Chapter 5180 | Department of Children and Youth

Section 5180.01 | Department of children and youth.

• Effective: October 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) The department of children and youth shall serve as the state's primary children's services agency and shall facilitate and coordinate the delivery of children's services in this state, including, but not limited to, those related to adoption, child care, child welfare, early childhood education, early intervention, foster care, home visiting, infant and early childhood mental consultation, and preschool special education.

(B) For purposes of this chapter and in addition to the services described in division (A) of this section, children's services include, but are not limited to, one or more government programs focused on any of the following:

(1) Adoption, child welfare, and foster care services;

(2) Early identification and intervention regarding behavioral health, including, but not limited to, early intervention services, early childhood mental health initiatives, multi-system youth services, and family support services administered through the Ohio family and children first cabinet council, Ohio commission on fatherhood, and children's trust fund board;

(3) Early learning and education, including, but not limited to, child care and preschool licensing, early learning assessments, head start, preschool special education, publicly funded child care, and the step up to quality program;

(4) Maternal and child physical health, including, but not limited to, infant vitality, home visiting, maternal and child health, maternal and infant support, and Medicaid-funded child health services.

Last updated September 11, 2023 at 4:56 PM

Section 5180.02 | Duties of director.

• Effective: October 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) The director of children and youth is the chief executive of and appointing authority for the department of children and youth. In this role, the director shall administer the department and implement the delivery in this state of children's services, including by doing all of the following:

(1) Adopting as necessary rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code and section 111.15 of the Revised Code;

(2) Approving and entering into contracts, agreements, and other business arrangements on behalf of the department;

(3) Making as necessary appointments to the department and approving actions related to departmental employees and officers, including their hiring, promotion, termination, discipline, or investigation;

(4) Administering the department and directing the performance of its employees and officers;

(5) Applying for grants available under federal law or from other federal, state, or private sources and allocating, disbursing, or accounting for any funds awarded;

(6) Any other action as necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

(B) Whenever by law a duty is imposed on or an action is required of the department, the director or director's designee shall fulfill the duty or perform the action.

(C) The director may organize the department for its efficient operation, including by creating as necessary any divisions or offices within it. The director also may establish procedures for the governance of the department, the conduct of its employees and officers, the performance of its business, and the custody, use, and preservation of departmental books, documents, papers, property, and records.

(D) If the director issues any directive governing the delivery in this state of children's services, each state and local agency involved in the delivery of those services shall comply with the directive and collaborate with the department.

(E) For purposes of division (A)(1) of this section, if a law permits or requires the director to adopt a rule, the director shall do so in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, unless the law requiring or permitting adoption of the rule specifies a different rule adoption procedure.

Last updated September 11, 2023 at 4:56 PM

Section 5180.04

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) The governor shall create the children and youth advisory council in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 9837b(b)(1) and 20 U.S.C. 1441 and shall appoint one of its members to serve as chairperson of the council with the director of children and youth serving as co-chairperson.

(B)(1) The council shall serve as both the state advisory council on early childhood education and care, as described in 42 U.S.C. 9837b(b)(1), and the state interagency coordinating council, as described in 20 U.S.C. 1441.

(2) The council shall advise the governor on the availability, accessibility, affordability, and quality of services provided through the prenatal and child-serving systems. This includes fostering a continuum of care that promotes family-centered programs and services that acknowledge and support the social, emotional, cognitive, intellectual, and physical development of children and the vital role of families in ensuring the well-being and success of children.

(3) The council shall advise the director of children and youth on matters affecting the licensing of centers, type A homes, and type B homes and the certification of in-home aides. The council shall make an annual report to the director that addresses the availability, affordability, accessibility, and quality of child care and that summarizes the recommendations and plans of action that the council has proposed to the director during the preceding fiscal year. The director shall provide copies of the report to the governor, speaker and minority leader of the house of representatives, and the president and minority leader of the senate and, on request, shall make copies available to the public.

(C)(1) The advisory council shall include up to twenty-five members appointed by the governor, including the following:

(a) At least one representative of the department of children and youth;

(b) At least one representative of the department of medicaid;

(c) At least one representative of the department of job and family services;

(d) At least one representative of the department of behavioral health;

(e) At least one representative of the department of education and workforce;

(f) At least one representative of the department of health;

(g) At least one representative of the department of developmental disabilities;

(h) At least one representative of the department of youth services;

(i) At least one representative from each of the following stakeholder groups, selected from multi-sized municipal corporations and geographically diverse areas of the state, including rural, urban, and suburban areas:

(i) Maternal and infant vitality;

(ii) Early intervention;

(iii) Home visiting;

(iv) Early childhood education;

(v) Child care centers providing publicly funded child care;

(vi) Family child care homes providing publicly funded child care;

(vii) School child programs;

(viii) Preschool programs;

(ix) Children's services.

(2) In making appointments to the advisory council, the governor shall ensure that the membership of the council reasonably represents the population of the state.

(D)(1) The advisory council shall create topic-specific advisory groups that address a continuum of services including the following:

(a) Early childhood education and care;

(b) Children services;

(c) Maternal and infant vitality;

(d) Early childhood mental health services and supports;

(e) Early intervention services.

(2) No representative of the department of children and youth shall serve as a chairperson for a topic-specific advisory group.

(3) The governor shall appoint additional members as necessary to the early childhood education and care advisory group and the early intervention services advisory group to satisfy the requirements of 42 U.S.C. 9837b(b)(1) and 20 U.S.C. 1441.

(4) The director of children and youth shall appoint each representative appointed pursuant to division (C)(1)(i) of this section to at least one topic-specific advisory group.

Last updated August 5, 2025 at 1:11 PM

Section 5180.10 | [Former R.C. 3701.68, amended and renumbered by H.B. 33, 135th General Assembly, effective 1/1/2025] Commission on infant mortality.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Academic medical center" means a medical school and its affiliated teaching hospitals.

(2) "State registrar" has the same meaning as in section 3705.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) There is hereby created the commission on infant mortality. The commission shall do all of the following:

(1) Conduct a complete inventory of services provided or administered by the state that are available to address the infant mortality rate in this state;

(2) For each service identified under division (B)(1) of this section, determine both of the following:

(a) The sources of the funds that are used to pay for the service;

(b) Whether the service and its funding sources have a connection with programs provided or administered by local or community-based public or private entities and, to the extent they do not, whether they should.

(3) With assistance from academic medical centers, track and analyze infant mortality rates by county for the purpose of determining the impact of state and local initiatives to reduce those rates.

(C) The commission shall consist of the following members:

(1) Two members of the senate, one from the majority party and one from the minority party, each appointed by the senate president;

(2) Two members of the house of representatives, one from the majority party and one from the minority party, each appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

(3) The governor or the governor's designee;

(4) The medicaid director or the director's designee;

(5) The director of children and youth or the director's designee;

(6) The director of health or the director's designee;

(7) The director of developmental disabilities or the director's designee;

(8) The executive director of the commission on minority health or the executive director's designee;

(9) The attorney general or the attorney general's designee;

(10) A health commissioner of a city or general health district, appointed by the governor;

(11) A coroner, deputy coroner, or other person who conducts death scene investigations, appointed by the governor;

(12) An individual who represents the Ohio hospital association, appointed by the association's president;

(13) An individual who represents the Ohio children's hospital association, appointed by the association's president;

(14) Two individuals who represent community-based programs that serve pregnant women or new mothers whose infants tend to be at a higher risk for infant mortality, appointed by the governor;

(15) Two individuals who represent children's interests, one to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and one to be appointed by the senate president.

(D) An appointed commission member shall hold office until a successor is appointed. A vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

From among the members, the president of the senate and speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint two to serve as co-chairpersons of the commission.

A member shall serve without compensation except to the extent that serving on the commission is considered part of the member's regular duties of employment.

(E) The commission may request assistance from the staff of the legislative service commission.

(F) For purposes of division (B)(3) of this section, the state registrar shall ensure that the commission and academic medical centers located in this state have access to any electronic system of vital records the state registrar or department of health maintains, including the Ohio public health information warehouse. Not later than six months after March 19, 2015, the commission on infant mortality shall prepare a written report of its findings and recommendations concerning the matters described in division (B) of this section. On completion, the commission shall submit the report to the governor and, in accordance with section 101.68 of the Revised Code, the general assembly.

(G) The president of the senate and speaker of the house of representatives shall determine the responsibilities of the commission following submission of the report under division (F) of this section.

(H) The commission is not subject to sections 101.82 to 101.87 of the Revised Code.

(I) The commission shall provide information to the Ohio housing finance agency for the purposes of division (A) of section 175.14 of the Revised Code.

Last updated January 9, 2025 at 2:42 PM

Section 5180.11 | [Former R.C. 3701.951, amended and renumbered by H.B. 33, 135th General Assembly, effective 1/1/2025] Infant mortality, preterm birth, and stillbirth rates.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Preliminary infant mortality and preterm birth rates" means infant mortality and preterm birth rates that are derived from vital records as defined in section 3705.01 of the Revised Code, are not considered finalized by the department of health, and are subject to modification as additional birth and death data are received by the department and added to vital records.

(2) "Stillbirth" has the same meaning as in section 5180.12 of the Revised Code.

(B) Each calendar quarter, the department of children and youth shall determine the state's preliminary infant mortality and preterm birth rates, as well as the stillbirth rate, delineated by race and ethnic group. The rates shall be determined using a simple rolling average. The department shall publish the rates in a quarterly report, which shall also include a description of the data sources and methodology used to determine the rates. The department shall make each report available on its internet web site not later than five business days after the rates are determined.

Last updated January 9, 2025 at 2:42 PM

Section 5180.12 | [Former R.C. 3701.97, amended and renumbered by H.B. 33, 135th General Assembly, effective 1/1/2025] Stillbirth data.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section, "stillbirth" means death prior to the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of human conception of at least twenty weeks of gestation, which after such expulsion or extraction does not breathe or show any other evidence of life such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles.

(B) The director of children and youth shall do all of the following:

(1) Publish stillbirth data compiled from the department of health's fetal death statistical file and make it available on the department of children and youth's internet web site;

(2) Review the stillbirth data described in division (B)(1) of this section and identify potential trends in the incidence of stillbirth and the possible causes of, and conditions that could lead to or indicate the possible occurrence of, stillbirth;

(3) Develop educational materials in conjunction with statewide medical associations that may be used to apprise health care providers of trends, if any, that were identified through a review described in division (B)(2) of this section;

(4) Electronically disseminate the educational materials developed under division (B)(3) of this section to the state medical board and statewide medical associations and make them available on the department of children and youth's web site in an easily accessible format.

Last updated January 9, 2025 at 2:43 PM

Section 5180.13 | [Former R.C. 3701.953, amended and renumbered by H.B. 33, 135th General Assembly, effective 1/1/2025] Infant mortality scorecard.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) The department of children and youth shall create an infant mortality scorecard. The scorecard shall report all of the following:

(1) The state's performance on population health measures, including the infant mortality rate, preterm birth rate, and low birth weight rate, delineated by race, ethnic group, region of the state, and the state as a whole;

(2) Preliminary data the department possesses on the state's unexpected infant death rate;

(3) To the extent such information is available, the state's performance on outcome measures identified by the department that are related to preconception health, reproductive health, prenatal care, labor and delivery, smoking, infant safe sleep practices, breastfeeding, and behavioral health, delineated by race, ethnic group, region of the state, and the state as a whole;

(4) A comparison of the state's performance on the population health measures specified in division (A)(1) of this section and, to the extent such information is available, the state's performance on outcome measures specified in division (A)(3) of this section with the targets for the measures, or the targets for the objectives similar to the measures, established by the United States department of health and human services through the healthy people 2020 initiative or a subsequent initiative;

(5) Any other information on maternal and child health that the department considers appropriate.

(B) The scorecard shall be built and automated to refresh data in real time on a data dashboard to be made publicly available.

(C) The scorecard shall include a description of the data sources and methodology used to complete the scorecard.

Last updated January 9, 2025 at 2:44 PM

Section 5180.14 | [Former R.C. 3701.63, amended and renumbered by H.B. 33, 135th General Assembly, effective 1/1/2025] Shaken baby syndrome education program.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section and sections 5180.15, 5180.16, and 5180.17 of the Revised Code:

(1) "Child care center," "type A family child care home," and "licensed type B family child care home" have the same meanings as in section 5104.01 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Child care facility" means a child care center, a type A family child care home, or a licensed type B family child care home.

(3) "Foster caregiver" has the same meaning as in section 5103.02 of the Revised Code.

(4) "Freestanding birthing center" has the same meaning as in section 3701.503 of the Revised Code.

(5) "Hospital" has the same meaning as in section 3722.01 of the Revised Code to which either of the following applies:

(a) The hospital has a maternity unit.

(b) The hospital receives for care infants who have been transferred to it from other facilities and who have never been discharged to their residences following birth.

(6) "Infant" means a child who is less than one year of age.

(7) "Maternity unit" means the distinct portion of a hospital in which maternity services are provided.

(8) "Other person responsible for the infant" includes a foster caregiver.

(9) "Parent" means either parent, unless the parents are separated or divorced or their marriage has been dissolved or annulled, in which case "parent" means the parent who is the residential parent and legal custodian of the child. "Parent" also means a prospective adoptive parent with whom a child is placed.

(10) "Shaken baby syndrome" means signs and symptoms, including, but not limited to, retinal hemorrhages in one or both eyes, subdural hematoma, or brain swelling, resulting from the violent shaking or the shaking and impacting of the head of an infant or small child.

(B) The director of children and youth shall establish the shaken baby syndrome education program by doing all of the following:

(1) Developing educational materials that present readily comprehendible information on shaken baby syndrome;

(2) Making available on the department of children and youth web site in an easily accessible format the educational materials developed under division (B)(1) of this section;

(3) Annually assessing the effectiveness of the shaken baby syndrome education program by doing all of the following:

(a) Evaluating the reports received pursuant to section 5101.135 of the Revised Code;

(b) Reviewing the content of the educational materials to determine if updates or improvements should be made;

(c) Reviewing the manner in which the educational materials are distributed, as described in section 5180.15 of the Revised Code, to determine if modifications to that manner should be made.

(C) In meeting the requirements under division (B) of this section, the director shall develop educational materials that, to the extent possible, minimize administrative or financial burdens on any of the entities or persons listed in section 5180.15 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 29, 2023 at 5:13 PM

Section 5180.15 | [Former R.C. 3701.64, amended and renumbered by H.B. 33, 135th General Assembly, effective 1/1/2025] Distribution of shaken baby syndrome educational materials.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) A copy of the shaken baby syndrome educational materials developed under section 5180.14 of the Revised Code shall be distributed in the following manner:

(1) By childbirth educators and the staff of obstetricians' offices, to an expectant parent who uses their services;

(2) By the staff of pediatric physicians' offices, to any of the following who use their services: an infant's parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the infant;

(3) By the staff of a hospital or freestanding birthing center, to an infant's parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the infant, before the child is discharged from the facility to the infant's residence following birth;

(4) By the staff of the help me grow program established pursuant to section 5180.21 of the Revised Code, to an infant's parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the infant, during home-visiting services conducted in accordance with that section;

(5) By each child care facility operating in this state, to each of its employees;

(6) By a public children services agency, when the agency has initial contact with an infant's parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the infant.

(B) An entity or person required to distribute educational materials pursuant to division (A) of this section is not liable for damages in a civil action for injury, death, or loss to person or property that allegedly arises from an act or omission associated with the dissemination of those educational materials unless the act or omission constitutes willful or wanton misconduct.

An entity or person required to distribute educational materials in accordance with division (A) of this section is not subject to criminal prosecution or, to the extent that a person is regulated under Title XLVII of the Revised Code, professional disciplinary action under that title, for an act or omission associated with the dissemination of those educational materials.

