily suspended admissions in July 2024. In February 2025, the facility surrendered its license.

Addison Torrence, who was placed at Sequel Pomegranate as a youth and is now a residential liaison for ACTION Ohio, a statewide child welfare advocacy organization, lauded Lett’s bill.

“Youth safety must always come first. Too many young people are being harmed in residential facilities, and delay only puts them at greater risk,” Torrence said. “This bill ensures the state can act immediately to protect them.”

Article about the Mohican Young Star Academy

DBH Threatens Former DYS Facility’s License, Defends Non-Issuance of HB96 Earmark
Hannah Report, May 7, 2026.

An embattled youth treatment center using facilities owned by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) and licensed by the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) says the Ohio Supreme Court should force the DeWine administration to release three quarters of a million dollars earmarked for the Mohican Youth Star Academy in the FY26-27 budget. DBH describes the private facility as a “troubled” institution in a Court filing Monday -- but Mohican calls those and past misconduct claims “unmeritorious.”

The 140-acre campus was carved out of the Mohican-Memorial State Forest during the Great Depression and went through several uses before the former Ohio Youth Commission took over in the early 1960s and operated it as the Mohican Juvenile Correctional Facility (MoJCF) under the renamed Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS) until 2010, when it closed as a state-run property and reverted to ODNR ownership.

The 1012 ODNR Mohican Road address near Perrysville has operated under several lessees and titles since 2013, including, among others, the Tri-State Youth Academy, Mohican Youth Academy, and Mohican Young Star Academy, the latter under current lessee JATAC Investments, Ltd., with former Ohio House candidate Scott Pullins as principal. Pullins in turn subleases the state-owned property and buildings to Young Star Academy, LLC, dba Mohican Young Star Academy and Empower to Elevate, LLC.

Attorney General Dave Yost sued Mohican in early 2021, alleging improper use of physical restraints, but the Ashland County Common Pleas Court ruled against the state, and the 5th Appellate District affirmed.

“I don’t think the standard for restraining residents should devolve into a situation where because you’re afraid to act, other people in the room get hurt or are subject to severe injury,” former Ashland County Judge Ron Forsthoefel told the Ashland Times-Gazette at the time. “Sometimes you don’t have time to read someone’s crisis management plan when they’re smacking you in the face.”

CARF International accredited the youth center with a score of 96.3 on a scale of 0-100 only four months later -- it's “highest accreditation,” according to Mohican -- but DBH’s predecessor, the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS), continued administrative enforcement action in 2021. The matter was resolved without license revocation the following year.

In November 2024, Mohican operations transferred to 1012 ODNR, LLC and its administration to CEO and Executive Director Terry Jones, formerly mental health compliance director at OhioMHAS and director of behavioral health at CareSource. OhioMHAS executed a consent agreement with Jones requiring the youth facility to meet probationary terms before resuming certification and licensure. The contract required facility staff to complete department training in incident reporting and trauma-informed care and additional instruction through Case Western Reserve University’s Center for Evidence-Based Practices; to meet weekly with department staff for technical assistance on licensure, certification, clinical treatment and residential programs; to submit administrative reports documenting corrective actions; and to allow state regulators to conduct onsite visits verifying compliance with the Ohio Revised Code and Ohio Administrative Code. OhioMHAS returned Mohican to full certification and licensure five months later in April 2025 for a total capacity of 110 minors.

Meanwhile, the General Assembly earmarked $750,000 for Mohican in FY26 as part of HB96 (Stewart), saying the money “shall be distributed to Empowering to Elevate Academy and used to enhance security and improve facilities at the former Mohican Young Star Academy.”

Jones contacted DBH in October 2025 after the fiscal year had commenced to complete transfer of the funds, citing “urgent” security needs at Mohican. In his complaint to the Supreme Court, he says precedent has long established this as an administrative and “ministerial” act under Trauger v. Nash (1902), in which the Court held former Gov. George Nash must obey legislative mandates “without regard to or the exercise of his own judgment upon the propriety of the act being done.”

Two months and many communications later, DBH advised Jones that it was again initiating enforcement action to revoke Mohican’s license.

“The timing of this enforcement action -- issued on the same day DBH engaged outside counsel and while Mohican’s disbursement request remained pending -- indicates that DBH is attempting to revoke Mohican’s license and thereby avoid complying with the Ohio General Assembly’s directive to disburse the appropriated funds,” the complaint responds, noting the administration “rejected” Jones’ funding application outright in February of this year.

“At no point in DBH’s written communications -- across multiple formal demand letters, emails from Mohican’s counsel, and Mohican’s own repeated inquiries -- did DBH identify any specific authority upon which it is relying to withhold the appropriated funds.”

DBH, or the Ohio Attorney General on its behalf, countered Monday with a Court filing citing five alleged violations between March-December 2025, straddling the facility’s return to full licensure.

“Mohican is charged with failing to comply with incident reporting, documentation and notification requirements, failing to comply with medication storage requirements, failing to maintain staffing records, failing to maintain individual treatment plans and/or individual service plans for residents, failing to ensure residents receive the treatment those plans require, and failing to protect residents from acts of physical, sexual and emotional abuse, neglect and exploitation,” the administration states in its motion to dismiss.

Alternatively, DBH says it has “no obligation” to issue the $750,000 to Mohican rather than to Empower to Elevate under HB96 or to release the funds before June 30, 2026, the last day of the fiscal year.

“The bill does not require the money to be spent in FY26, nor does it require the enhancements to be completed in FY26,” it argues. “There is no clear legal duty here because relators ask this Court to enforce a duty that may occur in the future, not one occurring in the present.”

Mohican, in turn, says the Ohio Checkbook administered by the Office of Budget and Management (OBM) and Ohio Treasurer of State’s Office shows DBH has awarded more than $3.5 billion in legislative funding to 10 nonprofits as of March of this year.

