Partner Spotlight: Public Children Services Association of Ohio

Q.   Tell us a little about your organization. Where are you located? Who do you serve and what do you focus on?

A. Public Children Services Association of Ohio (PCSAO) is a membership-driven association of Ohio’s county Public Children Services Agencies (PCSAs) that advocates for sound public policy, promotes program excellence, and builds public value for safe children, stable families, and supportive communities. We are located in Columbus, Ohio, and represent PCSAs in all 88 counties.

Q. When was your organization founded, and what inspired your mission?

A. PCSAO was founded in 1980 to unify Ohio’s 88 counties into a single voice with the original mission to promote the development of sound public policy that benefited the children and families of Ohio and the public agencies that served them.

Q. What’s a recent project, program, or win that you're especially proud of?

A. In 2017, Ohio began implementing the Ohio Sobriety Treatment and Reducing Trauma (START) model, a child-welfare-led, evidence-informed initiative designed to transform systems of care for families affected by parental substance use disorders. The model recognizes that parental addiction affects the entire family and that recovery happens most effectively within the family context. Through partnerships with local community providers, public children services agencies, and courts, START helps parents access timely substance use treatment and provides ongoing supports for the entire family. The model is currently being implemented in 56 Ohio counties and recently achieved the milestone of having served more than 5,000 Ohioans. As the model expands to more counties, we hope this unique approach will continue to transform children services work, including in cases beyond substance use.

Q. What’s one issue you're keeping a close eye on right now?

A. Federal changes to SNAP and Medicaid are putting a lot of pressure on county human services and the people they serve. Research shows that reductions in the safety net increase contact with children services. We are very concerned that as families lose access to food and health care, we will see more children come into foster care.

Q. How do you partner with families and communities in your work?

A. In 2024, we launched Ohio’s children services shared practice model, PACT (Practice in Action Together), which was developed in partnership with family members (moms, dads, youth, foster parents, kinship caregivers), frontline caseworkers and supervisors, leaders from PCSAs, and subject matter experts. Centering the voices of those directly impacted was a priority in its design. PACT focuses on partnering with families to elevate healing and build relationships through a behavior-driven approach to practice and organizational culture change.

Q. How did you first hear about or get involved with Groundwork Ohio?

A. Safety net programs like quality early care and education are shown to reduce child abuse and neglect. PCSAO has partnered with Groundwork through our membership in Advocates for Ohio’s Future and through various early childhood initiatives that enhance child protection.

Q. What do you wish more people understood about the families you serve or the work you do?

A. Children services is designed to step in when a child cannot safely remain at home.

However, many children enter custody due to other factors, such as juvenile justice involvement, developmental disabilities, or behavioral health concerns that would be better addressed by other systems. This places additional strain on PCSAs and stretches limited resources. Innovative, cross-system solutions, such as child wellness campuses, are critical to reducing this burden and ensuring children and families receive the most appropriate supports.

Q. How do you work with other organizations or community partners to create change?

A. PCSAO collaborates closely with association partners, including the Ohio Job and Family Services Directors’ Association (OJFSDA), Ohio Child Support Professionals Association (OCSPA), and the County Commissioners Association of Ohio (CCAO), to ensure our advocacy reflects system-wide needs and promotes coordinated, effective solutions.

Q. What keeps your team inspired or grounded in this work?

A. Stories from families who have experienced healing through the children services system keep our team motivated. While not every story has a positive outcome, those challenges strengthen our commitment to improving the system so that more families can safely thrive together.

Q. Why is advocacy important to your work?

A. Ohio is one of only a few states where children services is administered at the county level. As a result, it is essential to unify the diverse perspectives and experiences of counties statewide when advocating for policies that impact PCSAs and the families they serve. As the children services system continues to evolve, PCSAO advocates on behalf of our members so that they can remain focused on keeping children and families safe.

Q. What do you think is important to help make Ohio the best place to be a young child?

A. PCSAO believes that strong relationships are the most powerful predictor of positive outcomes within the children services system. When families are connected to each other and to their communities, they gain greater access to resources that promote healing and help prevent system involvement altogether. It takes a community to prevent child abuse and help families thrive.