This division does not eliminate, limit, or reduce any other immunity or defense that an entity or person may be entitled to under Chapter 2744. of the Revised Code, or any other provision of the Revised Code, or the common law of this state.

Last updated January 9, 2025 at 2:45 PM

Section 5180.16 | [Former R.C. 3701.66, amended and renumbered by H.B. 33, 135th General Assembly, effective 1/1/2025] Safe sleep education program.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section, "sudden unexpected infant death" means the death of an infant that occurs suddenly and unexpectedly, the cause of which is not immediately obvious prior to investigation.

(B) The department of children and youth shall establish the safe sleep education program by doing all of the following:

(1) Developing educational materials that present readily comprehendible information on safe sleeping practices for infants and possible causes of sudden unexpected infant death;

(2) Making available on the department's internet web site in an easily accessible format the educational materials developed under division (B)(1) of this section;

(3) Providing annual training classes at no cost to individuals who provide safe sleep education to parents and infant caregivers who reside in the urban and rural communities specified under section 3701.142 of the Revised Code, including child care providers as defined in section 2151.011 of the Revised Code, hospital staff and volunteers, local health department staff, social workers, individuals who provide home visiting services, and community health workers;

(4) Annually assessing the effectiveness of the safe sleep education program by evaluating the reports submitted by child fatality review boards to the department pursuant to section 307.626 of the Revised Code.

(C) In meeting the requirements under division (B) of this section, the department shall develop educational materials that, to the extent possible, minimize administrative or financial burdens on any of the entities or persons required by division (D) of this section to distribute the materials.

(D) A copy of the safe sleep educational materials developed under this section shall be distributed by entities and persons with and in the same manner as the shaken baby syndrome educational materials are distributed pursuant to section 5180.15 of the Revised Code.

An entity or person required to distribute the educational materials is not liable for damages in a civil action for injury, death, or loss to person or property that allegedly arises from an act or omission associated with the dissemination of those educational materials unless the act or omission constitutes willful or wanton misconduct.

An entity or person required to distribute the educational materials is not subject to criminal prosecution or, to the extent that a person is regulated under Title XLVII of the Revised Code, professional disciplinary action under that title, for an act or omission associated with the dissemination of those educational materials.

This division does not eliminate, limit, or reduce any other immunity or defense that an entity or person may be entitled to under Chapter 2744. of the Revised Code, or any other provision of the Revised Code, or the common law of this state.

(E) Each entity or person that is required to distribute the educational materials and has infants regularly sleeping at a facility or location under the entity's or person's control shall adopt an internal infant safe sleep policy. The policy shall specify when and to whom educational materials on infant safe sleep practices are to be delivered to individuals working or volunteering at the facility or location and be consistent with the model internal infant safe sleep policy adopted under division (F) of this section.

(F) The director of children and youth shall adopt a model internal infant safe sleep policy for use by entities and persons that must comply with division (E) of this section. The policy shall specify safe infant sleep practices, include images depicting safe infant sleep practices, and specify sample content for an infant safe sleep education program that entities and persons may use when conducting new staff orientation programs.

Last updated January 9, 2025 at 2:46 PM

Section 5180.17 | [Former R.C. 3701.67, amended and renumbered by H.B. 33, 135th General Assembly, effective 1/1/2025] Infant safe sleep screening procedure.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Contractor" means a person who provides personal services pursuant to a contract.

(2) "Critical access hospital" means a facility designated as a critical access hospital by the director of health under section 3701.073 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Crib" includes a portable play yard or other suitable sleeping place.

(B) Each hospital and freestanding birthing center shall implement an infant safe sleep screening procedure. The purpose of the procedure is to determine whether there will be a safe crib for an infant to sleep in once the infant is discharged from the facility to the infant's residence following birth. The procedure shall consist of questions that facility staff or volunteers must ask the infant's parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the infant regarding the infant's intended sleeping place and environment.

The director of children and youth shall develop questions that facilities may use when implementing the infant safe sleep screening procedure required by this division. The director may consult with persons and government entities that have expertise in infant safe sleep practices when developing the questions.

(C) If, prior to an infant's discharge from a facility to the infant's residence following birth, a facility other than a critical access hospital or a facility identified under division (D) of this section determines through the procedure implemented under division (B) of this section that the infant is unlikely to have a safe crib at the infant's residence, the facility shall make a good faith effort to arrange for the parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the infant to obtain a safe crib at no charge to that individual. In meeting this requirement, the facility may do any of the following:

(1) Obtain a safe crib with its own resources;

(2) Collaborate with or obtain assistance from persons or government entities that are able to procure a safe crib or provide money to purchase a safe crib;

(3) Refer the parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the infant to a person or government entity described in division (C)(2) of this section to obtain a safe crib free of charge from that source;

(4) If funds are available for the cribs for kids program or a successor program administered by the department of children and youth, refer the parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the infant to a site, designated by the department for purposes of the program, at which a safe crib may be obtained at no charge.

If a safe crib is procured as described in division (C)(1), (2), or (3) of this section, the facility shall ensure that the crib recipient receives safe sleep education and crib assembly instructions from the facility or another source. If a safe crib is procured as described in division (C)(4) of this section, the department of children and youth shall ensure that the cribs for kids program or a successor program administered by the department provides safe sleep education and crib assembly instructions to the recipient.

(D) The director of children and youth shall identify the facilities in this state that are not critical access hospitals and are not served by a site described in division (C)(4) of this section. The director shall identify not less than annually the facilities that meet both criteria and notify those that do so.

(E) When a facility that is a hospital registers with the department of health under section 3701.07 of the Revised Code or a facility that is a freestanding birthing center renews its license in accordance with rules adopted under section 3702.30 of the Revised Code, the facility shall report the following information to the department of children and youth in a manner the department prescribes:

(1) The number of safe cribs that the facility obtained and distributed by using its own resources as described in division (C)(1) of this section since the last time the facility reported this information to the department;

(2) The number of safe cribs that the facility obtained and distributed by collaborating with or obtaining assistance from another person or government entity as described in division (C)(2) of this section since the last time the facility reported this information to the department;

(3) The number of referrals that the facility made to a person or government entity as described in division (C)(3) of this section since the last time the facility reported this information to the department;

(4) The number of referrals that the facility made to a site designated by the department as described in division (C)(4) of this section since the last time the facility reported this information to the department;

(5) Demographic information specified by the director of children and youth regarding the individuals to whom safe cribs were distributed as described in division (E)(1) or (2) of this section or for whom a referral described in division (E)(3) or (4) of this section was made;

(6) In the case of a critical access hospital or a facility identified under division (D) of this section, demographic information specified by the director of children and youth regarding each parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the infant determined to be unlikely to have a safe crib at the infant's residence pursuant to the procedure implemented under division (B) of this section;

(7) Any other information collected by the facility regarding infant sleep environments and intended infant sleep environments that the director determines to be appropriate.

(F) The director of children and youth shall prepare a written report that summarizes the information collected under division (E) of this section for the preceding twelve months, assesses whether at-risk families are sufficiently being served by the crib distribution and referral system established by this section, makes suggestions for system improvements, and provides any other information the director considers appropriate for inclusion in the report. On completion, the report shall be submitted to the general assembly with, and in the same manner as, the report that the department of medicaid submits to the general assembly and joint medicaid oversight committee pursuant to section 5162.13 of the Revised Code. A copy of the report also shall be submitted to the governor.

(G) A facility, and any employee, contractor, or volunteer of a facility, that implements an infant safe sleep procedure in accordance with division (B) of this section is not liable for damages in a civil action for injury, death, or loss to person or property that allegedly arises from an act or omission associated with implementation of the procedure, unless the act or omission constitutes willful or wanton misconduct.

A facility, and any employee, contractor, or volunteer of a facility, that implements an infant safe sleep screening procedure in accordance with division (B) of this section is not subject to criminal prosecution or, to the extent that a person is regulated under Title XLVII of the Revised Code, professional disciplinary action under that title, for an act or omission associated with implementation of the procedure.

This division does not eliminate, limit, or reduce any other immunity or defense that a facility, or an employee, contractor, or volunteer of a facility, may be entitled to under Chapter 2744. of the Revised Code, or any other provision of the Revised Code, or the common law of this state.

(H) A facility, and any employee, contractor, or volunteer of a facility, is neither liable for damages in a civil action, nor subject to criminal prosecution, for injury, death, or loss to person or property that allegedly arises from a crib obtained by a parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the infant as a result of any action the facility, employee, contractor, or volunteer takes to comply with division (C) of this section.

The immunity provided by this division does not require compliance with division (D) of section 2305.37 of the Revised Code.

Last updated January 9, 2025 at 2:47 PM

Section 5180.18 | [Former R.C. 3701.671, amended and renumbered by H.B. 33, 135th General Assembly, effective 1/1/2025] Reporting safe crib procurement.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

The director of children and youth shall require each recipient of a grant the department of children and youth administers that pertains to safe crib procurement to report annually to the department both of the following:

(A) Demographic information specified by the director of children and youth regarding the individuals to whom safe cribs were distributed;

(B) If known, the extent to which distributed cribs are being used.

Last updated January 9, 2025 at 2:47 PM

Section 5180.19 | [Former R.C. 3701.952, amended and renumbered by H.B. 33, 135th General Assembly, effective 1/1/2025] Maternal behavior questionnaire.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) The department of children and youth shall create a population-based questionnaire designed to examine maternal behaviors and experiences before, during, and after a woman's pregnancy, as well as during the early infancy of the woman's child. The questionnaire shall collect information that is similar to the information collected by the pregnancy risk assessment monitoring system (PRAMS) questionnaire that the department of health most recently used prior to April 6, 2017, as well as any additional information suggested by the United States centers for disease control and prevention (CDC) for PRAMS questionnaires.

(B) The department shall implement and use the questionnaires created under division (A) of this section in a manner that is consistent with the standardized data collection methodology for PRAMS questionnaires prescribed by the CDC model surveillance protocol. In addition, for the purpose of having statistically valid data for local analyses, the department shall oversample women in Cuyahoga, Franklin, and Hamilton counties on an annual basis, and shall oversample women in the remaining counties that constitute the Ohio equity institute cohort (Butler, Stark, Mahoning, Montgomery, Summit, and Lucas counties) on a biennial basis.

(C) The department shall report results from the questionnaires not less than annually in a manner consistent with guidelines established by the CDC for the reporting of PRAMS questionnaire results.

Last updated January 9, 2025 at 2:54 PM

Section 5180.20 | [Former R.C. 3701.95, amended and renumbered by H.B. 33, 135th General Assembly, effective 1/1/2025] Programs to reduce negative birth outcomes and disparities.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) The director of children and youth shall identify each government program providing benefits, other than the help me grow program established by the department of children and youth pursuant to section 5180.21 of the Revised Code, that has the goal of reducing infant mortality and negative birth outcomes or the goal of reducing disparities among women who are pregnant or capable of becoming pregnant and who belong to a racial or ethnic minority. A program shall be identified only if it provides education, training, and support services related to those goals to program participants in their homes. The director may consult with the Ohio partnership to build stronger families for assistance with identifying the programs.

(B) An administrator of a program identified under division (A) of this section shall report to the director data on program performance indicators that are used to assess progress toward achieving program goals. The administrator shall report the data in the format and within the time frames specified in rules adopted under division (C) of this section. Using the data reported under this division, the director shall prepare an annual report assessing the performance of each government program identified pursuant to division (A) of this section during the immediately preceding twelve-month period. In addition, the report shall summarize and provide an analysis of the information contained in the "information for medical and health use only" section of the birth records for individuals born during the prior twelve-month period.

The director shall provide a copy of the report to the general assembly and the joint medicaid oversight committee. The copy to the general assembly shall be provided in accordance with section 101.68 of the Revised Code.

(C) The director shall adopt rules specifying program performance indicators on which data must be reported by the administrators described in division (B) of this section as well as the format and time frames in which the data must be reported. To the extent possible, the program performance indicators specified in the rules shall be consistent with federal reporting requirements for federally funded home visiting services. The rules shall be adopted in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

Last updated January 9, 2025 at 2:55 PM

Section 5180.21 | [Former R.C. 3701.61, amended and renumbered by H.B. 33, 135th General Assembly, effective 1/1/2025] Help me grow program.

• Effective: April 9, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 7 - 135th General Assembly

(A) The department of children and youth shall establish the help me grow program as the state's evidence-based parent support program that encourages early prenatal and well-baby care, as well as provides parenting education to promote the comprehensive health and development of children. The program shall provide home visiting services to families with a pregnant woman or child under five years of age that meet the eligibility requirements established in rules adopted under this section. Home visiting services shall be provided through evidence-based home visiting models or innovative, promising home visiting models recommended by the Ohio home visiting consortium created under section 5180.23 of the Revised Code.

(B) Families shall be referred to the appropriate home visiting services through the central intake and referral system created under section 5180.22 of the Revised Code.

(C) To the extent possible, the goals of the help me grow program shall be consistent with the goals of the federal home visiting program, as specified by the maternal and child health bureau of the health resources and services administration in the United States department of health and human services or its successor.

(D) The director of children and youth shall enter into an interagency agreement with one or more state agencies, including the department of developmental disabilities, department of job and family services, department of medicaid, commission on minority health, Ohio fatherhood commission, and children's trust fund board, to implement the help me grow program, to ensure coordination of early childhood programs, and to maximize reimbursement for the help me grow program from any federal source.

In addition to creating the central intake and referral system as described in section 5180.22 of the Revised Code, the department of children and youth shall ensure there is a consistent comprehensive screening and connection program to support the coordination of home visiting services across the state, including through the department of health, department of developmental disabilities, department of job and family services, department of medicaid, and commission on minority health. Following the program's establishment, the department of children and youth shall evaluate the program's effectiveness in coordinating home visiting services at least once annually.

(E) The director may distribute help me grow program funds through contracts, grants, or subsidies to entities providing services under the program.

(F) As a condition of receiving payments for home visiting services, providers shall report to the director data on the program performance indicators, specified in rules adopted under division (G) of this section, that are used to assess progress toward achieving all of the following:

(1) The benchmark domains established for the federal home visiting program, including improvement in maternal and newborn health; reduction in child injuries, abuse, and neglect; improved school readiness and achievement; reduction in crime and domestic violence; and improved family economic self-sufficiency;

(2) Improvement in birth outcomes and reduction in stillbirths, as that term is defined in section 5180.12 of the Revised Code;

(3) Reduction in tobacco use by pregnant women, new parents, and others living in households with children.

The providers shall report the data in the format and within the time frames specified in the rules.

The director shall prepare an annual report on the data received from the providers. Each report shall include an evaluation addressing the number of families and children served, the number and type of services provided, health and developmental outcomes for participating families and children, and variation in outcomes between the types of home visiting programs specified in division (B)(3) of section 5180.22 of the Revised Code. The director shall submit the report to the general assembly in accordance with section 101.68 of the Revised Code and make the report available on the internet web site maintained by the department of children and youth.

(G) Pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, the director shall adopt rules that are necessary and proper to implement this section. The rules shall specify all of the following:

(1) Subject to division (H) of this section, eligibility requirements for home visiting services;

(2) Eligibility requirements for providers of home visiting services;

(3) Standards and procedures for the provision of program services, including data collection, program monitoring, and program evaluation;

(4) Procedures for appealing the denial of an application for program services or the termination of services;

(5) Procedures for appealing the denial of an application to become a provider of program services or the termination of the department's approval of a provider;

(6) Procedures for addressing complaints;

(7) The program performance indicators on which data must be reported by providers of home visiting services under division (F) of this section, which, to the extent possible, shall be consistent with federal reporting requirements for federally funded home visiting services;

(8) The format in which reports must be submitted under division (F) of this section and the time frames within which the reports must be submitted;

(9) Criteria for payment of approved providers of program services;

(10) Any other rules necessary to implement the program.