“HB96 [does not] afford DBH the ability to delay payment; DBH’s ministerial duty is to receive the appropriated funds and distribute them to Mohican consistent with the Ohio General Assembly’s stated intent,” it states.

“The $750,000 appropriation was designated to support capital security enhancements and facility improvements,” Mohican continues. “These enhancements and improvements are necessary to maintain the operational standards necessary to serve its residents, to meet its obligations to the counties referring at-risk youth to the facility, and to comply with the very regulations that first the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), then OhioMHAS and now DBH have used as grounds for attempted certification and licensure revocations since 2017.”

The youth center has until Wednesday, May 6 to respond to the DeWine administration’s motion to dismiss.

Raymond Deaton in the News

Montgomery County reports decline in child welfare cases; local teen’s story reflects importance of stepping up
Sydney Dawes, Dayton Daily News, April 2, 2026.

Raymond Deaton smiles while talking about what he hopes for his future. Deaton shared his experiences with Montgomery County Children Services during the annual Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month event at Haines Children’s Center in Dayton. 

Cases of child abuse and neglect declined in all categories from 2024 to 2025, with Montgomery County Children Services screening 3,134 reports for review. This is a 12% drop from the year before.

Montgomery County leaders say these totals reflect a downward trend since a spike in cases in the early pandemic years. Montgomery County Children Services receives hundreds of calls monthly from concerned citizens, mandated reporters and agencies that work with the county’s job and family service department.

For Raymond Deaton, 17, a journey toward healing started with one of these calls. His sister reported the abuse within their home after she moved out of the house.

“I saw horrors, I saw things I can’t forget,” he said. “But she decided to take the initiative to tell. To report the abuse that was going on.”

Deaton and his other siblings were taken away, and he found himself creating a new home with a foster family.

“They literally changed everything,” he said. “They were the symbol in the foster care system that I was wanting to see. I was able to find my true self and find what I am living for.”

April is nationally recognized as Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month. Montgomery County Commission President Carolyn Rice said prevention begins with recognizing the early signs of abuse and neglect, offering support and stopping harm before it occurs.

Some warning signs include unexplained injuries, frequent absences from school, fear of parents or guardians, and extreme behavior changes, and appearing consistently dirty or hungry.

Montgomery County residents are encouraged to call the county’s 24-hour hotline at 937-224-KIDS to report concerns. Calls are confidential, and callers can remain anonymous.

“Noticing a change and making a call can be the first step toward helping a child find safety and stability,” said Craig Rickett, associate director of Montgomery County Children Services. Reporting is not an accusation, officials said.

Deaton said he thinks his story is important because he survived something that other local children may be actively experiencing. 

“We forget that there’s a wide open, clean slate in front of us,” he said. “We have that pencil, we have that paint. And we have the ability to draw whatever we want on there.”

For Deaton, his canvas is filled with typical teenage dreams: getting his driver’s license and finishing high school. But his other dream is to let people who may relate to his journey know they’re not alone.

“I see a future, I really do,” he said. “And I see a future for all these other foster kids. I want them to know, through this, that there is an end.”

Former Foster Youth, Current CASA Volunteer

John Collins Uses Foster Care Experience to Help Fostered Youth at CASA of Franklin County
Sophia Veneziano, Columbus Monthly, May 5, 2025.

John Collins grew up in the foster care system. Now, he helps other foster kids by serving with CASA of Franklin County.

John Collins is a volunteer with CASA of Franklin County, which helps children in foster care.

Growing up experiencing the difficulties and isolation children can feel in the foster care system in Southern California, John Collins knew he wanted to give back in some way to kids experiencing the same hardship.

He and his older sister, Renata Murdock, were repeatedly separated and reunited as they faced new foster families and living situations. Eventually, Murdock became his legal guardian to help get her younger brother through high school.

Years later as an adult, despite his desire to be involved, Collins also wanted to shield his own children from the world of the child welfare system that he knew personally.

Unexpectedly, while sharing his story with a fellow parent, he learned about the Court Appointed Special Advocate program, or CASA. Soon after, his job moved Collins and his family to Ohio, and he went through the volunteer training to become an advocate to the court, known as a guardian ad litem.

He didn’t immediately pick up a case. Five years later, Collins would go through additional training and begin serving with CASA of Franklin County. Collins says he’s grateful to be “fulfilling that itch to give back.”

As a CASA, Collins focuses on youth who are aging out of the system.

“I just try to be a constant voice of understanding, but also a voice of experience to let them know that light at the end of the tunnel really starts to get bright when they’re staring down the inevitability of their independence,” Collins says. “I try to let them know, ‘You have a support system, and there are resources out here available. You’re not alone. You’re going to be okay.’ ”

Beyond these cases, which include connecting with the children around their sophomore year of high school, Collins coaches basketball. He also mentors students through Capital City Young Aviators, which helps at-risk youth through aviation-based experiences. Collins also is on the board of the Friends of CASA of Franklin County.

In all he does, Collins’ empathy as an advocate sets him apart.

Because of the trauma experienced by the kids CASA serves, many would not choose to return as an advocate, says Kevin Greenwood, program director of CASA of Franklin County. “It gives [Collins] a deeper understanding of what our children may be going through,” he says. Those interesting in volunteering with CASA can visit casa.franklincountyohio.gov.

This article was made possible by support from the Center for HumanKindness at The Columbus Foundation, which has partnered with Columbus Monthly to profile those making our community a better place. Help us inspire kindness by suggesting people, initiatives, or organizations for Reporter Sophia Veneziano to profile. She can be reached at sveneziano@dispatch.com.  

Cleveland's First Foster Care Closet

'We see you': Inside Cleveland's first foster care closet, where every child gets to choose
Lindsay Buckingham, WKYC, March 23, 2026.

