COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Franklin County Children Services and The Village Network are excited to announce an exciting, new partnership that will help protect children and brighten futures by strengthening families.
Effective Tuesday, January 17, 2023, The Village Network joined Franklin County Children Services’ network of care management entities. This partnership will allow The Village Network to provide supportive, personalized case management services to families who are involved with Franklin County Children Services.
As the county agency mandated by law to respond to all cases of child abuse and neglect, Franklin County Children Services (FCCS) received over 28,000 calls to its intake hotline in 2021. The agency also accepts referrals from Franklin County Juvenile Court for unruly or delinquent youth.
Currently, when Franklin County Children Services determines that a family would benefit from continued involvement or increased support, the family's case may be serviced by the agency or transferred to one of two care management providers--The Buckeye Ranch’s Permanent Family Solutions Network program or the National Youth Advocate Care Management program, which together served over 4,000 youth and families in 2021.
Case management services involve collaboration with each family to develop a customized plan. The plans are specific to each family’s needs and provide support and direction to families; referrals to community agencies for treatment or resources; and/or coordination with the court system. A caseworker supports the family as they complete the plan and monitors their progress.
“As the demand and duration of these cases continues to increase, the need for additional support for the Franklin County community became apparent,” said Charles Spinning, Executive Director of Franklin County Children Services. “By adding an additional care management partner to our child welfare repertoire, we will be able to increase support and provide additional resources to Franklin County children and families.”
Spinning added, “The Village Network’s vision, adherence to best practices, and consistently high-quality outcomes align well with that of Franklin County Children Services. The Village Network also specializes in trauma-informed care, demonstrates excellence in empowering families for success, and have many successful collaborations with community partners throughout the state of Ohio, making them an ideal partner to do this important work.”
To learn more about Franklin County Children Services, please go to http://childrenservices.franklincountyohio.gov/index.cfm. For more information about The Village Network, please visit their website at thevillagenetwork.org.