(H) When adopting rules required by division (G)(1) of this section, the director shall specify that families residing in the urban and rural communities specified in rules adopted under section 3701.142 of the Revised Code and families in the child welfare system are to receive priority over other families for home visiting services.

(I) The department, in collaboration with the departments of job and family services and medicaid, shall propose strategies to increase the workforce capacity of home visiting service providers and parenting support professionals, including efforts to incentivize and retain such providers and professionals in this state.

Last updated January 24, 2025 at 9:54 AM

Section 5180.22 | [Former R.C. 3701.611, amended and renumbered by H.B. 33, 135th General Assembly, effective 1/1/2025] Central intake and referral system for home visiting programs.

• Effective: April 9, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 7 - 135th General Assembly

(A) The department of children and youth shall create a central intake and referral system for all home visiting programs operating in this state. Through a competitive bidding process, the department of children and youth may select one or more persons or government entities to operate the system. In its oversight of the one or more system operators, the department shall streamline the system to ensure families and children receive services from home visiting programs as described in division (B)(3) of this section.

(B) If the department of children and youth chooses to select one or more system operators as described in division (A) of this section, a contract with any system operator shall require that the system do all of the following:

(1) Serve as a single point of entry for access, assessment, and referral of families and children to appropriate home visiting services based on each family's location of residence;

(2) Use a standardized form or other mechanism to assess each family member's risk factors and social determinants of health;

(3) Ensure that families and children are referred to and receive services from home visiting programs that are appropriate to their level of needs, including the following:

(a) Programs using home visiting contractors that provide services within a pathways community HUB certified by the pathways community HUB institute;

(b) Programs that provide services using the early head start home-based option.

(C) The standardized form or other mechanism described in division (B)(2) of this section shall be agreed to by the home visiting consortium created under section 5180.23 of the Revised Code.

(D) A contract entered into under division (B) of this section shall require a system operator to issue an annual report to the department of children and youth that includes data regarding referrals made by the central intake and referral system, costs associated with the referrals, and the quality of services received by families and children who were referred to services through the system. The report shall be distributed to the home visiting consortium created under section 5180.23 of the Revised Code.

(E) Nothing in this section is intended to do any of the following:

(1) Prohibit the department of children and youth from using alternative promotional materials or names for the central intake and referral system;

(2) Require the use of help me grow program promotional materials or names;

(3) Prohibit providers, central coordinators, the department of children and youth, or stakeholders from using the help me grow name for promotional materials for home visiting.

Last updated January 24, 2025 at 10:27 AM

Section 5180.23 | [Repealed effective 09/30/2025 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly] [Former R.C. 3701.612, amended and renumbered by H.B. 33, 135th General Assembly, effective 1/1/2025] Ohio home visiting consortium.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) The Ohio home visiting consortium is hereby created. The purpose of the consortium is to ensure that home visiting services provided by home visiting programs operating in this state, as well as home visiting services provided or arranged for by medicaid managed care organizations, are high-quality and delivered through evidence-based or innovative, promising home visiting models, including models used by home visiting contractors who provide services within one or more community HUBs that fully or substantially comply with the pathways community HUB certification standards developed by the pathways community HUB institute. It is the intent of the general assembly that all home visiting services provided in this state do both of the following:

(1) Improve health, educational, and social outcomes for expectant and new parents and young children;

(2) Promote safe, connected families and communities in which children are able to grow up healthy and ready to learn.

(B)(1) In furtherance of the consortium's purpose, the consortium shall do both of the following:

(a) Make recommendations to the department of children and youth, department of health, department of medicaid, department of mental health and addiction services, and department of developmental disabilities regarding how to leverage all funding sources available for home visiting services, including medicaid, to accomplish both of the following in this state:

(i) Expand the use of evidence-based home visiting program models, including models used by home visiting contractors who provide services within one or more community HUBs that fully or substantially comply with the pathways community HUB certification standards developed by the pathways community HUB institute;

(ii) Initiate, as pilot projects, innovative, promising home visiting models.

(b) Make recommendations to the department of medicaid on the terms to be included in contracts the department enters into with medicaid managed care organizations under section 5167.10 of the Revised Code to ensure that the organizations are providing or arranging for the medicaid recipients enrolled in their medicaid MCO plans, as defined in section 5167.01 of the Revised Code, to receive home visiting services that are delivered as part of the home visiting program models described in divisions (B)(1)(a)(i) and (ii) of this section.

(2) The consortium may recommend a standardized form or other mechanism to assess family risk factors and social determinants of health for purposes of the central intake and referral system described in section 5180.22 of the Revised Code.

(C) The consortium shall consist of the following members:

(1) The director of children and youth or the director's designee;

(2) The director of health or the director's designee;

(3) The medicaid director or the director's designee;

(4) The director of mental health and addiction services or the director's designee;

(5) The director of developmental disabilities or the director's designee;

(5) (6) The executive director of the commission on minority health or the executive director's designee;

(7) A member of the commission on infant mortality who is not a legislator or an individual specified under this division;

(8) One individual who represents medicaid managed care organizations, recommended by the board of trustees of the Ohio association of health plans;

(9) One individual who represents county boards of developmental disabilities, recommended by the Ohio association of county boards of developmental disabilities;

(10) A home visiting contractor who provides services within the help me grow program through a contract, grant, or other agreement with the department of children and youth;

(11) A home visiting contractor who provides services within one or more community HUBs that fully or substantially comply with the pathways community HUB certification standards developed by the pathways community HUB institute through a contract, grant, or other agreement with the commission on minority health;

(12) An individual who receives home visiting services from the help me grow program;

(13) An individual who receives home visiting services from a home visiting contractor who provides services within one or more community HUBs that fully or substantially comply with the pathways community HUB certification standards developed by the pathways community HUB institute;

(14) Two members of the senate, one from the majority party and one from the minority party, each appointed by the senate president;

(15) Two members of the house of representatives, one from the majority party and one from the minority party, each appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

(D) The consortium members described in divisions (C)(11) and (13) of this section shall be appointed not later than thirty days after October 17, 2019. An appointed member shall hold office until a successor is appointed. A vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

The director of children and youth shall serve as the chairperson of the consortium.

A member shall serve without compensation except to the extent that serving on the consortium is considered part of the member's regular duties of employment.

(E) The consortium shall meet at the call of the director of children and youth but not less than once each calendar quarter. The consortium's first meeting shall occur not later than sixty days after April 6, 2017.

(F) The department of children and youth shall provide meeting space and staff and other administrative support for the consortium.

(G) The consortium is not subject to sections 101.82 to 101.87 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 4:27 PM

Section 5180.24 | [Repealed effective 09/30/2025 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly] [Former R.C. 3701.613, amended and renumbered by H.B. 33, 135th General Assembly, effective 1/1/2025] Biennial summit on home visiting programs.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

Beginning in fiscal year 2026, the department of children and youth shall facilitate and allocate funds for a biennial summit on home visiting programs. The purpose of each summit is to convene persons and government entities involved with the delivery of home visiting services in this state, as well as other interested persons, to do all of the following:

(A) Share the latest research on evidence-based and innovative, promising home visiting models;

(B) Discuss strategies to ensure that home visiting programs in this state use evidence-based or innovative, promising home visiting models;

(C) Discuss strategies to reduce tobacco use by families participating in home visiting programs;

(D) Present successes and challenges encountered by home visiting programs.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 4:29 PM

Section 5180.25 | [Former R.C. 3701.614, amended and renumbered by H.B. 33, 135th General Assembly, effective 1/1/2025] Educational materials regarding health risks of lead-based paint.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) The department of children and youth shall develop educational materials describing the health risks of lead-based paint and measures that may be taken to reduce those risks.

(B) As part of the home visiting services described in section 5180.21 of the Revised Code, each eligible family residing in a house, apartment, or other residence built before January 1, 1979, shall receive a copy of the educational materials described in this section. If the date on which the residence was built is unknown to the family or home visiting services provider, the family shall receive a copy of the educational materials.

(C) The educational materials developed and distributed under this section shall be culturally and linguistically appropriate for the families described in division (B) of this section.

Last updated January 9, 2025 at 2:27 PM

Section 5180.26

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) A residential camp, as defined in section 2151.011 of the Revised Code, a child day camp, as defined in section 5104.01 of the Revised Code, or a child day camp operated by any county, township, municipal corporation, township park district created under section 511.18 of the Revised Code, park district created under section 1545.04 of the Revised Code, or joint recreation district established under section 755.14 of the Revised Code may procure epinephrine autoinjectors for use in emergency situations identified under division (C)(5) of this section by doing one of the following:

(1) Having a licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs, acting in accordance with section 4723.483, 4730.433, or 4731.96 of the Revised Code, personally furnish the epinephrine autoinjectors to the camp or issue a prescription for them in the name of the camp;

(2) Obtaining a prescriber-issued protocol that includes definitive orders for epinephrine autoinjectors and the dosages of epinephrine to be administered through them.

A camp that elects to procure epinephrine autoinjectors under this section is encouraged to maintain at least two epinephrine autoinjectors at all times.

(B) A camp that elects to procure epinephrine autoinjectors under this section shall adopt a policy governing their maintenance and use. Before adopting the policy, the camp shall consult with a licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs.

(C) The policy adopted under division (B) of this section shall do all of the following:

(1) Identify the one or more locations in which an epinephrine autoinjector must be stored;

(2) Specify the conditions under which an epinephrine autoinjector must be stored, replaced, and disposed;

(3) Specify the individuals employed by or under contract with the camp who may access and use an epinephrine autoinjector to provide a dosage of epinephrine to an individual in an emergency situation identified under division (C)(5) of this section;

(4) Specify any training that employees or contractors specified under division (C)(3) of this section must complete before being authorized to access and use an epinephrine autoinjector;

(5) Identify the emergency situations, including when an individual exhibits signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis, in which employees or contractors specified under division (C)(3) of this section may access and use an epinephrine autoinjector;

(6) Specify that assistance from an emergency medical service provider must be requested immediately after an epinephrine autoinjector is used;

(7) Specify the individuals to whom a dosage of epinephrine may be administered through an epinephrine autoinjector in an emergency situation specified under division (C)(5) of this section.

(D)(1) The following are not liable in damages in a civil action for injury, death, or loss to person or property that allegedly arises from an act or omission associated with procuring, maintaining, accessing, or using an epinephrine autoinjector under this section, unless the act or omission constitutes willful or wanton misconduct:

(a) A camp;

(b) A camp employee or contractor;

(c) A licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs who personally furnishes or prescribes epinephrine autoinjectors, provides a consultation, or issues a protocol pursuant to this section.

(2) This section does not eliminate, limit, or reduce any other immunity or defense that a camp or camp employee or contractor or licensed health professional may be entitled to under Chapter 2744. or any other provision of the Revised Code or under the common law of this state.

(E) A camp may accept donations of epinephrine autoinjectors from a wholesale distributor of dangerous drugs, as defined in section 4729.01 of the Revised Code, and may accept donations of money from any person to purchase epinephrine autoinjectors.

(F) A camp that elects to procure epinephrine autoinjectors under this section shall report to the department of children and youth each procurement and occurrence in which an epinephrine autoinjector is used from a camp's supply of epinephrine autoinjectors.

(G) As used in this section, "licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs" and "prescriber" have the same meanings as in section 4729.01 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 1, 2025 at 4:07 PM

Section 5180.261

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section, "inhaler" means a device that delivers medication to alleviate asthmatic symptoms, is manufactured in the form of a metered dose inhaler or dry powdered inhaler, and may include a spacer, holding chamber, or other device that attaches to the inhaler and is used to improve the delivery of the medication.

(B) A residential camp, as defined in section 2151.011 of the Revised Code, a child day camp, as defined in section 5104.01 of the Revised Code, or a child day camp operated by any county, township, municipal corporation, township park district created under section 511.18 of the Revised Code, park district created under section 1545.04 of the Revised Code, or joint recreation district established under section 755.14 of the Revised Code may procure inhalers for use in emergency situations identified under division (D)(5) of this section. A camp that elects to procure inhalers under this section is encouraged to maintain at least two inhalers at all times.

(C) A camp that elects to procure inhalers under this section shall adopt a policy governing their maintenance and use. Before adopting the policy, the camp shall consult with a licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs, as defined in section 4729.01 of the Revised Code.

(D) A component of a policy adopted by a camp under division (C) of this section shall be a prescriber-issued protocol specifying definitive orders for inhalers, including the dosages of medication to be administered through them, the number of times that each inhaler may be used before disposal, and the methods of disposal. The policy also shall do all of the following:

(1) Identify the one or more locations in which an inhaler must be stored;

(2) Specify the conditions under which an inhaler must be stored, replaced, and disposed;

(3) Specify the individuals employed by or under contract with the camp who may access and use an inhaler to provide a dosage of medication to an individual in an emergency situation identified under division (D)(5) of this section;

(4) Specify any training that employees or contractors specified under division (D)(3) of this section must complete before being authorized to access and use an inhaler;

(5) Identify the emergency situations, including when an individual exhibits signs and symptoms of asthma, in which employees or contractors specified under division (D)(3) of this section may access and use an inhaler;

(6) Specify that assistance from an emergency medical service provider must be requested immediately after an employee or contractor, other than a licensed health professional, uses an inhaler;

(7) Specify the individuals to whom a dosage of medication may be administered through an inhaler in an emergency situation specified under division (D)(5) of this section.

(E) A camp or camp employee or contractor is not liable in damages in a civil action for injury, death, or loss to person or property that allegedly arises from an act or omission associated with procuring, maintaining, accessing, or using an inhaler under this section, unless the act or omission constitutes willful or wanton misconduct.

This section does not eliminate, limit, or reduce any other immunity or defense that a camp or camp employee or contractor may be entitled to under Chapter 2744. or any other provision of the Revised Code or under the common law of this state.

(F) A camp may accept donations of inhalers from a wholesale distributor of dangerous drugs, as defined in section 4729.01 of the Revised Code, and may accept donations of money from any person to purchase inhalers.

(G) A camp that elects to procure inhalers under this section shall report to the department of children and youth each procurement and occurrence in which an inhaler is used from a camp's supply of inhalers.

Last updated August 5, 2025 at 2:21 PM

Section 5180.262

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section, "licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs" and "prescriber" have the same meanings as in section 4729.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) A residential camp, as defined in section 2151.011 of the Revised Code; a child day camp, as defined in section 5104.01 of the Revised Code; or a child day camp operated by any county, township, municipal corporation, township park district created under section 511.18 of the Revised Code, park district created under section 1545.04 of the Revised Code, or joint recreation district established under section 755.14 of the Revised Code may procure injectable or nasally administered glucagon for use in emergency situations identified under division (D)(5) of this section by doing one of the following:

(1) Having a licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs, acting in accordance with section 4723.4811, 4730.437, or 4731.92 of the Revised Code, personally furnish the injectable or nasally administered glucagon to the camp or issue a prescription for the drug in the name of the camp;

(2) Obtaining a prescriber-issued protocol that includes definitive orders for injectable or nasally administered glucagon and the dosages to be administered;

A camp that elects to procure injectable or nasally administered glucagon under this section is encouraged to maintain at least two doses of the drug at all times.

(C) A camp that elects to procure injectable or nasally administered glucagon under this section shall adopt a policy governing maintenance and use of the drug. Before adopting the policy, the camp shall consult with a licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs.