Kathy DiVincenzo founded Honey from the Rock after discovering Cuyahoga County leads Ohio in children experiencing foster care — and nothing like this existed.

Walk through the doors of Honey from the Rock and it doesn't feel like a charity warehouse — it feels like a boutique.

That's exactly the point.

Racks of clothing organized by size, shelves lined with books and hygiene products, stuffed animals donated by the Cleveland Monsters from their annual teddy bear toss — every inch of this 9,500-square-foot space in Cleveland was built with one word in mind: dignity.

"The goal is, 'Can we make it look like a boutique? Can we elevate that experience for them?' And we can only do it through community support," said Kathy DiVincenzo, founder and executive director of Honey from the Rock — Cleveland's first foster care closet.

DiVincenzo knows firsthand what foster families need. As a foster parent herself, she didn't find her purpose in a boardroom — she found it in her own home.

"I always say that I found my purpose in proximity," she said. "It wasn't until I literally lived the need that I saw the need. Here in Cuyahoga County, we lead in the number of kids experiencing foster care in the state of Ohio."

That statistic stopped her cold — and motivated her to act. In January of last year, what DiVincenzo thought would be a small closet opened its doors as a 9,500-square-foot community hub. She was shocked to find nothing like it existed before.

"I was shocked to find that there wasn't a resource like this prior to us starting it," she said.

Support from Honey from the Rock begins the moment a child enters the foster care system — even before they arrive at the space.

"Our support actually starts the moment they come into care in Metro Health Triage," DiVincenzo explained. "We have what's called our Gap Pack program, providing that emergent support for a child coming into the triage process. And then we have our emergency order within 48 hours."

After that initial support, children can return up to four times a year — either shopping in the boutique in person or placing a custom curbside order, similar to a Target Drive Up experience.

But what sets Honey From the Rock apart isn't just the resources — it's the philosophy behind every single order.

"Every child who walks through these doors gets something most of us take for granted: a choice," DiVincenzo said. "Being able to bring them into a space like this and they get to literally choose their own style — we just had a 14-year-old shopping last night who had a style where if I was packing her emergency order, I wouldn't have expected from her. So being able to welcome them in and say, 'Who are you?' Let's discover that sometimes for the first time together of a safe space that they can really choose who they want to be and how they want to represent themselves."

That philosophy carries into every custom order — down to the last detail.

"We even had Sonic socks that we were able to find for a little dude that loves Sonic," DiVincenzo said. "So each and every element of the order is saying, 'We see you, and what you love really matters to us.'"

And Cleveland, DiVincenzo says, has shown up in a way that moves her to tears.

"Watching Cleveland link arms ... there is truly nothing better than to be able to see a need and with the help of Cleveland to be able to fill it."

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

Honey from the Rock welcomes the community to get involved in three ways:

• You can volunteer as a worker bee, coming in to pack custom orders and sort donations.
• You can donate new or like-new items every Wednesday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. — just pull up curbside and volunteers will handle the rest.
• You can give online. 

Article about Dalen from April 2025

With local child abuse cases declining, neglect cases up 9%: ‘See something. Say something’
Dayton Daily News, Sydney Dawes, April 11, 2025.

Dalen Myles and Montgomery County Commissioner Carolyn Rice wave during a National Child Abuse Prevention Month event on Wednesday at Haines Children's Center. Myles, a former foster youth, spoke about enduring abuse at home and how an observant adult helped him. Rice also spoke and urged people report suspected abuse. 

Montgomery County Children Services investigated 3,750 cases of child abuse and neglect last year, with reports of neglect up 9% compared to 2023 totals. Reports of abuse were down 10% compared to the previous year, according to Montgomery County Children Services data. Montgomery County officials are urging community members to be vigilant and report any concerning behavior.

For Dalen Myles, a phone call made by a caring adult changed his life. Myles, an 18-year-old months away from attending the University of Dayton to study cybersecurity, shared his experiences during a child abuse and neglect prevention event in Dayton on Wednesday.

April is nationally recognized as Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month.

Myles said that as a child, his home wasn’t always a safe place. His father would constantly ridicule Myles. After one explosive event, Myles said he was afraid to even return home and didn’t know how to tell people about his experiences. “I stopped smiling as much,” he said. “And I started clenching at the sound of his voice.”

Myles wrote about the mistreatment he was experiencing in a journal — he said it was a way for him to “leave his own footprints.” More than 100 pages he penned showed names he was called, and other actions he experienced.

When adults at Myles’ school began noticing a change in Myles, he showed them his journal. “The thoughts I was scared to share with others were written in this notebook,” he said. “I had so much balled up that I didn’t know how to untangle.”

As of this week, Montgomery County Children Services has opened 822 neglect and abuse cases this year. The department receives an average of 500 to 1,000 calls or referrals monthly.

Jordan in the News

Dayton teen gets White House tour after being recognized for foster youth advocacy work
Russell Florence Jr., Dayton Daily News, March 9, 2026. 

Northmont High School graduate Jordan Deaton of Dayton was recognized Feb. 3 at the White House for his advocacy as a former foster youth.

Deaton joined leaders from the Ohio Department of Children and Youth who were invited to the White House by the Office of the First Lady and the Administration for Families and Children in recognition of First Lady Melania Trump’s Fostering the Future initiative, which is part of her Be Best program.

“It was amazing, awesome and an honor,” said Deaton, 19. “I was a little nervous but I had a lot of courage. My passion drove my fear away. I want the world to know my experience because it’s important to show my peers and those younger than me that the youth can make an impact. My advocacy drives me to do everything I do. I’m not shy about anything.”

Deaton’s foster care history involves his adoptive parents, Sara Beth Deaton and Rodney Deaton, being indicted last summer on a dozen charges in connection to alleged physical punishments they used on their six children in Montgomery County. The incidents started as early as 2012, when the children were between the ages of 1 and 7 years old, and continued for more than a decade, according to court records.

