Perry County Family and Children First

Perry County Family and Children First Council

Kendra Warthman, Coordinator

212 S Main Street
New Lexington, Ohio 43764

(740) 684-4085 - Phone

Email: Kendra.Warthman@jfs.ohio.gov

Overview and Purpose

The Perry County Family and Children First Council’s (PCFCFC) Service Coordination Mechanism (herein referred to as the SCM), as stipulated under the Ohio Revised Code 121.37, “Each county shall develop a county service coordination mechanism.  The county service coordination  mechanism shall serve as the guiding document for coordination of services in the county.”  Perry  County FCFC is committed to the cost effective collaborative process used for coordinating and streamlining services to families and children/youth needing/seeking services or assistance, and serves as the guiding document for coordination of services in Perry County, Ohio.  We are committed to providing strengths-based, family-centered services that recognize the family role in providing direction for their children.  By partnering with parents, to develop the most efficient service coordination plan, we address needs which may not have been met with their limited agency involvement.  Through service coordination, various PCFCF Council members or their representatives bring expertise and professionalism from many different child-serving agencies to address the needs of the family.    O.R.C. 121.37 seeks to identify and address duplication of and/or gaps in services.

For children/youth who receive services under the Ohio’s Early Intervention (EI) program and who are also being served under the county SCM, must be assured that the services received  under  EI Service Coordination are consistent with the laws and rules of Early Intervention requirements per federal regulations and Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) policy and procedures.  When a child is eligible for both Early Intervention and service coordination through the FCFC, the main provider of service coordination should be the Early Intervention Service Coordination provider to assure compliance with O.R.C. 5123.02  The identified county FCFC Service Coordinator and/or Service Coordination team should support and provide assistance as needed for the family’s Individual Family Service Coordination Plans (IFSCP)/ Early Intervention Plan.

The agencies responsible for the development, implementation, and review of the Perry County Service Coordination Mechanism include:

• Perry County Children Services Board
• Perry County Board of Developmental Disabilities
• Perry County Department of Job & Family Services
• Mental Health Recovery Service Board
• Perry County Juvenile Court
• Muskingum Valley Educational Service Center - Airport Rd.
• Perry County Health Department
• HAPCAP
• Perry Behavioral Health Choices
• Ohio Department of Youth Services (ODYS)
• Parent Representatives
• AllWell
• Hopewell Health
• Perry County Family & Children First Council

Key Principles:

System of Care Service Coordination

A system of care  is a coordinated network of coordinated services and supports that are organized to meet the challenges of children and youth with multiple needs and their families.

This process is family-focused, strengths-based, and includes:

• Broad array of services/ supports available.
• Individualized plan using assessment tools
• Least restrictive setting.

• Coordinated at both the system and service level.
• Family driven, youth guided.
• Emphasize early identification and early intervention.

Perry County FCFC Goal:

It is the primary goal of this SCM to ensure that Perry County families and children include the following values:

• Services are delivered using the strengths of the family  as a basis for planning and service delivery.
• Services are responsive to the cultural, racial, and ethnic differences of the population being served;
• Service outcomes are evaluated;
• Available funding resources are fully utilized or integrated;
• Service Coordination services and community and natural family supports are utilized; when natural supports are lacking or insufficient, the service plan will address building natural supports to rely less on their reliance on formal systems.
• Specialized treatment for difficult-to-serve populations and evidence-based treatment services are encouraged;
• Duplicative efforts among agencies are reduced or eliminated;
• Families are respected, are fully involved in decision-making for the children and are provided with family advocacy options.

The Perry County Service Coordination Mechanism (SCM) shall serve as the guiding document for coordination of services for families with children who have multiple needs.  For children who also receive services under the Help Me Grow (HMG) program, the SCM shall be consistent with rules adopted by the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities under section 3701.61 of the Ohio Revised Code (ORC).  All Individual Family Service Coordination Plans (IFSCP) shall be developed in accordance with the SCM.  When a child is involved in both HMG and service coordination through PCFCFC, the main provider of service coordination should be HMG to assure compliance with the ORC.

Commitment To Child Well- Being:

• Expectant parents and newborns thrive
• Infants and toddlers thrive
• Children are ready for school
• Children and youth succeed in school
• Youth choose healthy behaviors
• Youth successfully transition into adulthood

Perry County Family and Children First will support Ohio’s vision to the Commitment to Child Well-Being by making services available to families and children of Perry County. Through the enactment of House Bill 66 the Service Coordination Mechanism shall serve as the guiding document for the coordination of services in Perry County. Services are based on need as determined by an initial assessment using Ohio Child Adolescent Needs & Strengths Assessment (CANS).  Service Coordination is not income-based, but based upon need.  Ohio CANS will determine the level of need to be addressed through service coordination.

Click HERE to download the PCFCFC Referral Packet (10/15/2018).