Ohio House Bill 442, sponsored by Representatives Sharon Ray and Jason Stephens, and Ohio Senate Bill 239, sponsored by Senator Bill Blessing, are companion bills that would expand the list of individuals qualified to be home assessors and professional treatment staff,
On December 8, HB 442 passed the House 90-1. Before its passage, an amendment was included that would require an unlicensed home assessor to have one year of experience working with children and families in addition to having a bachelor’s degree in a human services-related field.
Mirrored home assessor language was also placed into Ohio House Bill 4, legislation sponsored by Representative Phil Plummer and Representative Susan Manchester that would make several changes to children services delivery, including child abuse and neglect reporting. This bill has recently passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee and now moves to the full Senate for a vote. Stay tuned for more updates!