“They adopted me,” Deaton said. “I was in foster care before and then they adopted me and then I went back in, which is unique and (something) a lot of people don’t experience. I have a lot of experience — a lot of good and a lot of pain — but it’s not holding me back. There has been negativity that’s happened to me — the story of my parents — but look what I’ve overcome."

Heather Kirkland, Deaton’s friend and former foster parent, is proud of what he has accomplished in spite of his circumstances. In addition to graduating with honors from Northmont in 2025, he received the Samuel Halperin Youth Public Service Award from the Children’s Defense Fund of Ohio, was recognized as a 2025 PCSAO Leader of Tomorrow and rose to Chief Petty Officer in the Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps, earning Distinguished Cadet honors.

“We are very proud of what Jordan has chosen to do with the path that he’s been given,” said Kirkland, who housed Deaton for nearly three years beginning in August 2023. “We’ve had a lot of kids in our home and not all of them choose this path. They leave and the world kind of eats them up. But Jordan has chosen a different path. He’s chosen to take what has been meant for harm to make it good and to help others, (particularly) other kids in similar situations. I think it’s admirable he chose that path (instead) of just dwelling in the past.”

In addition to serving as a member of the Ohio Youth Advisory Board, Deaton participates in Bridges, a program for young adults in Ohio who were in foster care and are now 18 to 21 years old. It is an outlet that helps participants leave foster care and start their adult life.

At the White House, Deaton was joined by DCY Assistant Director Jeff Van Deusen and his Bridges advocate Lisa Carlin. According to DCY, their visit including meetings with: Sarah Gesiriech, the First Lady’s policy director; Alex Adams, assistant secretary of ACF; and Cody Inman, deputy assistant secretary for management.

They were joined by other advocates “to discuss initiatives that will enhance foster youth’s access to services and help them transition effectively after foster care. Assistant Director Van Deusen also highlighted several programs implemented in Ohio that support the Fostering the Future initiative,” according to a press release.

The visit also included a private tour of the White House.

“Some of my favorite things were seeing all the different paintings of the presidents,” Deaton said. “Seeing the different rooms and what they were used for and why they were built was (also) cool.”

In a press statement Van Deusen praised Deaton for sharing his testimony and being a powerful advocate.

“It was an incredible honor to represent Ohio and the DeWine Administration at the White House and see firsthand the impact programs like Fostering the Future have on youth in foster care,” Van Deusen said. “Jordan’s story is a shining example of resilience and what’s possible when young people are supported, encouraged and (have) the tools to succeed.”

Deaton attends Sinclair Community College and would like to pursue a career in public service. He particularly hopes to be an inspiration for youth within the foster care system.

“We have a voice and we know how to articulate it,” he said. “We are victims but we won’t stay victims. We won’t stay down. We will change the world.”

Press Release about the Fostering School Success Act

Bipartisan Legislation on Foster Students Success Passes House Floor
March 4, 2026

State Rep. Dontavius L. Jarrells (D-Columbus) and Sharon Ray (R-Wadsworth) today celebrated the Ohio House’s favorable passage of bipartisan House Bill (HB) 25, the Fostering Student Success Act. HB 25 passed the Ohio House Workforce and Higher Education Committee with a vote of 13-0 last week and passed the House Floor today with a vote of 92-1.

“The Fostering School Success Act creates clear points of support inside every school system, so foster youth are not left to navigate instability on their own,” said Rep. Jarrells. “The Fostering School Success Act sends a simple message to foster youth across Ohio. You matter. Your education matters. And the adults in this system have a responsibility to show up for you consistently.”

The Fostering Student Success Act requires state agencies to support local foster care education liaisons and foster family navigators. The bipartisan legislation also requires that state agencies disseminate educational resources and any scholarship opportunities specifically for students placed in foster care to their agency’s website. As a result, HB 25 ensures every district and school designates a foster care education liaison and strengthens coordination between education, higher education, and child welfare agencies.

“House Bill 25 is designed to provide critical support to Ohio’s foster youth as they pursue higher education. It seeks to address the unique and often overwhelming challenges faced by students in foster care who frequently lack the familial support networks that many of their peers rely on to access and succeed in postsecondary education,” said Rep. Ray.

HB 25 now awaits further consideration by the Ohio Senate.

Fostering School Success Bill focuses on K-12 experiences of Ohio foster youth

Ohio House passes bill to improve public school experience for foster students
Kreemer, Avery, Dayton Daily News, March 5, 2026. 

The Ohio House passed a bill 92-1 on Wednesday meant to improve the K-12 experience for Ohio children placed in foster care.

The bill, House Bill 25, has enjoyed broad support from the start of its legislative journey, evidenced by its bipartisan sponsors, overwhelming public support in committee, a unanimous vote out of committee, and a landslide passage on the House floor.

But, it's also seen significant changes. It was originally intended to create a Foster-to-College scholarship fund, complete with a $15 million appropriation. That idea was scrapped for the time being, and instead, H.B. 25 was drafted with a focus on creating "education liaisons" and "foster family navigators" in every K-12 school building across the state. These roles can be filled by existing school staffers, who would receive role-specific training once a year, under the bill.

In committee testimony, bill sponsor Rep. Dontavius Jarrells, D-Columbus, described the education liaison as someone "whose job is to help a student enroll immediately, transfer records quickly, stay connected to their school of origin when possible, and receive support when a move is unavoidable."

Family navigators, Jarrells said, would provide foster students with another level of care.

"These are adults who know the students by name. They check in. They help with academics, with activities, and with planning for what comes after high school. They help students understand college options, career training, and workforce pathways. They make sure young people in foster care are not invisible in the systems meant to serve them," Jarrells said.