(D) The policy adopted under division (C) of this section shall do all of the following:

(1) Identify the one or more locations at the camp in which injectable or nasally administered glucagon must be stored;

(2) Specify the conditions under which injectable or nasally administered glucagon must be stored, replaced, or disposed;

(3) Specify the individuals employed by or under contract with the camp, or who volunteer at the camp, who may access and use injectable or nasally administered glucagon in an emergency situation identified under division (D)(5) of this section;

(4) Specify any training that employees, contractors, or volunteers specified under division (D)(3) of this section must complete before being authorized to access and use injectable or nasally administered glucagon;

(5) Identify the emergency situations, including when an individual exhibits signs and symptoms of severe hypoglycemia, in which employees, contractors, or volunteers specified under division (D)(3) of this section may access and use injectable or nasally administered glucagon;

(6) Specify that assistance from an emergency medical service provider must be requested immediately after a dose of glucagon is administered;

(7) Specify the individuals to whom a dose of glucagon may be administered in an emergency situation specified under division (D)(5) of this section.

(E)(1) The following are not liable in damages in a civil action for injury, death, or loss to person or property that allegedly arises from an act or omission associated with procuring, maintaining, accessing, or using injectable or nasally administered glucagon under this section, unless the act or omission constitutes willful or wanton misconduct:

(a) A camp;

(b) A camp employee, contractor, or volunteer;

(c) A licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs who personally furnishes or prescribes injectable or nasally administered glucagon, provides a consultation, or issues a protocol pursuant to this section;

(2) This section does not eliminate, limit, or reduce any other immunity or defense that a camp; camp employee, contractor, or volunteer; or licensed health professional may be entitled to under Chapter 2744. or any other provision of the Revised Code or under the common law of this state.

(F) A camp may accept donations of injectable or nasally administered glucagon from a wholesale distributor of dangerous drugs or manufacturer of dangerous drugs, as defined in section 4729.01 of the Revised Code, and may accept donations of money from any person to purchase the drug.

(G) A camp that elects to procure injectable or nasally administered glucagon under this section shall report to the department of children and youth each procurement and each occurrence in which a dose of the drug is used from the camp's supply.

Last updated August 5, 2025 at 2:26 PM

Section 5180.27 | [Former R.C. 3738.01, amended and renumbered as R.C. 5180.27 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Pregnancy-associated mortality review board - creation.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section and sections 5180.271 to 5180.278 of the Revised Code, "pregnancy-associated death" means the death of a woman while pregnant or anytime within one year of pregnancy regardless of cause.

(B) There is hereby established in the department of children and youth a pregnancy-associated mortality review (PAMR) board to identify and review all pregnancy-associated deaths statewide for the purpose of reducing the incidence of those deaths.

Last updated August 1, 2025 at 10:36 AM

Section 5180.271 | [Former R.C. 3738.02, renumbered as R.C. 5180.271 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Pregnancy-associated mortality review board - review during criminal investigation.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

The PAMR board may not conduct a review of a pregnancy-associated death while an investigation of the death or prosecution of a person for causing the death is pending unless the prosecuting attorney agrees to allow the review. The law enforcement agency conducting the criminal investigation, on the conclusion of the investigation, and the prosecuting attorney prosecuting the case, on the conclusion of the prosecution, shall notify the chairperson of the PAMR board of the conclusion.

Last updated August 1, 2025 at 10:36 AM

Section 5180.272 | [Former R.C. 3738.03, amended and renumbered as R.C. 5180.272 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Pregnancy-associated mortality review board - administration.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

All of the following apply with respect to the PAMR board:

(A) The director of children and youth shall appoint the board's members. In doing so, the director shall make a good faith effort to select members who represent all regions of the state and multiple areas of expertise and constituencies concerned with the care of pregnant and postpartum women.

(B) The board, by a majority vote of a quorum of its members, shall select an individual to serve as its chairperson. The board may replace a chairperson in the same manner.

(C) An appointed member shall hold office until a successor is appointed. The director of children and youth shall fill a vacancy as soon as practicable.

(D) A member shall not receive any compensation for, and shall not be paid for any expenses incurred pursuant to, fulfilling the member's duties on the board.

(E) The board shall meet at the call of the board's chairperson as often as the chairperson determines necessary for timely completion of pregnancy-associated death reviews. The reviews shall be conducted in accordance with rules adopted under section 5180.278 of the Revised Code.

(F) The department of children and youth shall provide meeting space, staff services, and other technical assistance required by the board in carrying out its duties.

Last updated August 1, 2025 at 10:37 AM

Section 5180.273 | [Former R.C. 3738.04, amended and renumbered as R.C. 5180.273 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Pregnancy-associated mortality review board - duties.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

The PAMR board shall seek to reduce the incidence of pregnancy-associated deaths in this state by doing all of the following:

(A) Promoting cooperation, collaboration, and communication between all groups, professions, agencies, and entities that serve pregnant and postpartum women and families;

(B) Recommending and developing plans for implementing service and program changes, as well as changes to the groups, professions, agencies, and entities that serve pregnant and postpartum women and families;

(C) Providing the department of children and youth with aggregate data, trends, and patterns regarding pregnancy-associated deaths using data and other relevant information specified in rules adopted under section 5180.278 of the Revised Code;

(D) Developing effective interventions to reduce the mortality of pregnant and postpartum women.

Last updated August 8, 2025 at 11:53 AM

Section 5180.274 | [Former R.C. 3738.05, renumbered as R.C. 5180.274 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Pregnancy-associated mortality review board - production of documents; family member participation.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) Notwithstanding section 3701.243 and any other section of the Revised Code pertaining to confidentiality, and except as provided in division (B) of this section, an individual, government entity, agency that provides services specifically to individuals or families, law enforcement agency, health care provider, or other public or private entity that provided services to a woman whose death is being reviewed by the PAMR board shall submit to the board a copy of any record it possesses that the board requests. In addition, such an individual or entity may make available to the board additional information, documents, or reports that could be useful to the board's investigation.

(B) No person, government entity, law enforcement agency, or prosecuting attorney shall provide any information regarding a pregnancy-associated death while an investigation of the death or prosecution of a person for causing the death is pending unless the prosecuting attorney agrees to allow the review.

(C) A family member of the deceased may decline to participate in an interview as part of the review process. In that case, the review shall continue without the family member's participation.

Last updated August 8, 2025 at 12:07 PM

Section 5180.275 | [Former R.C. 3738.06, amended and renumbered as R.C. 5180.275 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Pregnancy-associated mortality review board - confidentiality.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) Any record, document, report, or other information presented to the PAMR board, as well as all statements made by board members during board meetings, all work products of the board, and data submitted to the department of children and youth by the board, other than the biennial reports described in section 5180.277 of the Revised Code, are confidential and not a public record under section 149.43 of the Revised Code. Such materials shall be used by the board and department only in the exercise of the proper functions of the board and department.

(B) No person shall permit or encourage the unauthorized dissemination of confidential information described in division (A) of this section.

Last updated August 8, 2025 at 12:19 PM

Section 5180.276 | [Former R.C. 3738.07, renumbered as R.C. 5180.276 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Pregnancy-associated mortality review board - immunity from civil liability.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) An individual or public or private entity providing records, documents, reports, or other information to the PAMR board is immune from any civil liability for injury, death, or loss to person or property that otherwise might be incurred or imposed as a result of providing the records, documents, reports, or information to the board.

(B) Each board member is immune from any civil liability for injury, death, or loss to person or property that might otherwise be incurred or imposed as a result of the member's participation on the board.

Last updated August 8, 2025 at 12:33 PM

Section 5180.277 | [Former R.C. 3738.08, amended and renumbered as R.C. 5180.277 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Pregnancy-associated mortality review board - reports.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) The PAMR board shall prepare a biennial report that does all of the following:

(1) Summarizes the board's findings from the reviews completed in the immediately preceding two calendar years, including any trends or patterns identified by the board;

(2) Makes recommendations on how pregnancy-associated deaths may be prevented, including changes that should be made to policies and laws;

(3) Includes any other information related to pregnancy-associated mortality the board considers useful.

(B) A report shall not contain individually identifiable information regarding any woman whose death was reviewed by the board.

(C) The board shall submit a copy of each report to the director of children and youth, the general assembly, and the governor. The copy to the general assembly shall be submitted in accordance with section 101.68 of the Revised Code. The initial report shall be submitted not later than March 1, 2020, with subsequent reports submitted not later than March 1 every two years thereafter.

The director shall make a copy of each report available on the department of children and youth's web site.

(D) Reports prepared under this section are public records under section 149.43 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 8, 2025 at 12:58 PM

Section 5180.278 | [Former R.C. 3738.09, amended and renumbered as R.C. 5180.278 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Pregnancy-associated mortality review board - rulemaking.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

The director of children and youth shall adopt rules that are necessary for the implementation of sections 5180.27 to 5180.277 of the Revised Code, including rules that do all of the following:

(A) Establish a procedure for the PAMR board to follow in conducting pregnancy-associated death reviews;

(B) Specify the data and other relevant information the board must use when conducting pregnancy-associated death reviews;

(C) Establish guidelines for the board to follow to prevent an unauthorized dissemination of confidential information in violation of division (B) of section 5180.275 of the Revised Code.

The rules shall be adopted in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 8, 2025 at 1:03 PM

Section 5180.30 | Lead agency for part C early intervention services program.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

The department of children and youth shall serve as the "lead agency," as described by 20 U.S.C. 1435(a)(10), to implement the state's part C early intervention services program, through which early intervention services are provided to eligible infants and toddlers in accordance with part C of the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act," 20 U.S.C. 1431 et seq., and regulations implementing that part in 34 C.F.R. part 303.

Last updated January 10, 2025 at 10:03 AM

Section 5180.31 | [Former R.C. 5123.024, amended and renumbered by H.B. 33, 135th General Assembly, effective 1/1/2025] Implementation of part C early intervention services program.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

The department of children and youth may do any of the following as the lead agency to implement the state's part C early intervention services program, as described in section 5180.30 of the Revised Code:

(A) Enter into an interagency agreement with one or more other state agencies to implement the program and ensure coordination of early childhood programs;

(B) Distribute program funds through contracts, grants, or subsidies to entities that are program service providers;

(C) Establish a system of payment to program service providers.

Last updated January 10, 2025 at 10:06 AM

Section 5180.32 | [Former R.C. 5123.0421, amended and renumbered by H.B. 33, 135th General Assembly, effective 1/1/2025] Rulemaking.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

The director of children and youth shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code that are necessary to implement the state's part C early intervention services program, including rules that specify all of the following:

(A) Eligibility requirements to receive program services;

(B) Eligibility requirements to be a program service provider;

(C) Operating standards and procedures for program service providers, including standards and procedures governing data collection, program monitoring, and program evaluation;

(D) Procedures to appeal the denial of an application to receive program services or the termination of program services;

(E) Procedures to appeal a decision by the department of developmental disabilities to deny an application to be a program service provider or to terminate a provider's status;

(F) Procedures for addressing complaints by persons who receive program services;

(G) Criteria for the payment of program service providers;

(H) The metrics or indicators used to measure program service provider performance.

Last updated January 10, 2025 at 10:06 AM

Section 5180.33 | [Former R.C. 5123.0423, amended and renumbered by H.B. 33, 135th General Assembly, effective 1/1/2025] Request for student data verification code.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

As used in this section, "school district of residence" has the same meaning as in section 3323.01 of the Revised Code.

The director of children and youth shall request a student data verification code from the independent contractor engaged by the department of education and workforce to create and maintain such codes for school districts and community schools under division (D)(2) of section 3301.0714 of the Revised Code for each child who is receiving services from the state's part C early intervention services program. The director shall request from the parent, guardian, or custodian of the child, or from any other person who is authorized by law to make decisions regarding the child's education, the name and address of the child's school district of residence. The director shall submit the data verification code for that child to the child's school district of residence at the time the child ceases to receive services from the part C early intervention services program.

The director and each school district that receives a data verification code under this section shall not release that code to any person except as provided by law. Any document that the director holds in the director's files that contains both a child's name or other personally identifiable information and the child's data verification code is not a public record under section 149.43 of the Revised Code.

Last updated January 10, 2025 at 10:07 AM

Section 5180.34 | [Repealed effective 09/30/2025 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly] [Former R.C. 5123.0422, amended and renumbered by H.B. 33, 135th General Assembly, effective 1/1/2025] Early intervention services advisory council.

• Effective: January 1, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

The governor shall establish the early intervention services advisory council, which shall serve as the state interagency coordinating council, as described in 20 U.S.C. 1441. In establishing the council, the governor shall comply with the requirements of 20 U.S.C. 1441, including the requirement to ensure that the membership of the council reasonably represents the population of the state.

The governor shall appoint one of the council members to serve as chairperson of the council, or the governor may delegate appointment of the chairperson to the council. No member of the council representing the department of health or the department of children and youth shall serve as chairperson.

The council is not subject to sections 101.82 to 101.87 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 4:31 PM

Section 5180.35 | [Enacted as R.C. 5180.40 by H.B. 315, 135th General Assembly, and recodified as R.C. 5180.35 pursuant to R.C. 103.131] Dolly Parton's imagination library of Ohio advisory board.

• Effective: April 3, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 315 - 135th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Dollywood foundation" means the Dollywood nonprofit foundation headquartered in Tennessee.

(2) "Dolly Parton's imagination library of Ohio" means the nonprofit organization within the Dollywood foundation created to fund and manage the operations of the Dolly Parton's imagination library in the state.

(B) The Dolly Parton's imagination library of Ohio advisory board is created. The board may do all of the following:

(1) Work with the Dollywood foundation and local nonprofit organizations located in each participating county to ensure all books distributed under the program remain at no cost to Ohio families;

(2) Provide advice and recommendations to the Dollywood foundation on the appointment and hiring of the Ohio director of the Dollywood foundation who will manage the daily operations of Dolly Parton's imagination library of Ohio;

(3) Provide strategic advice to the state director;

(4) In conjunction with the state director, act as the public representatives of the Dolly Parton's imagination library of Ohio;

(5) Not sooner than July 1, 2025, and subject to funds appropriated by the general assembly for that purpose, enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Dollywood foundation to operate Dolly Parton's imagination library of Ohio for the fiscal biennium that begins on that date;

(6) Enter into any subsequent memoranda of understanding with the Dollywood foundation to operate the Dolly Parton's imagination library of Ohio, as the Dollywood foundation determines necessary. However, each such memorandum only shall last the duration of one fiscal biennium, and the funding of the board shall be subject to funds appropriated by the general assembly for that biennium.

(C) The board shall consist of the following twelve members:

(1) Nine voting members appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate;

(2) One voting member appointed by the president of the senate;

(3) One voting member appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

(4) The director of children and youth, who shall serve as an ex officio, nonvoting member, or the director's designee.

(D) Members shall not be compensated for work as members of the advisory board to the extent that serving on the board is considered a part of the member's regular duties of employment.

(E) Each voting member appointed to the board shall serve a term of three years, each term ending on the same day of the same month of the year as did the term which it succeeds. Each member shall hold office from the date of appointment until the end of the term for which the member was appointed. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall hold office for the remainder of such term. Each member shall continue in office subsequent to the expiration date of the member's term until the member's successor takes office, or until a period of sixty days has elapsed, whichever occurs first. Members may be reappointed to an unlimited number of successive terms.

(F) Any voting member of the board may be removed by the member's appointing authority for misconduct, incompetency, or neglect of duty.

Pursuant to section 3.17 of the Revised Code, the board shall remove a voting member who fails to attend at least three-fifths of the regular and special meetings held by the board during any two-year period.

Last updated March 6, 2025 at 4:24 PM

Section 5180.40 | [Renumbered as R.C. 5180.73 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Parenting education programs.

