S A F E C H I L D R E N , S TA B L E FA M I L I E S , S U P P O R T I V E C O M M U N I T I E S

S A F E C H I L D R E N , S TA B L E FA M I L I E S , S U P P O R T I V E C O M M U N I T I E S

The Opioid Epidemic’s Impact
on Children Services in Ohio
December 2017

 Ohio’s Children Services System Is Strained
More children are entering foster care at alarmingly
higher rates than ever before
Children in Foster Care on a Given Day
16,000

15,510

15,500
15,000

15,145

14,500

67% of
children in
foster care
are 12 and
younger;
28% are 3
and younger.

14,000
13,500

13,769
13,543

13,000
12,500

12,654

12,000
1-Jul-13

1-Jul-14

1-Jul-15

1-Jul-16

1-Jul-17

Source: ODJFS SACWIS special data run, received Nov. 2017.
Point in Time Data for July 1, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and Oct. 1, 2017
S A F E C H I L D R E N , S TA B L E FA M I L I E S , S U P P O R T I V E C O M M U N I T I E S
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 Ohio’s Children Services System Will Explode
If the opioid epidemic continues at its current pace, Ohio
will have over 20,000 children in foster care by 2020
Est. Number of Children in Foster Care on a Given Day
20,000

20,154

19,000
18,000

18,323

17,000

Only 7,200
foster homes
available; not
increasing at
the same
pace – 2.5%
increase/year

16,659

16,000
15,000
15,145
14,000
13,769

13,000
12,000

12,654
2013

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

Source: ODJFS SACWIS special data run, received Nov. 2017. Additional calculations by PCSAO.
Point in Time Data for July 1, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and Oct. 1, 2017
S A F E C H I L D R E N , S TA B L E FA M I L I E S , S U P P O R T I V E C O M M U N I T I E S
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 Ohio’s Children Services System Is Strained
Placement costs have increased dramatically due to more
children in care and their needs are more complex
Foster Care Placement Costs, SFY 13 & 16
$340,000,000.00

$330,575,009.00
$330,000,000.00
$320,000,000.00
$310,000,000.00

66% paid
with local
dollars,
34% paid
with
federal
dollars

$300,000,000.00
$290,000,000.00
$280,000,000.00
$270,000,000.00

$275,000,000.00

$260,000,000.00
$250,000,000.00
2013

2016

Source: ODJFS SACWIS special data run, received Jan. 2017. Additional calculations by PCSAO.
S A F E C H I L D R E N , S TA B L E FA M I L I E S , S U P P O R T I V E C O M M U N I T I E S
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 Ohio’s Children Services System Will Explode
The skyrocketing cost of foster care in Ohio is reaching
levels that will require substantially more State resources
Est. Foster Care Placement Costs for SFY 17-20
$600,000,000
$550,841,225
$550,000,000
$500,000,000
$484,827,560

An additional
$175M will be
needed in 3
years - just for
placement
costs!

$450,000,000
$426,725,074

$400,000,000

$375,585,681

$350,000,000

$330,575,009

$300,000,000
$250,000,000
2013

$275,000,000
2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

Source: ODJFS SACWIS special data run, received Jan. 2017. Additional calculations by PCSAO.
S A F E C H I L D R E N , S TA B L E FA M I L I E S , S U P P O R T I V E C O M M U N I T I E S
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 How Children Services is Funded in Ohio
Counties fund over half of children services expenditures by
relying on local government funds and dedicated levies

38%
$490,016,450.00

48 counties
have a
dedicated
children
services
levy

$352,392,067.00

52%
10%
$95,869,458.00
Federal

State

Local

Source: SFY 2016, from ODJFS SACWIS special data runs for unduplicated count, Oct. 2016 and Jan. 2017.
Additional calculations by PCSAO.
S A F E C H I L D R E N , S TA B L E FA M I L I E S , S U P P O R T I V E C O M M U N I T I E S
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 Ohio Ranks 50th in Nation for State Share
Even if the State’s share for children services spending
doubled, Ohio would still be 50th in the nation
2014 Comparison of Children Services State Spending
45%
40%

40%

35%
30%
25%

While Ohio is
the 7th largest
state, it ranks
15th for overall
children services
spending

20%
15%
10%

7%

5%
0%
National Average for State Spend

Ohio's State Spend

SFY 2014, from http://www.childtrends.org/publications/child-welfare-financing-sfy-2014-asurvey-of-federal-state-and-local-expenditures/
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 Ohio’s Children Services System Is Strained
Caseworkers are first responders in these opioid-related
case, leading to secondary trauma in our workforce
In 2016 …..
➢ 1 out of every 7 public children services caseworkers
left their job…
Ohio safely
reduced the
number of
children in
foster care by
42% between
2002-2010

➢ Costing $54,000 to replace a single worker; $24.3
million statewide…
➢ Causing children to linger in foster care longer
Source: Data from PCSAO Caseload Survey, 2016. Additional calculations by PCSAO.

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 Impact of Opioid Epidemic on Children

50% of children taken into
custody in 2015 had parental
drug use

Source: PCSAO Opiate Survey, 78 county Public Children
Services Agencies responded, Apr. 2016
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 Impact of Opioid Epidemic on Children

28% of children taken into
custody in 2015 had
parents who were using
opioids at time of removal

Source: PCSAO Opiate Survey, 78 county Public Children
Services Agencies responded, Apr. 2016
S A F E C H I L D R E N , S TA B L E FA M I L I E S , S U P P O R T I V E C O M M U N I T I E S
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 The Attorney General Responded
Ohio’s Sobriety, Treatment and Reducing Trauma
(Ohio START) Pilot Program
➢ Over $5 million in Victim of Crime Act funds

➢ Timeline: April 1, 2017 – September 30, 2019
Pilot in 14
Southern
Counties;
evaluated
by OSU &
OU

➢ Focused on supporting parents in recovery with
peer mentors and assisting children who have
been traumatized
➢ Goal: Children can remain in their own homes or
return home sooner
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 Ohio’s Legislature Responded for SFY 18-19
➢ $15 million/year added to the State Child Protection
Allocation (ODJFS Line-600523) to assist county PCSAs
➢ $15 million/year from the TANF Block Grant to establish a
Kinship Child Care Program
➢ Created the ODJFS Foster Care Advisory Board to make
recommendation on recruiting and supporting foster
parents

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 What Ohio’s Kids Need Now & In the Future
More attention, more resources:
➢ Recruit additional foster and adoptive homes
➢ Provide additional support to kinship and foster families
➢ Pay rising foster care placement costs (foster homes,
group homes, residential care)
➢ Recruit and retain a vital workforce

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 Contact PCSAO for More Information
Angela Sausser, Executive Director
(614) 507-3113; Angela@pcsao.org

Scott Britton, Assistant Director
(614) 507-5483; Scott@pcsao.org

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