In sum, Jarrells argued, the law would enhance coordination between K-12 schools, higher education opportunities, and the child welfare agencies that ultimately oversee the well-being of foster children.

On the House floor Wednesday, Jarrells said this coordination will ultimately "save lives."

The bill received considerable bipartisan support. House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, told this outlet that he believes the bill will create a more inclusive environment for foster children, a population in Ohio that, in some ways, has "completely different needs than most kids."

Rep. Tom Young, R-Washington Twp., who chairs the House Workforce and Higher Education Committee, told his colleagues on the House floor that passing H.B. 25 is a victory not only for foster students but also for the Ohio House itself.

The bill now heads to the Ohio Senate for further vetting.

Concerns Expressed By Ohio Parents, Part 2

 These Ohio parents want multiple child services agencies investigated

King, Danae. Columbus Dispatch, Feb. 19, 2026.  

A group of Ohio parents went to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost's office on the morning of Feb. 18 in hopes of speaking with someone about various concerns they have about children's welfare.

"We are a group of parents who have connected over our shared experience of trying to navigate the child welfare system and the judicial entities involved, like family court," said Khaula Zafar, a mother of three who lives in Grove City.

Zafar and her husband, Faraan Qureshi, have been trying for three years to first find, and then make contact with the brother of their adopted son so the two can have a relationship. But she said they have been thwarted by child protective services at every step along the way.

"We have all experienced significant hardship, but have also encountered what may be criminal violations and indications of public corruption," Zafar said.

With her in the first-floor multipurpose room of the Rhodes Tower, where Yost's office is, were five other parents.

Deqa Haji and her husband, Said Abdullahi, have been trying for four years to get back custody of their son. He is a twin and was harmed during birth by medical professionals performing a C-section, Haji said. They are raising his twin and their two other children, but have not been able to get custody of him back from the foster parents.

"Our children are not case numbers," Haji said. "They deserve dignity, respect and justice. ... What we're seeking is systemic accountability."

Joining the group as well was Tina Savage, of Carlisle, in southwestern Ohio. She has been trying to get back custody of her 2-year-old grandson, whom she said she raised until he was 1-year-old.

Martha Matteson, of Marion, has been trying to gain full custody of her 7-year-old daughter for two years.

Talisha McKenzie, of Dayton, was also present and fought for the custody of her children for nearly two years before successfully getting them back. She came because she knows what happened to her – losing her children and fighting the system to get them back – is happening all the time to other parents, she said.

She believes it's a violation of due process. Federal child safety laws are also being violated, Zafar said.

All the parents have reached out to multiple state agencies for help or to ask who can help. But they each said they were sent to different agencies every time, eventually ending up at the one they started with and getting no help.

"Make it make sense," McKenzie said.

Savage said she's found that there is no accountability for county child protective service agencies – none of the parents have found someone who will hold agencies accountable.

Zafar has spent months trying to get answers and hold agencies accountable, so she gathered other parents she's met in similar situations to go to the Ohio Attorney General's help desk.

Advertised on the office's website is a toll-free number, daily hours and an address for a "help center" on the 14th floor of the Rhodes Tower.

"Why can't I go in?" Zafar asked, after the security desk asked her and the others to wait in the first-floor multipurpose room.

They arrived around 11 a.m. and waited as security guards called upstairs, though the families were continually denied an opportunity to speak to someone and told to wait in the room downstairs.

At one point, McKenzie alone was allowed upstairs to file a report and was told she could only live chat with someone via her phone, that the person there could not help her.

"What is the accessibility of our government that I can't go ask?" Zafar said. "We've all independently tried to report these concerns across many different entities throughout this state – many levels, local to state – and have not had any success gaining any accountability."

Around 3 p.m., someone from Yost's office went down to speak with those assembled, but the office would not offer further comment except to share their constituent services hotline.

A spokesperson for the Attorney General's office said they didn't know the parents were down there until someone else alerted them. As to why the parents were asked to wait on the first floor, the spokesperson referred The Dispatch to lobby security, noting that is not part of their office.

The constituent services representative from the Attorney General's office listened to their stories for nearly two hours, took down their information and shared his, Zafar said. At first, he tried to tell them it wasn't in his office's jurisdiction, but the parents kept persisting, Zafar said.

"It's just a whole mess," Zafar said. "They tried to run us around, but we know the laws."

Concerns Expressed By Ohio Parents, Part 1

Adoptive Ohio family claims agency blocking effort to reunite brothers
Hoffman, Anna. NBC4. Dec. 10, 2025.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A family is claiming discrimination by an Ohio agency after they were denied the opportunity to reunite biological brothers, one of whom is with a different foster family.

The family is Muslim, and they think that may be why they’ve not been able to move forward with the adoption of their adopted son’s biological brother. They say this has been devastating, and everything they are doing now is with the intention of their son knowing his biological family.

“All I can think about are my son’s losses, that’s all I can think about,” Khaula Zafar said.

Zafar and her husband, Faraan Qureshi, are licensed foster parents. They said they have taken in children of all ages and backgrounds.

Zafar and Qureshi’s son is now five years old. He was their foster child, and they adopted him when he was two, around the same time they learned through social media that he may have a biological brother.

“Our journey has very much been about reunification and family preservation,” Zafar said.

Ohio law says, “Agencies and courts need to make reasonable efforts to place siblings together or allow visitation.”

Zafar said that after repeated attempts to contact Franklin County Children’s Services about the brother, they eventually found out the brother was in the system, but with another family.

“We’re like, ‘OK, something happened,’” Zafar said. “Clearly, there were mistakes made.”

She said that at this time last year, FCCS contacted them and said it would be best to keep the siblings together. However, two hours later, she said they walked that back.