• Effective: April 9, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 7 - 135th General Assembly

To increase participation in evidence-based parenting education programs, the department of children and youth shall ensure state departments, agencies, and boards have information to communicate with parents, caregivers, and child care providers about such programs to promote their benefits, including their parenting, caregiving, and educational resources.

Last updated August 5, 2025 at 3:06 PM

Section 5180.401 | [Former R.C. 5101.131, amended and renumbered as R.C. 5180.401 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Uniform statewide automated child welfare information system - confidentiality.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

Except as provided in section 5180.402 of the Revised Code, information contained in or obtained from the information system established and maintained under section 5180.40 of the Revised Code is confidential and is not subject to disclosure pursuant to section 149.43 or 1347.08 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 8, 2025 at 4:02 PM

Section 5180.402 | [Former R.C. 5101.132, amended and renumbered as R.C. 5180.402 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Uniform statewide automated child welfare information system - access to information.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) Information contained in the information system established and maintained under section 5180.40 of the Revised Code may be accessed or entered only as follows:

(1) The department of job and family services, the department of children and youth, a public children services agency, a title IV-E agency, a prosecuting attorney, a private child placing agency, and a private noncustodial agency may access or enter the information when either of the following is the case:

(a) The access or entry is directly connected with assessment, investigation, or services regarding a child or family;

(b) The access or entry is permitted by state or federal law, rule, or regulation.

(2) A person may access or enter the information in a manner, to the extent, and for the purposes authorized by rules adopted by the department.

(B) As used in this section, "title IV-E agency" means a public children services agency or a public entity with which the department of job and family services or department of children and youth has a title IV-E subgrant agreement in effect.

Last updated August 8, 2025 at 3:52 PM

Section 5180.403 | [Former R.C. 5101.133, amended and renumbered as R.C. 5180.403 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Uniform statewide automated child welfare information system - use and disclosure of information.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

No person shall access or use information contained in the information system established and maintained under section 5180.40 of the Revised Code other than in accordance with section 5180.402 of the Revised Code or rules authorized by that section.

No person shall disclose information obtained from the information system established and maintained under section 5180.40 of the Revised Code in a manner not specified by rules authorized by section 5180.404 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 8, 2025 at 3:34 PM

Section 5180.404 | [Former R.C. 5101.134, amended and renumbered as R.C. 5180.404 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Uniform statewide automated child welfare information system - private agency use.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) Notwithstanding any provision of the Revised Code that requires confidentiality of information that is contained in the uniform statewide automated child welfare information system established in section 5180.40 of the Revised Code, the department of children and youth shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code regarding a private child placing agency's or private noncustodial agency's access, data entry, and use of information in the uniform statewide automated child welfare information system.

(B)(1) The department of children and youth may adopt rules in accordance with section 111.15 of the Revised Code, as if they were internal management rules, as necessary to carry out the purposes of sections 5180.40 to 5180.403 of the Revised Code.

(2) The department may adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code as necessary to carry out the purposes of division (A)(2) of section 5180.402 of the Revised Code.

(C) Public children services agencies shall implement and use the information system established pursuant to section 5180.40 of the Revised Code in accordance with rules adopted by the department.

Last updated August 8, 2025 at 3:28 PM

Section 5180.405 | [Former R.C. 5101.135, amended and renumbered as R.C. 5180.405 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Uniform statewide automated child welfare information system - shaken baby syndrome notation.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) A public children services employee who is entering a report of an investigation of child abuse in the statewide automated child welfare information system, as required by section 5180.40 of the Revised Code, shall make a notation on each case of child abuse that indicates whether the child abuse arose from an act that caused the child to suffer from, or resulted in the child suffering from, shaken baby syndrome.

(B) On the first day of March of each year, the department of children and youth shall report to the director of health the number of reports of child abuse that arose from an act that caused the child to suffer from, or resulted in the child suffering from, shaken baby syndrome and that arose during the calendar year immediately preceding the calendar year in which the report is made, as determined by an examination of the statewide automated child welfare information system established and maintained under section 5180.40 of the Revised Code.

(C) As used in this section, "shaken baby syndrome" has the same meaning as in section 5180.14 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 8, 2025 at 3:21 PM

Section 5180.406 | [Former R.C. 5101.136, amended and renumbered as R.C. 5180.406 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Uniform statewide automated child welfare information system - search request.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

If a person requests the department of children and youth to conduct a search of whether that person's name has been placed or remains in the statewide automated child welfare information system as an alleged perpetrator of child abuse or neglect and a search reveals that a "substantiated" disposition exists, the department shall send a letter to the person who requested the search indicating a "match."

Last updated August 8, 2025 at 3:16 PM

Section 5180.407 | [Former R.C. 5101.137, amended and renumbered as R.C. 5180.407 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Uniform statewide automated child welfare information system - expungement policy.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

The department of children and youth shall work with stakeholders to establish an expungement policy regarding dispositions of child abuse or neglect in Ohio's central registry on child abuse and neglect by March 1, 2024.

Last updated August 8, 2025 at 3:09 PM

Section 5180.41 | [Former R.C. 5101.14, amended and renumbered as R.C. 5180.41 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] County allocations for children services.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section and section 5180.411 of the Revised Code, "children services" means services provided to children pursuant to Chapter 5153. of the Revised Code.

(B) Within available funds, the department of children and youth shall distribute funds to the counties within thirty days after the beginning of each calendar quarter for a part of the counties' costs for children services.

Funds provided to the county under this section shall be deposited into the children services fund created pursuant to section 5180.411 of the Revised Code.

(C) In each fiscal year, the amount of funds available for distribution under this section shall be allocated to counties as follows:

(1) If the amount is less than the amount initially appropriated for the immediately preceding fiscal year, each county shall receive an amount equal to the percentage of the funding it received in the immediately preceding fiscal year, exclusive of any releases from or additions to the allocation or any sanctions imposed under this section;

(2) If the amount is equal to the amount initially appropriated for the immediately preceding fiscal year, each county shall receive an amount equal to the amount it received in the preceding fiscal year, exclusive of any releases from or additions to the allocation or any sanctions imposed under this section;

(3) If the amount is greater than the amount initially appropriated for the immediately preceding fiscal year, each county shall receive the amount determined under division (C)(2) of this section as a base allocation, plus a percentage of the amount that exceeds the amount initially appropriated for the immediately preceding fiscal year. The amount exceeding the amount initially appropriated in the immediately preceding fiscal year shall be allocated to the counties as follows:

(a) Twelve per cent divided equally among all counties;

(b) Forty-eight per cent in the ratio that the number of residents of the county under the age of eighteen bears to the total number of such persons residing in this state;

(c) Forty per cent in the ratio that the number of residents of the county with incomes under the federal poverty guideline bears to the total number of such persons in this state.

As used in division (C)(3)(c) of this section, "federal poverty guideline" means the poverty guideline as defined by the United States office of management and budget and revised by the United States secretary of health and human services in accordance with section 673 of the "Community Services Block Grant Act," 95 Stat. 511 (1981), 42 U.S.C.A. 9902, as amended.

(D) Within ninety days after the end of each state fiscal biennium, each county shall return any unspent funds to the department.

(E) The director of children and youth may adopt the following rules in accordance with section 111.15 of the Revised Code:

(1) Rules that are necessary for the allocation of funds under this section;

(2) Rules prescribing reports on expenditures to be submitted by the counties as necessary for the implementation of this section.

Last updated August 8, 2025 at 3:00 PM

Section 5180.411

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

Each county shall deposit all funds its public children services agency receives from appropriations made by the board of county commissioners or any other source for the purpose of providing children services into a special fund in the county treasury known as the children services fund. A county shall use money in the fund only for the purposes of meeting the expenses of providing children services.

Last updated August 5, 2025 at 4:11 PM

Section 5180.42 | [Former R.C. 5101.141, amended and renumbered as R.C. 5180.42 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Administering federal payments for foster care and adoption assistance.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) As used in sections 5180.42 to 5180.4214 of the Revised Code:

(1) "Adopted young adult" means a person:

(a) Who was in the temporary or permanent custody of a public children services agency;

(b) Who was adopted at the age of sixteen or seventeen and attained the age of sixteen before a Title IV-E adoption assistance agreement became effective;

(c) Who has attained the age of eighteen; and

(d) Who has not yet attained the age of twenty-one.

(2) "Child" means any of the following:

(a) A person who meets the requirements of division (B)(3) of section 5153.01 of the Revised Code;

(b) An adopted young adult;

(c) An emancipated young adult.

(3) "Emancipated young adult" means a person:

(a) Who was in the temporary or permanent custody of a public children services agency, a planned permanent living arrangement, or in the Title-IV-E-eligible care and placement responsibility of a juvenile court or other governmental agency that provides Title IV-E reimbursable placement services;

(b) Whose custody, arrangement, or care and placement was terminated on or after the person's eighteenth birthday; and

(c) Who has not yet attained the age of twenty-one.

(4) "Kinship guardianship young adult" means an individual that meets the following criteria:

(a) Was in the temporary or permanent custody of a public children services agency or a planned permanent living arrangement prior to the commitment described in division (A)(4)(b) of this section;

(b) Was committed to the legal custody or legal guardianship of a kinship caregiver at the age of sixteen or seventeen and attained the age of sixteen before a Title IV-E kinship guardianship assistance agreement became effective;

(c) Has attained the age of eighteen;

(d) Has not yet attained the age of twenty-one.

(5) "Relative" means, with respect to a child, any of the following who is eighteen years of age or older:

(a) The following individuals related by blood or adoption to the child:

(i) Grandparents, including grandparents with the prefix "great," "great-great," or "great-great-great";

(ii) Siblings;

(iii) Aunts, uncles, nephews, and nieces, including such relatives with the prefix "great," "great-great," "grand," or "great-grand";

(iv) First cousins and first cousins once removed.

(b) Stepparents and stepsiblings of the child;

(c) Spouses and former spouses of individuals named in divisions (A)(5)(a) and (b) of this section;

(d) A legal guardian of the child;

(e) A legal custodian of the child;

(f) Any nonrelative adult that has a familiar and long-standing relationship or bond with the child or the family, which relationship or bond will ensure the child's social ties.

(6) "Representative" means a person with whom the department of children and youth has entered into a contract, pursuant to division (B)(2)(b) of this section.

(7) "Title IV-E" means Title IV-E of the "Social Security Act," 94 Stat. 501, 42 U.S.C. 670 (1980), as amended.

(B)(1) Except as provided in divisions (B)(2) and (3) of this section, the department of children and youth shall act as the single state agency to administer federal payments for foster care, kinship guardianship assistance, and adoption assistance made pursuant to Title IV-E. The director of children and youth shall adopt rules to implement this authority. Rules governing financial and administrative requirements applicable to public children services agencies and government entities that provide Title IV-E reimbursable placement services to children shall be adopted in accordance with section 111.15 of the Revised Code, as if they were internal management rules. Rules governing requirements applicable to private child placing agencies and private noncustodial agencies and rules establishing eligibility, program participation, and other requirements concerning Title IV-E shall be adopted in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code. A public children services agency to which the department distributes Title IV-E funds shall administer the funds in accordance with those rules.

(2)(a) The department shall implement the state plan as amended under section 5180.428 of the Revised Code if the general assembly has appropriated sufficient funds to operate the program required under the plan as amended.

(b) The department shall have, exercise, and perform all new duties required under the plan as amended. In doing so, the department may contract with another person to carry out those new duties, to the extent permitted under Title IV-E.

(3) The department shall implement the state plan as amended under section 5180.4213 of the Revised Code.

(C)(1) Except with regard to the new duties imposed on the department or its contractor under division (B)(2)(b) of this section that are not imposed on the county, the county, on behalf of each child eligible for foster care maintenance payments under Title IV-E, shall make payments to cover the cost of providing all of the following:

(a) The child's food, clothing, shelter, daily supervision, and school supplies;

(b) The child's personal incidentals;

(c) Reasonable travel to the child's home for visitation.

(2) In addition to payments made under division (C)(1) of this section, the county may, on behalf of each child eligible for foster care maintenance payments under Title IV-E, make payments to cover the cost of providing the following:

(a) Liability insurance with respect to the child;

(b) If the county is participating in the demonstration project established under division (A) of section 5180.421 of the Revised Code, services provided under the project.

(3) With respect to a child who is in a child-care institution, including any type of group home designed for the care of children or any privately operated program consisting of two or more certified foster homes operated by a common administrative unit, the foster care maintenance payments made by the county on behalf of the child shall include the reasonable cost of the administration and operation of the institution, group home, or program, as necessary to provide the items described in divisions (C)(1) and (2) of this section.

(D) To the extent that either foster care maintenance payments under division (C) of this section, Title IV-E kinship guardianship assistance, or Title IV-E adoption assistance payments for maintenance costs require the expenditure of county funds, the board of county commissioners shall report the nature and amount of each expenditure of county funds to the department.

(E) The department shall distribute to public children services agencies that incur and report expenditures of the type described in division (D) of this section federal financial participation received for administrative and training costs incurred in the operation of foster care maintenance, kinship guardianship assistance, and adoption assistance programs. The department may withhold not more than three per cent of the federal financial participation received. The funds withheld may be used only to fund the following:

(1) The Ohio child welfare training program established under section 5103.30 of the Revised Code;

(2) The university partnership program for college and university students majoring in social work who have committed to work for a public children services agency upon graduation;

(3) Efforts supporting organizational excellence, including voluntary activities to be accredited by a nationally recognized accreditation organization.

The funds withheld shall be in addition to any administration and training cost for which the department is reimbursed through its own cost allocation plan.

(F) All federal financial participation funds received by a county pursuant to this section shall be deposited into the county's children services fund created pursuant to section 5180.411 of the Revised Code.

(G)(1) The department shall periodically publish and distribute the maximum amounts that the department will reimburse public children services agencies for making payments on behalf of children eligible for foster care maintenance payments.

(2) The department may issue a request for proposals to establish statewide rate cards for placement and care of children eligible for foster care maintenance payments. If a request for proposals is issued, the department shall review and accept the reasonable cost of providing the items described in division (C) of this section. Foster homes, as defined in section 5103.02 of the Revised Code, and kinship caregivers, as defined in section 5101.85 of the Revised Code, shall be exempt from the established statewide rates.

(H) The department, by and through its director, is hereby authorized to develop, participate in the development of, negotiate, and enter into one or more interstate compacts on behalf of this state with agencies of any other states, for the provision of social services to children in relation to whom all of the following apply:

(1) They have special needs.

(2) This state or another state that is a party to the interstate compact is providing kinship guardianship assistance or adoption assistance on their behalf.

(3) They move into this state from another state or move out of this state to another state.

Last updated August 8, 2025 at 2:54 PM

Section 5180.421

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) The department of children and youth may apply to the United States secretary of health and human services for a waiver of requirements established under Title IV-E, or regulations adopted thereunder, to conduct a demonstration project expanding eligibility for and services provided under Title IV-E. The department may enter into agreements with the secretary necessary to implement the demonstration project, including agreements establishing the terms and conditions of the waiver authorizing the project. If a demonstration project is to be established, the department shall do all of the following:

(1) Have the director of children and youth adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code governing the project. The rules shall be consistent with the agreements the department enters into with the secretary.

(2) Enter into agreements with public children services agencies that the department selects for participation in the project. The department shall not select an agency that objects to participation or refuses to be bound by the terms and conditions of the project.

(3) Contract with persons or governmental agencies providing services under the project;

(4) Amend the state plan required by section 471 of the "Social Security Act," 42 U.S.C. 671, as amended, as needed to implement the project;

(5) Conduct ongoing evaluations of the project;

(6) Perform other administrative and operational activities required by the agreement with the secretary.

