COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Work to reform foster care in Ohio is getting a boost from a new federal law.

The Family First Prevention Services Act will be implemented this fall. It changes how federal dollars for foster care are spent.

Rob Myers, deputy director for Stark County Children Services, explained counties will be partially reimbursed for using evidence-based prevention interventions that prioritize keeping families together.

"In the past, it was kind of 'remove first, plan later,'" Myers observed. "This is shifting that perspective so that we're looking at what level of intervention is necessary."

One of the programs chosen by the state for the federal funding is Ohio START.

Nicole Caldwell, executive director for Guernsey County Children Services which recently joined the program, said her agency provides wraparound services for families struggling with substance abuse.

"We have a lack of detox facilities, residential substance-abuse treatment options and trauma treatment that really focuses on the root of trauma that a lot of the families that we're working with have endured," Caldwell contended.

Counties can also receive funding for mental-health treatment, parenting skills and counseling programs, but they must provide a local funding match for those services.

Stark County is part of a seven-county pilot project starting in April that will test Ohio's system for assessing prevention services ahead of the upcoming funding changes.

Myers confirmed the new funding will build upon their current work.

"This fits in very well with what we're trying to do," Myers remarked. "You always feel like you can do better. I'm hopeful that this will really kick-start us into seeing even more success with leaving kids in their home and reduce the number of kids that have to come into care."

According to the Public Children Services Association, there are concerns counties won't be able to match services once the pilot ends, because placement costs increased by $34 million annually the past two years.

There are measures to support the Family-First Prevention Act and other new programming in the state's proposed biennium budget, but funding for local children's services agencies is flat.

There are calls for local investments to ensure families have the supports they need to stay together.


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Young people in the Commonwealth were already exposed to sports betting even before it was made legal last month. So, what will Massachusetts do to keep kids from gambling?

Television ads for sportsbooks in neighboring Connecticut, New Hampshire and Rhode Island air regularly during Red Sox and Patriots games. Enticing ads on social media offer free play, claim to be "risk-free," and promote gambling as a fun and even useful skill to have.

Marlene Warner, executive director of the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health, said more ads will soon be everywhere, and state regulators need to consider the cumulative impact on kids.

"When you see top-level athletes and actors promoting these brands -- and we're talking about the Michael Jordans, the Jamie Foxes of the world, that are well known to kids -- that's of some dramatic concern," Warner contended.

Warner also worries about the availability of sports kiosks to place quick bets, and the expansion of sports betting at racetracks and casinos, where some teens can often pass for the legal age of 21.

The National Council on Problem Gambling reports 60%-80% of high school students say they have gambled for money in the past year, making them a top priority for safeguards as the state expands access to sports betting.

Warner thinks regulators should pay special attention to esports betting, which she argued is particularly appealing to teens. She noted while most sports betting operators are good about keeping kids off mailing lists and directing ads away from youth, not all affiliates and vendors tied to those companies are as careful.

"There are linked efforts through places like Reddit, or various other platforms, where they have a lot less control," Warner explained. "These affiliates or vendors, they have a lot of power to influence kids."

Research estimates 4%-6% of high school students are addicted to gambling, mostly sports betting.

Massachusetts promotes online tools to help gamblers know when to "say when," including GameSense and PlayMyWay. But Warner urged for now, it is important to let kids be kids, and wait until they are of legal age before they are taught how to gamble.

September is National Recovery Month, and a program in Ohio is showing success in healing families who have struggled with addiction.

Ohio START (Sobriety Treatment and Reducing Trauma) focuses on families experiencing child maltreatment and substance use disorders. Children Services caseworkers, behavioral health providers, and Family Peer Mentors work in tandem to get them the support they need.

Donna, in Summit County, struggled with addiction and lost custody of her two older sons over drug charges. She explained that when she found out she was pregnant again, she knew she needed to make a change and sought help.

After spending time in a court-ordered treatment center, she joined the Ohio START program.

"They helped me a lot," said Donna. "They helped me get my place. They're really work well as a team. They're caring and want to see us do good. They just ain't in it for a paycheck."

She said she's been in recovery for 17 months, is working and has her son back.

Ohio START, now in its fifth year, started with 17 counties and has since expanded to 54. More than 1,000 families have been served, with 121 successful case-plan completions in 2021.

The Family Peer Mentors have lived experience with addiction and the child welfare system. Khala, who is also from Summit County, said hers provided hope and motivation as she worked on sobriety and parenting.

"I know my recovery coach has multiple years sober, but she had also lost her kids to Children Services years ago," said Khala. "And so, just having somebody to talk who's been through it and knows exactly where you're coming from."

Training and certification to become a peer recovery supporter is done through the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. Khala said her experience with Ohio START showed her that the goal of Children Services is to keep families together.

"They don't believe that your kids would be better off with somebody else, as long as you're doing the right thing," said Khala. "That's the only thing - like, if you are doing the right thing, you will get your kids back. Don't give up hope, because there are people out there who absolutely believe in you."

In early August, fall registration opens at several South Dakota locations offering a national program geared for grade-school-age girls. It combines social and emotional skill building with physical activity.

Girls on the Run is a nonprofit, which built the youth development curriculum. It is carried out by roughly 200 councils in North America, with trained volunteer coaches leading spring and fall seasons.

Jasmina Nelson, program coordinator for South Dakota for the group, said they want to help the target age group navigate new situations they encounter, such as bullying.

"We want the girls to understand that who they are is very unique and special and that they should be confident in who they are and their unique abilities," Nelson explained.

This after-school activity lasts for 10 weeks, capping the season off with a noncompetitive, celebratory 5K run. There is a registration fee, but organizers say they are willing to work with families on overcoming any cost barriers to ensure access to the program. The South Dakota locations with upcoming registration can be found on the local chapter's website.

Nelson pointed out they also thrive on volunteers and encourage interested adults to learn more about helping out. She added the running component is just a catalyst for the mission, and the girls are not pressured to become track stars.

"It's all about the movement," Nelson noted. "They can hop, skip, jump all the way across their finish line, or they can run whatever their pace is."

The program is designed for girls in grades 3-8. Most of South Dakota's sites are for the younger grade levels. A study by the University of Minnesota found 85% of program participants improved in areas such as confidence, caring and connection to others.