“The only reason given to us is that they are not required to keep the siblings together by law and that in their opinion, because our son is adopted, these children are not legally siblings and we are not kinship, and that was the decision the FCCS has stood by and the reasoning that they stood by for months,” Zafar said.

The family said they then tried to set up visits for the siblings. However, they said FCCS gave all power to the foster family rather than facilitating the visits themselves

“It’s our son’s biological brother that he is getting denied any connection with, right? Because we’re not getting any support from the organization,” Qureshi said.

They said there were red flags at the few meet-ups they were allowed to have, such as having counsel there to supervise. The family said they also found social media posts they said were alarming from the child’s foster family.

“The other problem is that these foster parents of this child is with have been very, very vocal about their intention, how they’re motivated by their faith, their Catholicism, their Christianity, their take in children, and to, to guide them, in a sense,” Qureshi said.

Zafar and Qureshi said the foster family became more and more difficult to get a hold of, canceling set-up visit times and, eventually, severing contact with Zafar and Qureshi.

Then, on Nov. 11, they received an email saying they were not chosen as a match for their son’s brother.

“We have a situation where a decision has been made that has clearly not been guided by the best interests of a child, where laws have not been followed in the ways that they should have been, and serious well-being concerns have not been taken into consideration,” Zafar said.

Three weeks later, FCCS sent them an email saying, “This decision was not made lightly,” and went on to list several key factors they based their decision on, which include the child being in the current foster home since birth and the current foster parent expressing interest to adopt.

Zafar and Qureshi believe both their son and his brother have Muslim ties.

“What is evident from something as simple as his name is that he has ties to a cultural community that is predominantly Muslim,” Zafar said. “I cannot say parents follow x-y-z religion, right, but based on what is evident, it is clear he has ties to the Muslim community.”

They said that based on their standing as foster parents and what is said in Ohio law, the only answer they can come up with for why their request was denied is due to discrimination.

“It’s hard to feel otherwise,” Qureshi said. “I don’t see. It’s like she said earlier, it’s either specifically our background or there’s a systemic issue or they’re just targeting anyone that’s not the standard. I don’t know.”

Franklin County Children’s Services said in a statement:

“The adoption team at Franklin County Children Services continues to monitor and review this case, prioritizing the best interests of this young boy and the permanent support, safety, and sense of belonging that can come when a child in the foster care system can be placed with a ‘forever family.’ We always strive to find placement opportunities where children can maintain a safe connection to the culture, background, and extended family. Ultimately, the courts will be asked to make the final determination.”

“It’s been so difficult, like, really, it’s this whole past year has taken a toll on us,” Zafar said.

The family hopes that by speaking out, they will be able to find legal help. They are concerned about a deadline to appeal and running out of time.

Bill proposed by Representatives Williams and Miller

Ohio bill would fill gaps in child abuse reporting systems
Bethea, Jesse. NBC4, Feb. 19, 2026. 

Two state lawmakers are proposing a bill to remedy gaps they see in the statewide system for responding to allegations of child abuse.

Ohio Reps. Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Twp.) and Darnell Brewer (D-Cleveland) plan to introduce what they call Kei’Mani’s Law, named after Kei’Mani Latigue, a 13-year-old girl who was abducted and killed last year in Toledo. 

Following Kei’Mani’s death and the criminal charges filed against the girl’s father, Columbus activist and area commissioner Peaches Calhoun began looking for ways that state and local agencies could better address reports of child abuse and neglect. She found that too often, schools, welfare agencies and law enforcement are not sharing information.

“My thoughts were, what if we connect?” Calhoun said. “If it’s reported at school, the hospital and the police station should know about it, that way everybody is on the same accord, everybody is holding everybody responsible.” 

Calhoun took her thoughts to Williams, who, along with Brewer, developed Kei’Mani’s law, which will expand and strengthen information sharing between schools, child protection services and the courts. It would also require schools to designate a child protection liaison to be responsible for coordinating and managing reports of abuse among their students. 

“Schools are often the first place signs of abuse are noticed,” Brewer said. “This bill creates a clear point of contact, someone accountable for communication, coordination and follow-through.” 

Williams and Brewer said that reports of abuse were properly investigated leading up to Kei’Mani’s abduction and death, but it’s the system itself that needs to change. 

“Those professionals operated within the frameworks of the current law of the state of Ohio,” Williams said. “But as legislators, when a tragedy reveals gaps in communication or accountability, it is our responsibility to respond.”

The bill also permits child protective services to share information with criminal courts, something that Capital University Law Professor Jennifer Goldson said could raise due process concerns. According to Goldson, the idea that courts would be made aware every time an abuse, neglect, or dependency investigation is opened calls into question the rights of the person under investigation. 

“I don’t think a court should be getting involved in a children’s services investigation until a case is opened,” Goldson said. “Which doesn’t happen until children’s services investigates, finds substantiation of the claims and ultimately files a complaint.” 

Kei’Mani’s Law would require prompt entering of information into the Uniform Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS) and would expand access to SACWIS to child protection liaisons, courts and law enforcement, but would also require the security of that information. 

“While knowledge sharing is a critical aspect of this legislation, it is also important that those trusted with this information are trained and held to the highest standard,” Brewer said

Deeply grateful for the Junior League of Columbus and their advocacy and support

 

Ohio Reach has expanded to 57 schools and now supports nearly 400 students

As foster care challenges grow, Ohio Reach opens pathways to higher education
Javari Burnett, Spectrum News, Nov. 17, 2025.

What You Need To Know:

• Winstead is a recent Ohio Reach scholar 
• Ohio Reach is a statewide initiative that supports foster care connected students as they pursue higher education
• The program has expanded to 57 institutions and now supports nearly 400 students

CINCINNATI — When Brooke Winstead crossed the stage to receive her bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati, the moment marked more than a personal achievement. It was the culmination of a difficult journey that began when she entered Ohio’s foster care system at 16.