(B) The department may apply to the United States secretary of health and human services for a waiver of the requirements established under Title IV-B of the "Social Security Act of 1967," 42 U.S.C. 620 or regulations adopted thereunder and established under any other federal law or regulations that affect the children services functions prescribed by Chapter 5153. of the Revised Code, to conduct demonstration projects or otherwise improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the children services function.

Last updated August 5, 2025 at 4:20 PM

Section 5180.422

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) In adopting rules under section 5180.42 of the Revised Code regarding financial requirements applicable to public children services agencies, private child placing agencies, private noncustodial agencies, and government entities that provide Title IV-E reimbursable placement services to children, the department of children and youth may establish both of the following:

(1) A single form for the agencies or entities to report costs reimbursable under Title IV-E and costs reimbursable under medicaid;

(2) Procedures to monitor cost reports submitted by the agencies or entities.

(B) The procedures established under division (A)(2) of this section shall be used to do both of the following:

(1) Determine which of the costs are reimbursable under Title IV-E;

(2) Ensure that costs reimbursable under medicaid are excluded from determinations made under division (B)(1) of this section.

Last updated August 5, 2025 at 4:27 PM

Section 5180.423

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

The department of children and youth shall establish the following penalties, which shall be enforced at the discretion of the department, for the failure of a public children services agency, private child placing agency, private noncustodial agency, or government entity that provides Title IV-E reimbursable placement services to children to comply with procedures the department establishes to ensure fiscal accountability:

(A) For initial failure, the department and the agency or entity involved shall jointly develop and implement a corrective action plan according to a specific schedule. If requested by the agency or entity involved, the department shall provide technical assistance to the agency or entity to ensure the fiscal accountability procedures and goals of the plan are met.

(B) For subsequent failures or failure to achieve the goals of the plan described in division (A) of this section, one of the following:

(1) For public children services agencies, the department may take any action permitted under division (C)(2), (4), (5), or (6) of section 5101.24 of the Revised Code.

(2) For private child placing agencies or private noncustodial agencies, cancellation of any Title IV-E allowability rates for the agency involved pursuant to section 5180.42 of the Revised Code or revocation pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code of that agency's certificate issued under section 5103.03 of the Revised Code;

(3) For government entities, other than public children services agencies, that provide Title IV-E reimbursable placement services to children, cancellation of any Title IV-E allowability rates for the entity involved pursuant to section 5180.42 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 5, 2025 at 4:32 PM

Section 5180.424

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

If a public children services agency fails to comply with the fiscal accountability procedures established by the department of children and youth, the department shall notify the board of county commissioners of the county served by the agency. If a private child placing agency or private noncustodial agency fails to comply with the fiscal accountability procedures, the department shall notify the executive director of each public children services agency that has entered into a contract for services with the private child placing agency or private noncustodial agency.

Last updated August 5, 2025 at 4:36 PM

Section 5180.425

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

If the department of children and youth sanctions a public children services agency, private child placing agency, or private noncustodial agency, it shall take every possible precaution to ensure that any foster children that have been placed by the agency under sanction are not unnecessarily removed from the certified foster homes in which they reside.

Last updated August 5, 2025 at 4:41 PM

Section 5180.426

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

Money from the children services fund shall not be used to provide a personal loan to any individual.

Last updated August 5, 2025 at 4:45 PM

Section 5180.427 | [Former R.C. 5101.1410, amended and renumbered as R.C. 5180.427 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Certifying a claim to the attorney general.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

In addition to the remedies available under sections 5101.24 and 5180.423 of the Revised Code, the department of children and youth may certify a claim to the attorney general under section 131.02 of the Revised Code for the attorney general to take action under that section against a public children services agency, private child placing agency, private noncustodial agency, or government entity that provides Title IV-E reimbursable placement services to children if all of the following are the case:

(A) The agency or entity files a cost report with the department pursuant to rules adopted under division (B) of section 5180.42 of the Revised Code.

(B) The department receives and distributes federal Title IV-E reimbursement funds based on the cost report.

(C) The agency's or entity's misstatement, misclassification, overstatement, understatement, or other inclusion or omission of any cost included in the cost report causes the United States department of health and human services to disallow all or part of the federal Title IV-E reimbursement funds the department received and distributed.

(D) The agency's or entity's misstatement, misclassification, overstatement, understatement, or other inclusion or omission of any cost included in the cost report is not the direct result of a written directive concerning the agency or entity's cost report that the department issued to the agency or entity.

Last updated August 8, 2025 at 2:46 PM

Section 5180.428 | [Former R.C. 5101.1411, amended and renumbered as R.C. 5180.428 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Young adults - foster care and adoption assistance payments.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A)(1) The director of children and youth shall implement 42 U.S.C. 675(8) to make federal payments for foster care under Title IV-E directly to, or on behalf of, any emancipated young adult who meets the following requirements:

(a) The emancipated young adult signs a voluntary participation agreement.

(b) The emancipated young adult satisfies division (D) of this section.

(2) Any emancipated young adult who meets the requirements of division (A)(1) of this section may apply for foster care payments and make the appropriate application at any time.

(B)(1) The director of children and youth shall implement 42 U.S.C. 675(8) to make federal payments for adoption assistance under Title IV-E available to any parent who meets all of the following requirements:

(a) The parent adopted a person who is an adopted young adult and the parent entered into an adoption assistance agreement under 42 U.S.C. 673 while the adopted person was age sixteen or seventeen.

(b) The parent maintains parental responsibility for the adopted young adult.

(c) The adopted young adult satisfies division (D) of this section.

(2) Any parent who meets the requirements of division (B)(1) of this section that are applicable to a parent may request an extension of adoption assistance payments at any time before the adopted young adult reaches age twenty-one.

(3) An adopted young adult who is eligible to receive adoption assistance payments is not considered an emancipated young adult and is therefore not eligible to receive payment under division (A) of this section.

(C)(1) The director of children and youth shall implement 42 U.S.C. 673(d) to provide kinship guardianship assistance under Title IV-E available to any relative who meets all of the following requirements:

(a) Both of the following apply:

(i) A juvenile court issued an order granting legal custody of a person who is a kinship guardianship young adult to the relative, or a probate court issued an order granting guardianship of a person who is a kinship guardianship young adult to the relative, and the order is not a temporary court order.

(ii) The relative entered into a kinship guardianship assistance agreement under 42 U.S.C. 673(d) while the kinship guardianship young adult was age sixteen or seventeen.

(b) The relative maintains parental responsibility for the kinship guardianship young adult.

(c) The kinship guardianship young adult satisfies division (D) of this section.

(2) Any person who meets the requirements of division (C)(1) of this section may request an extension of kinship guardianship assistance at any time before the kinship guardianship young adult reaches age twenty-one.

(3) A kinship guardianship young adult who is eligible to receive kinship guardianship assistance is not considered an emancipated young adult and is therefore not eligible to receive assistance under division (A) of this section.

(D) In addition to other requirements, an adopted, kinship guardianship, or emancipated young adult must meet at least one of the following criteria:

(1) Is completing secondary education or a program leading to an equivalent credential;

(2) Is enrolled in an institution that provides post-secondary or vocational education;

(3) Is participating in a program or activity designed to promote, or remove barriers to, employment;

(4) Is employed for at least eighty hours per month;

(5) Is incapable of doing any of the activities described in divisions (D)(1) to (4) of this section due to a physical or mental condition, which incapacity is supported by regularly updated information in the person's case record or plan.

(E) Any emancipated young adult described in division (A)(1) of this section who is directly receiving foster care payments, or on whose behalf such foster care payments are received, or any relative described in division (C)(1) of this section who is receiving kinship guardianship assistance, or any parent receiving adoption assistance payments, may refuse the payments at any time.

(F)(1) An emancipated young adult described in division (A)(1) of this section who is directly receiving foster care payments, or on whose behalf such foster care payments are received, or any relative described in division (C)(1) of this section who is receiving kinship guardianship assistance and the kinship guardianship young adult, or a parent receiving adoption assistance payments and the adopted young adult shall be eligible for services set forth in the federal, "Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008," P.L. 110-351.

(2) An emancipated young adult described in division (A)(1) of this section who is directly receiving foster care payments, or on whose behalf such foster care payments are received, pursuant to this section, may be eligible to reside in a supervised independent living setting, including apartment living, room and board arrangements, college or university dormitories, host homes, and shared roommate settings.

(G) Any determination by the department of children and youth that denies or terminates foster care assistance, kinship guardianship assistance, or adoption assistance payments shall be subject to a state hearing pursuant to section 5101.35 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 8, 2025 at 2:30 PM

Section 5180.429 | [Former R.C. 5101.1412, amended and renumbered as R.C. 5180.429 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Young adults - voluntary participation agreement.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) Without the approval of a court, an emancipated young adult who receives payments, or on whose behalf payments are received, under division (A) of section 5180.428 of the Revised Code, may enter into a voluntary participation agreement with the department of children and youth, or its representative, for the emancipated young adult's care and placement. The agreement shall stay in effect until one of the following occurs:

(1) The emancipated young adult enrolled in the program notifies the department, or its representative, that they want to terminate the agreement.

(2) The emancipated young adult becomes ineligible for the program.

(B) In order to maintain Title IV-E eligibility for the emancipated young adult, both of the following apply:

(1) Not later than one hundred eighty days after the effective date of the voluntary participation agreement, the department or its representative must petition the court for, and obtain, a judicial determination that the emancipated young adult's best interest is served by continuing the care and placement with the department or its representative.

(2) Not later than twelve months after the effective date of the voluntary participation agreement, and at least once every twelve months thereafter, the department or its representative must petition the court for, and obtain, a judicial determination that the department or its representative has made reasonable efforts to finalize a permanency plan to prepare the emancipated young adult for independence.

Last updated August 8, 2025 at 1:35 PM

Section 5180.4210 | [Former R.C. 5101.1413, amended and renumbered as R.C. 5180.4210 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Young adults - payment of nonfederal share.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

Notwithstanding section 5180.42 of the Revised Code and any rules adopted thereunder, the department of children and youth shall pay the full nonfederal share of payments made pursuant to section 5180.428 of the Revised Code. No public children services agency shall be responsible for the cost of any payments made pursuant to section 5180.428 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 8, 2025 at 1:31 PM

Section 5180.4211 | [Former R.C. 5101.1414, amended and renumbered as R.C. 5180.4211 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Young adults - rules.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) The department of children and youth shall adopt rules necessary to carry out the purposes of sections 5180.428 to 5180.4210 of the Revised Code, including rules that do all of the following:

(1) Allow an emancipated young adult described in division (A)(1) of section 5180.428 of the Revised Code who is directly receiving foster care payments, or on whose behalf such foster care payments are received, or an adopted young adult whose adoptive parents are receiving adoption assistance payments, to maintain eligibility while transitioning into, or out of, qualified employment or educational activities;

(2) Require that a thirty-day notice of termination be given by the department to an emancipated young adult described in division (A)(1) of section 5180.428 of the Revised Code who is receiving foster care payments, or on whose behalf such foster care payments are received, or to a parent receiving adoption assistance payments for an adopted young adult described in division (B)(1) of section 5180.428 of the Revised Code, who is determined to be ineligible for payments;

(3) Establish the scope of practice and training necessary for case managers and supervisors who care for emancipated young adults described in division (A)(1) of section 5180.428 of the Revised Code who are receiving foster care payments, or on whose behalf such foster care payments are received, under section 5180.428 of the Revised Code.

(B) The department of children and youth shall create an advisory council to evaluate and make recommendations for statewide implementation of sections 5180.428 and 5180.429 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 8, 2025 at 1:26 PM

Section 5180.4212 | [Former R.C. 5101.1415, amended and renumbered as R.C. 5180.4212 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Young adults - applicability.

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

The provisions of divisions (A) and (D) to (G) of section 5180.428 of the Revised Code shall not apply if the person is eligible for temporary or permanent custody until age twenty-one pursuant to a dispositional order under sections 2151.353, 2151.414, and 2151.415 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 8, 2025 at 1:21 PM

Section 5180.4213

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) The director of children and youth shall implement 42 U.S.C. 673(d) to provide kinship guardianship assistance under Title IV-E on behalf of a child to a relative who meets the following requirements:

(1) The relative has cared for the eligible child pursuant to division (B) of this section as a foster caregiver as defined by section 5103.02 of the Revised Code for at least six consecutive months.

(2) Both of the following apply:

(a) A juvenile court issued an order granting legal custody of the child to the relative, or a probate court issued an order granting guardianship of the child to the relative, and the order is not a temporary court order.

(b) The relative has committed to care for the child on a permanent basis.

(3) The relative signs a kinship guardianship assistance agreement required by 42 U.S.C. 673.

(B) A child is an eligible child for kinship guardianship assistance under this section if the following are met:

(1) The child has been removed from his or her home pursuant to a voluntary placement agreement or as a result of a judicial determination to the effect that continuation in the home would be contrary to the welfare of the child.

(2) The child has been eligible for foster care maintenance payments under section 5180.42 of the Revised Code while residing for at least six consecutive months in the home of a relative described in division (A) of this section.

(3) Returning the child home or adoption of the child are not appropriate permanency options for the child.

(4) The child demonstrates a strong attachment to the child's relative described in division (A) of this section and the relative has a strong commitment to caring permanently for the child.

(5) With respect to a child who has attained fourteen years of age, the child has been consulted regarding the kinship guardianship arrangement.

Last updated August 5, 2025 at 5:16 PM

Section 5180.4214

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

The department of children and youth shall adopt rules necessary to carry out the purposes of sections 5180.42, 5180.428, and 5180.4213 of the Revised Code, and 42 U.S.C. 673(d) of the "Social Security Act," including rules that do all of the following:

(A) Allow a kinship guardianship young adult described in division (C) of section 5180.428 of the Revised Code on whose behalf kinship guardianship assistance is received, to maintain eligibility while transitioning into, or out of, qualified employment or educational activities;

(B) Require that a thirty-day notice of termination be given by the department to a person receiving kinship guardianship assistance for a kinship guardianship young adult described in division (C) of section 5180.428 of the Revised Code, who is determined to be ineligible for assistance.

Last updated August 5, 2025 at 5:20 PM

Section 5180.43

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A)(1) If, after a child's adoption is finalized, the department of children and youth considers the child to be in need of public care or protective services, the department may, to the extent state funds are available for this purpose, enter into an agreement with the child's adoptive parent under which the department may make post adoption special services subsidy payments on behalf of the child as needed when both of the following apply:

(a) The child has a physical or developmental disability or mental or emotional condition that either:

(i) Existed before the adoption petition was filed; or

(ii) Developed after the adoption petition was filed and can be directly attributed to factors in the child's preadoption background, medical history, or biological family's background or medical history.

(b) The department determines the expenses necessitated by the child's disability or condition are beyond the adoptive parent's economic resources.

(2) Services for which the department may make post adoption special services subsidy payments on behalf of a child under this section shall include medical, surgical, psychiatric, psychological, and counseling services, including residential treatment.

(3) The department shall establish clinical standards to evaluate a child's physical or developmental disability or mental or emotional condition and assess the child's need for services.

(4) The total dollar value of post adoption special services subsidy payments made on a child's behalf shall not exceed ten thousand dollars in any fiscal year, unless the department determines that extraordinary circumstances exist that necessitate further funding of services for the child. Under such extraordinary circumstances, the value of the payments made on the child's behalf shall not exceed fifteen thousand dollars in any fiscal year.

(5) The adoptive parent or parents of a child who receives post adoption special services subsidy payments shall pay at least five per cent of the total cost of all services provided to the child; except that the department may waive this requirement if the gross annual income of the child's adoptive family is not more than two hundred per cent of the federal poverty guideline.

