Rule 5180:3-1-11 | Multiethnic Placement Act (MEPA) agency administrative requirements.
(A) Are public children services agencies (PCSAs) and private child placing agencies (PCPAs) required to designate a MEPA monitor?
Yes, each PCSA and PCPA is to designate a person to serve as the agency's internal monitor for the purposes of the Multiethnic Placement Act, Oct. 20, 1994, Pub. L. 103- 382, as amended by Section 1808 of the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996, Aug. 20, 1996, Pub. L. 104-188 (MEPA), and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI).
(B) Can PCSAs and PCPAs share MEPA monitors?
Agencies may share MEPA monitors from other PCSAs or PCPAs to fulfill monitoring functions.
(C) Are private noncustodial agencies required to designate a MEPA monitor?
A private noncustodial agency (PNA) is not required to designate a MEPA monitor but is to refer all cases in which race, color, or national origin (RCNO) may be a factor in the placement decision to the child's custodial agency for assessment pursuant to rules 5180:3-13-18.1 and 5180:2-48-13 of the Administrative Code.
(D) Who may not serve as the MEPA monitor?
The MEPA monitor is to be an agency employee but is not to be the child's caseworker or the supervisor of that caseworker nor the agency's civil rights coordinator.
(E) What are the responsibilities of the MEPA monitor?
The MEPA monitor is to review and monitor foster care and adoptive placement decisions when the agency has completed DCY 01688 "Individualized Child Assessment."
(F) How long is the DCY 01688 valid?
The DCY 01688 is valid for twelve months from the date of the final decision as documented on the form.
(G) What is an agency to do on an annual basis regarding its recruitment plan?
Each PCSA, PCPA, or PNA is to review its recruitment plan on an annual basis. If the PCSA, PCPA, or PNA amends its recruitment plan at any time the agency is to submit the amended recruitment plan to DCY within ninety calendar days following the amendment in accordance with rules 5180:2-48-05 and 5180:2-5-13 of the Administrative Code.
(H) Are PCSAs, PCPAs, and PNAs operating a foster care or adoption program required to adopt written standards of conduct?
Each PCSA, PCPA, and PNA operating a foster care or adoption program is to adopt written standards of conduct governing employee or contractor's performance in relation to MEPA and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) as they apply to the foster care and adoption process. The written standards of conduct are to:
(1) Prohibit denying any person the opportunity to become a foster caregiver or an adoptive parent on the basis of race, color or national origin of that person, or of the child involved; or delaying or denying any placement of a child in foster care or for adoption on the basis of the race, color or national origin of the foster caregiver(s), of the adoptive parent(s) or of the child involved.
(2) Include enforcement requirements to be used whenever an agency employee or contractor engages in discriminatory acts, policies, or practices involving race, color or national origin in the foster care or adoption process as determined by Ohio department of job and families services-bureau of civil rights (ODJFS-BCR) upon completion of the investigation conducted pursuant to rule 5180:3-1-03 of the Administrative Code.
(a) The enforcement requirements are to include standards governing penalties, sanctions, and other disciplinary actions, which may include suspension and/or removal, to be applied in accordance with applicable employment law and union contracts.
(b) The standards are to provide for the submission of a corrective action plan whenever an investigation conducted by ODJFS-BCR, pursuant to rule 5180:3- 1-03 of the Administrative Code, results in a finding that an agency employee or contractor engaged in discriminatory acts, policies, or practices.
(c) The standards for the corrective action plan are to address how the agency will prevent future violations by the employee or contractor, and that the plan is to be submitted to DCY within thirty calendar days of notification of the investigation findings.
(I) To whom is the agency to provide the written standards of conduct?
The agency is to provide a copy of the written standards of conduct to each employee or contractor who is engaged in the placement of children into foster care or for adoption, or engaged in the recruitment, assessment, approval, or selection of a foster caregiver(s) or adoptive family. New employees or contractors are to receive a copy of the written standards of conduct within thirty calendar days of their hire date or the effective date of their contract.
(J) Can an agency require an employee to justify a placement based on the difference in race, color, or national origin between a child and a proposed caregiver or adoptive parent?
No, a PCSA, PCPA or PNA is not to require an employee to justify a proposed placement for the reason that the race, color or national origin of the child is different from the family with whom the worker is proposing as the child's foster caregiver or adoptive parent.
Last updated September 15, 2026 at 9:18 AM
Supplemental Information
Amplifies: 5103.03, 5153.16
Five Year Review Date: 9/15/2031
Prior Effective Dates: 12/30/1966, 10/1/1986, 7/1/1990, 9/1/1994, 12/15/1995 (Emer.), 3/1/1996, 9/18/1996, 12/31/1996 (Emer.), 3/31/1997, 2/13/1998 (Emer.), 5/14/1998, 12/31/1998 (Emer.), 4/5/1999, 9/1/2000, 5/1/2002, 11/12/2002, 9/1/2003, 2/1/2005, 12/11/2006, 3/1/2010, 11/1/2012, 7/1/2015, 9/1/2017, 4/12/2021