Winstead, now a recent graduate in urban studies, said she spent years navigating instability after losing her grandmother, who had been her primary caregiver.“I had to kind of grow up fast. Faster than some of my peers,” she said.

By 18, she had moved into an independent living program, and after aging out of foster care at 21, she experienced homelessness and struggled with depression.“Not having parents made me more of a hungry person to go after my goals,” she said. “I became more determined.”

Her path shifted when she connected with Ohio Reach, a statewide initiative that supports young adults with foster care experience as they pursue higher education. The program provides mentorship, financial support and guidance at colleges and universities with a post-secondary designation. Each school involved also designates a campus liaison. 

“It really signifies that they believe that foster care–connected students belong on their campus, that their histories are understood, and that their paths are very supported,” said Susan Ballard, programs director at the Ohio Children’s Alliance.

Ohio REACH has expanded to 57 institutions and now supports nearly 400 students, Ballard said.

With many former foster youth disproportionately facing housing instability and mental health needs, she said the network’s services can be pivotal.

“The retention rate of students being able to remain in higher education continues to trend upward,” she added.

The need for programs like Ohio Reach is underscored by national data: more than 300,000 children enter foster care in the United States every year, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Ohio alone sees more than 15,000 children in foster care annually. 

For Winstead, that support paid off. She was recently accepted into a master’s degree program with a full-ride scholarship and is preparing to earn a real estate certificate.

It’s progress she once doubted was possible. “I’m able to showcase that these opportunities can happen,” she said.

Unintended Consequences of a Proposed Ohio Bill

Child sex abuse prevention advocates worried about proposed Ohio parental notification bill
Morgan Trau, Ohio Capital Journal, Nov. 19, 2025. 

Ohio violence prevention advocates worry that teens who have been sexually abused would have to get parental consent to get emergency and temporary mental health services under proposed legislation.

Some of the most heinous crimes have the most vulnerable victims.

“I’ve responded to child sexual abuse victims at 2 a.m. in the hospital,” said Emily Gemar, with the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence. “I’ve held their hand throughout the night.”

Thousands of kids in Ohio are sexually abused per year, she said. State data shows the majority of all reported sexual assaults happened to children under 18.

But many cases go unreported, Gemar said.

“It takes some time to build trust with that counselor, that mental health provider, to allow for a setting where somebody feels like they can disclose what’s happened to them,” she said.

And she was thrilled when Gov. Mike DeWine expanded his crisis mental health program. When a child calls the 9-8-8 hotline, they get emergency access to support — free of charge.

The program also lets teens 14 and older get temporary help, including six weeks of counseling, without consent from a parent or guardian.

Gemar said that’s important in sex abuse cases.

“We know that anywhere from 35% to 93% of child victims, one, knew their perpetrator, and, two, that perpetrator was a parent or caregiver,” she said.

But grandfather and conservative activist John Stover said the program keeps families in the dark.

“There is no situation whereby a parent should not be notified that their 14-year-old is dealing with mental health issues,” Stover, who runs the organization Ohio Value Voters, said.

Some Republican state lawmakers agree with him.

Ohio House Bill 172, sponsored by state Rep. Johnathan Newman, R-Troy, would require parental approval for minors to get the temporary support. It repeals the current state law allowing for this care.

“We should all want to see students who suffer with mental health struggles receive the help they need,” Newman wrote in his testimony for the bill’s first hearing.

“This bill seeks to do that, maintaining that the students’ parents cannot be left out of the picture because the parents are the child’s authority and most important and essential part of the student’s recovery.”

His bill is meant to mirror language from the last General Assembly’s H.B. 8, legislation requiring schools to notify parents if the child identifies as LGBTQ+ or has a mental health issue.

“You cannot have two unique programs where parents are notified under one circumstance if it’s in the school, and they’re not notified if it’s another circumstance outside the school,” Stover said.

Stover said the bill wouldn’t stop abusers from being caught. He said mandatory reporting requirements would go into effect — mental health professionals would have to tell police, who would then investigate the parents.

“There is no argument there,” Stover said.

But Gemar warns cases don’t always work like that.

“If a 14-year-old is being raped by a parent, they would have to ask the parent who is raping them for consent to go see a clinician,” Gemar said.

“There could be punishment, there could be threats or more physical or sexual abuse that occurs because of that.”

If the bill becomes law, she said, that is a door closed for teens to be able to safely seek help.

The Ohio Domestic Violence Network is expected to testify against the legislation, along with Gemar, this week.

The Ohio Newsroom reports on Mohican Young Star Academy

A year into new ownership, violence still plagues Ohio’s largest youth treatment center
Kendall Crawford, The Ohio Newsroom, Nov. 18, 2025. 

Mohican Young Star Academy, a youth residential treatment facility an hour northeast of Columbus, Ohio, is surrounded by a state forest.

Several years ago, the state tried to shut down the Mohican Young Star Academy over frequent 911 calls, runaways and the use of restraints in the 110-bed Perrysville facility.

Those efforts failed. But even after a year of new ownership, problems persist at the rural facility, which houses children with behavioral and mental health problems.

Brittany Hailer investigated the rising violence at the facility and efforts to address it in her reporting for The Marshall Project in Cleveland.

She sat down for an interview with The Ohio Newsroom.

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

On the nature of the Mohican Young Star Academy

“This is the largest licensed facility in the state of Ohio. We learned that kids are brought into these facilities through different avenues. It can be through the foster care system. It can be that a juvenile judge is sending them there as a part of treatment after they intersect with the justice system. But these are children with very high needs. Whether it's a behavioral need or a mental health need, they're often coming from a traumatic background of some kind, and they are getting placed in a facility like this in order to rehabilitate or address those behavioral and mental health issues.”