(6) The department may use other sources of revenue to make post adoption special services subsidy payments, in addition to any state funds appropriated for that purpose.

(7) The department may contract with another person to carry out any of the duties described in this section.

(B) No payment shall be made on behalf of any person eighteen years of age or older beyond the end of the school year during which the person attains the age of eighteen or on behalf of a mentally or physically disabled person twenty-one years of age or older.

(C) The director of children and youth shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code necessary to implement this section. The rules shall establish all of the following:

(1) The application process for all forms of assistance provided under this section;

(2) Standards for determining the children who qualify to receive assistance provided under this section;

(3) The method of determining the amount, duration, and scope of services provided to a child;

(4) The method of transitioning the post adoption special services subsidy program from public children services agencies to the department;

(5) Any other rule, requirement, or procedure the department considers appropriate for the implementation of this section.

Last updated August 5, 2025 at 5:24 PM

Section 5180.44

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

Within available funds the department of children and youth may reimburse counties in accordance with this section for a portion of the salaries paid to child welfare workers employed under section 5153.12 of the Revised Code. No county with a population of eighty thousand or less, according to the latest census accepted by the department as official, shall be entitled to reimbursement on the salaries of more than two child welfare workers, and no county with a population of more than eighty thousand, according to such census, shall be entitled to reimbursement on the salaries of more than two child welfare workers plus one additional child welfare worker for each one hundred thousand of population in excess of eighty thousand.

The maximum reimbursement to which a county may be entitled on any child welfare worker shall be as follows:

(A) Twenty-seven hundred dollars a year for a child welfare worker who is a graduate of an accredited high school, college, or university;

(B) Thirty-three hundred dollars a year for a child welfare worker who has one year or more of graduate training in social work or a field which the department finds to be related to social work;

(C) Thirty-nine hundred dollars a year for a child welfare worker who has completed two years of social work training.

The salary of the executive director, designated in accordance with section 5153.10 of the Revised Code, shall be subject to reimbursement under this section, provided that the executive director qualifies under division (A), (B), or (C) of this section. No funds shall be allocated under this section until the director of children and youth has approved a plan of child welfare services for the county submitted by the public children services agency.

Last updated August 5, 2025 at 5:29 PM

Section 5180.45

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

As used in sections 5180.45 to 5180.454 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Adopted child" means a person who is less than eighteen years of age when the person becomes subject to a final order of adoption, an interlocutory order of adoption, or when the adoption is recognized by this state under section 3107.18 of the Revised Code.

(B) "Adoption" includes an adoption arranged by an attorney, a public children services agency, private child placing agency, or a private noncustodial agency, an interstate adoption, or an international or foreign adoption.

(C) "Adoptive parent" means the person or persons who obtain parental rights and responsibilities over an adopted child pursuant to a final order of adoption, an interlocutory order of adoption, or an adoption recognized by this state under section 3107.18 of the Revised Code.

(D) "Casework services" means services performed or arranged by a public children services agency, private child placing agency, private noncustodial agency, or public entity with whom the department of children and youth has a Title IV-E subgrant agreement in effect, to manage the progress, provide supervision and protection of the child and the child's parent, guardian, or custodian.

(E) "Foster caregiver" has the same meaning as in section 5103.02 of the Revised Code.

(F) "Qualified professional" means an individual that is, but not limited to, any one of the following:

(1) Audiologist;

(2) Orthopedist;

(3) Physician;

(4) Certified nurse practitioner;

(5) Physician assistant;

(6) Psychiatrist;

(7) Psychologist;

(8) School psychologist;

(9) Licensed marriage and family therapist;

(10) Speech and language pathologist;

(11) Licensed independent social worker;

(12) Licensed professional clinical counselor;

(13) Licensed social worker who is under the direct supervision of a licensed independent social worker;

(14) Licensed professional counselor who is under the direct supervision of a licensed professional clinical counselor.

(G) "Special needs" means any of the following:

(1) A developmental disability as defined in section 5123.01 of the Revised Code;

(2) A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities;

(3) Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more body systems;

(4) Any mental or psychological disorder;

(5) A medical condition causing distress, pain, dysfunction, or social problems as diagnosed by a qualified professional that results in ongoing medical treatment.

Last updated August 5, 2025 at 5:33 PM

Section 5180.451

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) The director of children and youth shall establish and administer the Ohio adoption grant program in accordance with sections 5180.45 to 5180.454 of the Revised Code.

(B) The director shall provide either of the following one-time payments for an adopted child to the child's adoptive parent if the requirements of division (A) of section 5180.452 of the Revised Code, but not division (B) of that section, are satisfied regarding the child:

(1) Ten thousand dollars;

(2) Fifteen thousand dollars, if the parent was a foster caregiver who cared for the child prior to adoption.

(C) The director shall provide a one-time payment for an adopted child of twenty thousand dollars to the child's adoptive parent if the requirements of divisions (A) and (B) of section 5180.452 of the Revised Code are satisfied regarding the child.

(D) The payment described in divisions (B) and (C) of this section shall be provided to all eligible applicants to the extent state funds are available for this purpose.

Last updated August 5, 2025 at 5:37 PM

Section 5180.452

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) To receive a grant payment under division (B) of section 5180.451 of the Revised Code, all of the following must be satisfied:

(1) The adoptive parent has not previously received a grant payment from the Ohio adoption grant program for the adopted child for whom the parent is seeking payment.

(2) The adoptive parent does not also currently claim an adoption tax credit pursuant to former section 5747.37 of the Revised Code for the adopted child for whom the parent is seeking payment.

(3) The adoptive parent applies for the grant not later than one year after the final adoption order, interlocutory order of adoption, or recognition of the adoption by this state under section 3107.18 of the Revised Code for the adopted child for whom the grant payment is sought.

(4) The adoption was not by a parent whose spouse is a biological or adoptive parent of the child prior to the adoption for which the payment is sought.

(5) The adoption is finalized on or after January 1, 2023.

(6) The adoptive parent was a resident of Ohio at the time the adoption was finalized.

(B) To receive a grant payment under division (C) of section 5180.451 of the Revised Code, both of the following must be satisfied:

(1) The requirements of division (A) of this section must be satisfied.

(2) A qualified professional who does not provide casework services to the adopted child diagnoses the child with one or more special needs in the professional's area of expertise prior to the final order of adoption, interlocutory order of adoption, or recognition of the adoption by this state under section 3107.18 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 9:27 AM

Section 5180.453

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) The director of children and youth shall adopt rules to administer and implement the Ohio adoption grant program. The director, in consultation with the tax commissioner, shall also adopt rules authorizing the department to withhold and remit to the Internal Revenue Service federal income tax from grant payments under division (B) of section 5180.451 of the Revised Code, provided such withholding is authorized under federal law or approved by the Internal Revenue Service.

(B) No application fee shall be charged for the grant program.

(C) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the director may require, as necessary to administer the Ohio adoption grant program, either or both of the following:

(1) Certified copies of any court or legal document necessary to prove a final order of adoption, an interlocutory order of adoption, or recognition of the adoption under section 3107.18 of the Revised Code;

(2) Any department, agency, court, or division of the state, including the department of health, to provide any document related to the adoption.

(D)(1) No person shall knowingly produce or submit any false or misleading documentation or information to the department of children and youth in an effort to qualify for or obtain a grant from the Ohio adoption grant program.

(2) Whoever violates division (D)(1) of this section is guilty of falsification in accordance with section 2921.13 of the Revised Code.

(E) Notwithstanding any provision of section 121.95 of the Revised Code to the contrary, a regulatory restriction contained in a rule adopted under section 5180.453 of the Revised Code is not subject to sections 121.95 to 121.953 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 9:31 AM

Section 5180.454

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

Any document provided to the department of children and youth under division (C) of section 5180.453 of the Revised Code remains:

(A) A public record under section 149.43 of the Revised Code if it was a public record under that section before being provided to the department;

(B) Confidential if it was confidential under any state or federal law before being provided to the department.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 9:35 AM

Section 5180.50

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

As used in sections 5180.51 to 5180.514 of the Revised Code, "kinship caregiver" means any of the following who is eighteen years of age or older and is caring for a child in place of the child's parents:

(A) The following individuals related by blood or adoption to the child:

(1) Grandparents, including grandparents with the prefix "great," "great-great," or "great-great-great";

(2) Siblings;

(3) Aunts, uncles, nephews, and nieces, including such relatives with the prefix "great," "great-great," "grand," or "great-grand";

(4) First cousins and first cousins once removed.

(B) Stepparents and stepsiblings of the child;

(C) Spouses and former spouses of individuals named in divisions (A) and (B) of this section;

(D) A legal guardian of the child;

(E) A legal custodian of the child;

(F) Any nonrelative adult that has a familiar and long-standing relationship or bond with the child or the family, which relationship or bond will ensure the child's social ties.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 9:57 AM

Section 5180.51

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

The department of children and youth shall establish a statewide kinship care navigator program to assist kinship caregivers who are seeking information regarding, or assistance obtaining, services and benefits available at the state and local level that address the needs of those caregivers residing in each county. The program shall provide to kinship caregivers information and referral services and assistance obtaining support services including the following:

(A) Publicly funded child care;

(B) Respite care;

(C) Training related to caring for special needs children;

(D) A toll-free telephone number that may be called to obtain basic information about the rights of, and services available to, kinship caregivers;

(E) Legal services.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 10:04 AM

Section 5180.511

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

The director of children and youth shall divide the state into not less than five and not greater than twelve regions, for the kinship care navigator program under section 5180.51 of the Revised Code. The director shall take the following into consideration when establishing the regions:

(A) The population size;

(B) The estimated number of kinship caregivers;

(C) The expertise of kinship navigators;

(D) Any other factor the director considers relevant.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 10:08 AM

Section 5180.512

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

The program in each kinship care navigator region established under section 5180.511 of the Revised Code shall provide information and referral services and assistance in obtaining support services for kinship caregivers within its region.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 10:13 AM

Section 5180.513

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

The department of children and youth shall adopt rules to implement the kinship care navigator program. The rules shall be adopted under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, except that rules governing fiscal and administrative matters related to implementation of the program are internal management rules and shall be adopted under section 111.15 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 10:17 AM

Section 5180.514

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A)(1) The kinship care navigator program shall be funded to the extent that general revenue funds have been appropriated by the general assembly for that purpose.

(2) The director of children and youth shall take any action necessary to obtain funds available for the kinship care navigator program under Title IV-E of the "Social Security Act," 42 U.S.C. 670, as amended.

(B) The department shall pay the full nonfederal share for the kinship care navigator program. No county department of job and family services or public children services agency shall be responsible for the cost of the program.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 10:21 AM

Section 5180.52

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Custodian," "guardian," and "minor child" have the same meanings as in section 5107.02 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Federal poverty guidelines" has the same meaning as in section 5101.46 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Kinship caregiver" has the same meaning as in section 5180.50 of the Revised Code.

(B) Subject to division (E) of section 5101.801 of the Revised Code, there is hereby created the kinship permanency incentive program to promote permanency for a minor child in the legal and physical custody of a kinship caregiver. The program shall provide an initial one-time incentive payment to the kinship caregiver to defray the costs of initial placement of the minor child in the kinship caregiver's home. The program may provide additional permanency incentive payments for the minor child at six-month intervals, based on the availability of funds. An eligible caregiver may receive a maximum of eight incentive payments per minor child.

(C) A kinship caregiver may participate in the program if all of the following requirements are met:

(1) The kinship caregiver applies to a public children services agency in accordance with the application process established in rules authorized by division (E) of this section;

(2) Not earlier than July 1, 2005, a juvenile court issues an order granting legal custody to the kinship caregiver, or a probate court grants guardianship to the kinship caregiver, except that a temporary court order is not sufficient to meet this requirement;

(3) The kinship caregiver is either the minor child's custodian or guardian;

(4) The minor child resides with the kinship caregiver pursuant to a placement approval process established in rules authorized by division (E) of this section;

(5) Excluding any income excluded under rules adopted under division (E) of this section, the gross income of the kinship caregiver's family, including the minor child, does not exceed three hundred per cent of the federal poverty guidelines.

(6) The kinship caregiver is not receiving kinship guardianship assistance under Title IV-E of the "Social Security Act," 42 U.S.C. 673(d), as amended, or the program described in section 5180.428 of the Revised Code or the program described in section 5153.163 of the Revised Code.

(D) Public children services agencies shall make initial and ongoing eligibility determinations for the kinship permanency incentive program in accordance with rules authorized by division (E) of this section. The director of children and youth shall supervise public children services agencies' duties under this section.

(E) The director of children and youth shall adopt rules under division (C) of section 5101.801 of the Revised Code as necessary to implement the kinship permanency incentive program. The rules shall establish all of the following:

(1) The application process for the program;

(2) The placement approval process through which a minor child is placed with a kinship caregiver for the kinship caregiver to be eligible for the program;

(3) The initial and ongoing eligibility determination process for the program, including the computation of income eligibility;

(4) The amount of the incentive payments provided under the program;

(5) The method by which the incentive payments are provided to a kinship caregiver.

(F) The amendments made to this section by Am. Sub. H.B. 119 of the 127th general assembly shall not affect the eligibility of any kinship caregiver whose eligibility was established before June 30, 2007.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 10:25 AM

Section 5180.53

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

As used in sections 5180.531 to 5180.536 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Cost-of-living adjustment" has the same meaning as in section 5107.04 of the Revised Code.

(B) "Kinship caregiver" has the same meaning as in section 5180.50 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 10:30 AM

Section 5180.531

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

There is hereby established the kinship support program. The department of children and youth shall coordinate and administer the program to the extent funds are appropriated and allocated for this purpose.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 10:34 AM

Section 5180.532

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

The kinship support program shall provide financial payments to kinship caregivers who:

(A) Receive placement of a child who is in the temporary or permanent custody of a public children services agency or under the Title IV-E agency with legal responsibility for the care and placement of the child; and

(B) Do not have foster home certification under section 5103.03 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 10:38 AM

Section 5180.533

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

Kinship support program payments under section 5180.532 of the Revised Code shall be ten dollars and twenty cents per child, per day, to the extent funds are available. The department of children and youth shall increase the payment amount on January 1, 2022, and on the first day of each January thereafter by the cost-of-living adjustment made in the immediately preceding December.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 10:42 AM

Section 5180.534

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

Kinship support program payments shall be made to kinship caregivers for not more than six months after the date of placement of a child with the kinship caregiver.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 10:54 AM

Section 5180.535

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

Kinship support program payments under section 5180.532 of the Revised Code shall cease when any of the following occur:

(A) The kinship caregiver obtains foster home certification under section 5103.03 of the Revised Code.

(B) In accordance with section 5180.534 of the Revised Code;

(C) Placement with the kinship caregiver is terminated or otherwise ceases.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 10:59 AM

Section 5180.536

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

The director of children and youth may adopt rules for the administration of the kinship support program in accordance with section 111.15 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 11:03 AM

Section 5180.56

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

Benefits and services provided under the kinship guardianship assistance program, extended kinship guardianship assistance program, kinship support program, and kinship permanency incentive program are inalienable whether by way of assignment, charge, or otherwise and exempt from execution, attachment, garnishment, and other like processes.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 11:07 AM

Section 5180.57

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

A kinship caregiver, on obtaining foster home certification under section 5103.03 of the Revised Code, shall receive foster care maintenance payments equal to the custodial agency rate as determined by the certifying agency, which is either the custodial agency, private child placing agency, or private non-custodial agency.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 11:11 AM

Section 5180.70

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) There is hereby created in the department of children and youth the Ohio commission on fatherhood. The commission shall consist of the following members:

(1)(a) Four members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house, not more than two of whom are members of the same political party. Two of the members must be from legislative districts that include a county or part of a county that is among the one-third of counties in this state with the highest number per capita of households headed by females.

(b) Two members of the senate appointed by the president of the senate, each from a different political party. One of the members must be from a legislative district that includes a county or part of a county that is among the one-third of counties in this state with the highest number per capita of households headed by females.

(2) The governor, or the governor's designee;

(3) One representative of the judicial branch of government appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court;

(4) The directors of health, children and youth, rehabilitation and correction, mental health and addiction services, youth services, and education and workforce, or their designees;

(5) One representative of the Ohio family and children first cabinet council created under section 121.37 of the Revised Code appointed by the chairperson of the council;

(6) Five representatives of the general public appointed by the governor. These members shall have extensive experience in issues related to fatherhood.

(B) Members appointed to the Ohio commission on fatherhood shall serve two-year terms. A member appointed pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section shall serve on the commission until the end of the general assembly from which the member was appointed or until the member ceases to serve in the chamber of the general assembly in which the member serves at the time of appointment, whichever occurs first. The governor or the governor's designee shall serve on the commission until the governor ceases to be governor. The directors or their designees shall serve on the commission until they cease, or the director a designee represents ceases, to be director. Each member shall serve on the commission from the date of appointment until the end of the term for which the member was appointed. Members may be reappointed.

Vacancies shall be filled in the manner provided for original appointments. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration date of the term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall serve on the commission for the remainder of that term. A member shall continue to serve on the commission subsequent to the expiration date of the member's term until the member's successor is appointed or until a period of sixty days has elapsed, whichever occurs first. Members shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 11:15 AM

Section 5180.701

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) The Ohio commission on fatherhood shall elect a chairperson from among its members in every odd-numbered year.

(B) The governor shall appoint an individual to serve as the commission's executive director. The executive director shall serve at the pleasure of the governor and shall report to the director of children and youth or the director's designee.

The governor shall fix the executive director's salary on the basis of the executive director's experience and the executive director's responsibilities and duties. The executive director shall be in the unclassified civil service.

The department of children and youth shall provide staff and other support services as necessary for the commission to fulfill its duties.

(C) The commission may accept gifts, grants, donations, contributions, benefits, and other funds from any public agency or private source to carry out any or all of the commission's duties. The funds shall be deposited into the Ohio commission on fatherhood fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury. All gifts, grants, donations, contributions, benefits, and other funds received by the commission pursuant to this division shall be used solely to support the operations of the commission.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 11:19 AM

Section 5180.702

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

The Ohio commission on fatherhood shall do both of the following:

(A) Organize a state summit on fatherhood every four years;

(B) Prepare a report each year that does the following:

(1) Identifies resources available to fund fatherhood-related programs and explores the creation of initiatives to do the following:

(a) Build the parenting skills of fathers;

(b) Provide employment-related services for low-income, noncustodial fathers;

(c) Prevent premature fatherhood;

(d) Provide services to fathers who are inmates in or have just been released from imprisonment in a state correctional institution, as defined in section 2967.01 of the Revised Code, or in any other detention facility, as defined in section 2921.01 of the Revised Code, so that they are able to maintain or reestablish their relationships with their families;

(e) Reconcile fathers with their families;

(f) Increase public awareness of the critical role fathers play.

(2) Describes the commission's expectations for the outcomes of fatherhood-related programs and initiatives and the methods the commission uses for conducting annual measures of those outcomes;

(3) Evaluates the number of fathers and children served and the number and types of additional services provided as a result of the recommendations made to the director of job and family services pursuant to section 5180.704 of the Revised Code;

(4) Evaluates the performance of the nonprofit community-based organizations that received grants under section 5180.706 of the Revised Code.

The commission shall submit each report to the general assembly in accordance with section 101.68 of the Revised Code.

(C) Pursuant to section 5180.704 of the Revised Code, the commission may make recommendations to the director of children and youth regarding funding, approval, and implementation of fatherhood programs in this state that meet at least one of the four purposes of the temporary assistance for needy families block grant, as specified in 42 U.S.C. 601.

(D) The portion of the report prepared pursuant to divisions (B)(2) and (4) of this section shall be prepared by the commission in collaboration with the director of children and youth.

(E) The commission shall submit each report prepared pursuant to division (B) of this section to the president and minority leader of the senate, speaker and minority leader of the house of representatives, governor, and chief justice of the supreme court. The first report is due not later than one year after the last of the initial appointments to the commission is made under section 5180.701 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 11:23 AM

Section 5180.703

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

Sections 101.82 to 101.87 of the Revised Code do not apply to the Ohio commission on fatherhood.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 11:27 AM

Section 5180.704

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) Subject to division (E) of section 5101.801 of the Revised Code, the Ohio commission on fatherhood, created under section 5180.70 of the Revised Code, may make recommendations to the director of children and youth concerning the funding, approval, and implementation of fatherhood programs in this state that meet at least one of the four purposes of the temporary assistance for needy families block grant, as specified in 42 U.S.C. 601.

(B) The department of children and youth may provide funding under this section to government entities and, to the extent permitted by federal law, private, not-for-profit entities with which the department enters into agreements under division (B)(4) of section 5101.801 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 11:31 AM

Section 5180.705

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) The department of children and youth, through the Ohio commission on fatherhood, must contract for the development and implementation of the responsible fatherhood initiative (RFI). The initiative must provide an opportunity for every father in the state to obtain information and inspiration that will motivate and enable him to enhance his abilities as a father, recognizing that some fathers have greater challenges than others and would benefit from greater support.

(B) The initiative must include the following:

(1) A statewide media campaign that increases the awareness of the importance of fathers being involved in their children's lives. The media campaign may include print, television, digital, and social media elements and appearances by and involvement from public figures and influencers.

(2) Resources and information for fathers and father figures to increase engagement and involvement in their children's lives.

(C)(1) The department must contract for the development and implementation of the initiative with a nonprofit (RFI manager) organization that has both of the following:

(a) A history of focusing on responsible fatherhood, including providing online resources to fathers, and engaging fathers, father figures, and children through community-based and school-based events to encourage responsible fatherhood;

(b) The organizational capacity to manage a statewide initiative and successfully carry out the requirements of this section.

(2) The organization must collaborate with other relevant government agencies and private organizations to develop and implement the initiative. Those agencies and organizations must collaborate with the contracted organization to carry out the initiative.

(3) The RFI manager must be solely responsible for developing, collaborating, and managing the RFI media campaign and the resources, content, and information for fathers.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 4:33 PM

Section 5180.706

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) The department of children and youth, through the Ohio commission on fatherhood, must award grants to eligible nonprofit organizations, as described in section 5180.705 of the Revised Code, to address the needs of fathers. The department must award the following types of grants:

(1) Grants that comprehensively address the needs of fathers, such as assisting them in finding employment, managing child support obligations, transitioning from a period of incarceration, accessing health care, understanding child development, and enhancing parenting skills. Services provided must be tailored to the needs of the father being served. Case management services must be provided by the grant recipient, either directly or by subcontract, to the fathers who are served by the grants under this section. If the father receiving case management services through a grant awarded under this section has a child receiving services from a public children services agency because the child is the subject of an abuse, neglect, or dependency proceeding, the case management services may be coordinated.

(2) Grants that provide evidence-based parenting education specifically for fathers. The grants under this section must not require case management services.

(B) The department must prioritize applicants for a grant based on the following:

(1) Need in a geographic area and the population to be served by the grant as indicated by the following:

(a) Unemployment rates;

(b) Incarceration rates;

(c) Housing instability;

(d) The number of single-parent households;

(e) The number of public benefit recipients;

(f) Graduation rates;

(g) Levels of academic achievement.

(2) Whether an applicant has a primary mission of, or a history of a significant focus on and effective work towards, addressing the needs of men in their role as fathers;

(3) Applicant current and historical involvement in the community being served;

(4) Applicant commitment and capability to employ competent staff who can effectively engage with the fathers being served, including individuals who share similar backgrounds as the fathers being served;

(5) The number of individuals the applicant plans to serve through the grant and the projected costs for the program;

(6) Applicant organizational capacity to effectively meet the requirements of the grant and to deliver the programs proposed by the applicant. The department may offer technical assistance to applicants and grant recipients that have lower organizational capacity if they have, or their leadership has, significant experience serving fathers.

(C) Grants are to be awarded for not more than three years, with subsequent funding contingent on compliance with grant requirements and adequate performance. Grant recipients must submit reports to the department in a format and at intervals, which must be at least annually, prescribed by the department. The RFI manager contracted with under section 5180.705 of the Revised Code may be a recipient of grants under this section.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 4:35 PM

Section 5180.707

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) A nonprofit organization that receives a grant under section 5180.706 of the Revised Code must address the unique needs of the fathers of children who are served by the organization. The organization must do all of the following:

(1) Conduct an initial assessment of its engagement with those fathers and its provision of and referral to father-oriented services;

(2) Create an action plan to address any gaps identified through the assessment and implement the action plan;

(3) Engage with the Ohio commission on fatherhood to build relationships with fathers, help identify their needs, assist them in accessing services, and communicate with the organization about the challenges faced by these fathers and how to appropriately meet their unique needs.

(B) The Ohio commission on fatherhood must annually review how all recipient organizations are meeting the needs of fathers, including how the organizations are helping fathers establish positive, stable relationships with their children and assisting fathers in receiving needed services. All recipient organizations must provide any relevant information on how they are meeting the needs of these fathers to the commission. The information must be included in the annual report required under section 5180.702 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 4:37 PM

Section 5180.71

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) Subject to division (E) of section 5101.801 of the Revised Code, there is hereby created the Ohio parenting and pregnancy program to provide services for pregnant women and parents or other relatives caring for children twelve months of age or younger that do both of the following:

(1) Promote childbirth, parenting, and alternatives to abortion;

(2) Meet one or more of the four purposes of the temporary assistance for needy families block grant as specified in 42 U.S.C. 601.

(B) To the extent permitted by federal law, the department of children and youth may provide funds under the program to entities with which the department enters into agreements under division (B)(3) of section 5101.801 of the Revised Code. In accordance with criteria the department develops, the department may solicit proposals from entities seeking to provide services under the program. The department may enter into an agreement with an entity only if it meets all of the following conditions:

(1) Is a private, not-for-profit entity;

(2) Is an entity whose primary purpose is to promote childbirth, rather than abortion, through counseling and other services, including parenting and adoption support;

(3) Provides services to pregnant women and parents or other relatives caring for children twelve months of age or younger, including clothing, counseling, diapers, food, furniture, health care, parenting classes, postpartum recovery, shelter, and any other supportive services, programs, or related outreach;

(4) Does not charge pregnant women and parents or other relatives caring for children twelve months of age or younger a fee for any services received;

(5) Is not involved in or associated with any abortion activities, including providing abortion counseling or referrals to abortion clinics, performing abortion-related medical procedures, or engaging in pro-abortion advertising;

(6) Does not discriminate in its provision of services on the basis of race, religion, color, age, marital status, national origin, disability, or gender.

(C) An entity that has entered into an agreement with the department under division (B)(3) of section 5101.801 of the Revised Code may enter into a subcontract with another entity under which the other entity provides all or part of the services described in division (B)(3) of this section. A subcontract may be entered into with another entity only if that entity meets all of the following conditions:

(1) Is a private, not-for-profit entity;

(2) Is physically and financially separate from any entity, or component of an entity, that engages in abortion activities;

(3) Is not involved in or associated with any abortion activities, including providing abortion counseling or referrals to abortion clinics, performing abortion-related medical procedures, or engaging in pro-abortion advertising.

(D) The director of children and youth shall adopt rules under division (C) of section 5101.801 of the Revised Code as necessary to implement the Ohio parenting and pregnancy program.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 11:40 AM

Section 5180.72

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) There is hereby created in the state treasury the "choose life" fund. The fund shall consist of the contributions that are paid to the registrar of motor vehicles by applicants who voluntarily elect to obtain "choose life" license plates pursuant to section 4503.91 of the Revised Code and any money returned to the fund under division (E)(1)(d) of this section. All investment earnings of the fund shall be credited to the fund.

(B)(1) At least annually, the director of children and youth shall distribute the money in the fund to any private, nonprofit organization that is eligible to receive funds under this section and that applies for funding under division (C) of this section.

(2) The director shall allocate the funds to each county in proportion to the number of "choose life" license plates issued during the preceding year to vehicles registered in each county. The director shall distribute funds allocated for a county as follows:

(a) To one or more eligible organizations located within the county;

(b) If no eligible organization located within the county applies for funding, to one or more eligible organizations located in contiguous counties;

(c) If no eligible organization located within the county or a contiguous county applies for funding, to one or more eligible organizations within any other county.

(3) The director shall ensure that any funds allocated for a county are distributed equally among eligible organizations that apply for funding within the county.

(C) Any organization seeking funds under this section annually shall apply for distribution of the funds based on the county in which the organization is located. An organization also may apply for funding in a county in which it is not located if it demonstrates that it provides services for pregnant women residing in that county. The director shall develop an application form and may determine the schedule and procedures that an organization shall follow when annually applying for funds. The application shall inform the applicant of the conditions for receiving and using funds under division (E) of this section. The application shall require evidence that the organization meets all of the following requirements:

(1) Is a private, nonprofit organization;

(2) Is committed to counseling pregnant women about the option of adoption;

(3) Provides services within the state to pregnant women who are planning to place their children for adoption, including counseling and meeting the material needs of the women;

(4) Does not charge women for any services received;

(5) Is not involved or associated with any abortion activities, including counseling for or referrals to abortion clinics, providing medical abortion-related procedures, or pro-abortion advertising;

(6) Does not discriminate in its provision of any services on the basis of race, religion, color, age, marital status, national origin, disability, gender, or age;

(7) If the organization is applying for funding in a county in which it is not located, provides services for pregnant women residing in that county.

(D) The director shall not distribute funds to an organization that does not provide verifiable evidence of the requirements specified in the application under division (C) of this section and shall not provide additional funds to any organization that fails to comply with division (E) of this section in regard to its previous receipt of funds under this section.

(E)(1) An organization receiving funds under this section shall do all of the following:

(a) Use not more than sixty per cent of the funds distributed to it for the material needs of pregnant women who are planning to place their children for adoption or for infants awaiting placement with adoptive parents, including clothing, housing, medical care, food, utilities, and transportation;

(b) Use not more than forty per cent of the funds distributed to it for counseling, training, or advertising;

(c) Not use any of the funds distributed to it for administrative expenses, legal expenses, or capital expenditures;

(d) Annually return to the fund created under division (A) of this section any unused money that exceeds ten per cent of the money distributed to the organization.

(2) The organization annually shall submit to the director an audited financial statement verifying its compliance with division (E)(1) of this section.

(F) The director, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, shall adopt rules to implement this section.

It is not the intent of the general assembly that the department create a new position within the department to implement and administer this section. It is the intent of the general assembly that the implementation and administration of this section be accomplished by existing department personnel.

(G) If funds that have been allocated to a county for any previous year have not been distributed to one or more eligible organizations, the director may distribute those funds in accordance with this section.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 11:48 AM

Section 5180.73

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

To increase participation in evidence-based parenting education programs, the department of children and youth shall ensure state departments, agencies, and boards have information to communicate with parents, caregivers, and child care providers about such programs to promote their benefits, including their parenting, caregiving, and educational resources.

Last updated August 5, 2025 at 3:03 PM

Section 5180.99

• Effective: September 30, 2025
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly

(A) Whoever violates division (B) of section 5180.275 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree.

(B) Whoever violates section 5180.403 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.

Last updated August 6, 2025 at 4:39 PM