On what inspection reports and body camera footage revealed

“We found that the facility itself could not contain violence without police intervention. Children were hitting each other, hitting staff, hitting teachers, staff were also hitting children. On April 4th, we discovered the largest kind of outbreak of violence. I interviewed staff who had described prior instances where kids would get in arguments or get in scuffles or whatever, but nothing like this, where the entire campus had kind of erupted into something that they could no longer contain.”

“Kids were climbing over walls into other rooms. They were free to move across campus. They were picking up rocks and things. You have kids as young as maybe 11 and then kids as old as 18. Some of those older kids are six feet [tall]. Some have a criminal background, some are just there because there aren't foster families who are equipped to take a kid like that. And they're all in one place. And it seems like the folks who are running [the facility] are not able to contain it.”

On what local law enforcement say 

“When I had started reporting on this story, I noticed that the state had attempted to shut this facility down twice. And during that time, the Ashland County Sheriff also gave up jurisdiction and said, ‘We're not doing this anymore.’ So I called the Ashland County Sheriff, who is a different sheriff, Kurt Schneider, and he said, ‘Look, we don't have jurisdiction, but we're down there two, three times a week still. We're still exhausted, we're still looking for kids in the woods.’ He was the one who was like, 'Things have gotten worse. Things are worse under this new leadership.’”

“After I talked to him, then I got a phone call from the Loudonville police chief. Then I got a call from the fire chief. And each of them were saying, 'Look, we're running out there. We are the first responders and we are so worried about the kids. Not only are we exhausted, we have limited resources. Every time we get pulled into this massive forest, we're not protecting the town. And it's not just one little call. It's everyone having to go and try and contain and de-escalate the violence inside that the staff don't seem to have a handle on.'”

“From there, it snowballed into staff calling me, neighbors calling me, an entire community really coming together and saying, ‘What's going on in the woods? We're really worried.’”

On what additional oversight is needed

“The oversight part of it is complicated. Like many states, we have different institutions, different parts of government that are all connected to facilities like these. Each county in Ohio has a children services placement agency. We have two state agencies that have different responsibilities. And, even as a journalist, trying to sort out those different moving parts took me quite a long time.”

“I spoke with Scott Britton with the Public Children's Services Association of Ohio. And what he pointed out is that caseworkers are saying all the time that they've never seen this level of trauma in youth before. And that there aren't enough employees in Ohio to do this kind of work. And the training is an issue. So it's kind of like a multi-part thing. And it's not clear at what point do you shut a place down?”

On the facility’s response

“We tried so hard to get the facility to talk to us. I sent multiple letters. I called the nonprofit that the owners also run separately. I called their cell phones. I finally eventually got Marquel Brewer on the phone and he just told us ‘We're not gonna comment.’”

“I do want to point out though, in state records, [the facility] said that they may need to rethink the types of clients they admit. Noting that, if they did that though, it would force more children out of state and tremendously increase the cost to Medicaid and Ohio taxpayers.”

Toledo Blade reports on Mohican Young Star Academy

Juvenile court reconsiders placement at youth treatment center after recent reports of fighting
Alex Bracken, Toledo Blade, Nov. 21, 2025. 

Lucas County’s juvenile court is reconsidering its relationship with an Ashland County youth treatment center after being made aware of recent reporting that detailed fights inside the facility.

The Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization focusing on criminal justice, detailed five clashes between children at Mohican Young Star Academy since November, 2024. The most severe of those incidents occurred in April, when a fight in a classroom began rippling across the campus, involved more than a dozen students, and injured students and teachers.

Ohio’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, reviewing footage of the incident, found 18 areas of noncompliance at the facility. Mohican Young Star Academy did not respond to a request for comment.

County commissioners unanimously approved the contract with Mohican at their meeting Tuesday, allowing up to $150,000 of an Ohio Department of Youth Services grant to be used for placements at the facility.

The juvenile court’s administrator, Said Orra, said via email on Thursday that the court had placed a youth at the facility two weeks prior, but that “we have just become aware today of recent issues with Mohican in recent news articles and are considering alternative placement options for that youth.”

While the facility is currently licensed to operate, the Ohio attorney general in 2021 sought to remove its owners after “investigators determined that there was present danger to the health and safety of the youth residing at Mohican.” It has since changed ownership, but recent incidents have revived concerns over management’s handling of fights.

Before approving the resolution, Commissioner Anita Lopez asked in what situations juvenile court judges utilize the facilities, and Commissioner Pete Gerken asked if there were any similar facilities in the county.

“I always worry about the separation. Troubled youth can’t be separated from their families entirely; there’s a travel barrier if you take them across the state or to the south,” Commissioner Pete Gerken said.

Emily Simpson, the juvenile court’s general counsel, presented the contract at the meeting and said that Mohican Young Star Academy offers intensive treatment options that are sometimes determined to be necessary.

“I just know that [Mohican] services specific needs, so you have to balance keeping [children] away from their families with getting the support that they need. I know that the treatment programs are generally between six and 12 months,” Ms. Simpson said.

According to its website, Mohican Young Star Academy provides 6-12 month residential programs for mental health treatment, juvenile sex offenders, and drug and alcohol treatment.

County administration deferred to Mr. Orra for more information about the contract immediately following the meeting and made a similar statement deferring to the court on Thursday.

The court places youth at Mohican Young Star Academy “if there are no local facilities available to meet the placement needs of the youth,” Mr. Orra said via email. 

Mr. Orra said the court was notified of the attorney general’s legal action in 2021 but said it has not had issues with the facility. The juvenile court previously contracted with the facility from 2016 to 2019, and its most recent one-year contract was approved Tuesday but effective since July.

The juvenile court manages the county’s 32-bed youth treatment center, the pretrial juvenile detention center, and a nonresidential community treatment center, according to its website.