Supports and Services for Expectant and Parenting Youth in Foster Care - Ohio
Youth's Parental Rights
This issue is not addressed in the laws and policies reviewed.
Placement Options
Citation: Rev. Code § 5107.24(A)
An 'adult-supervised living arrangement' is a family setting approved, licensed, or certified by the Department of Job and Family Services or other agency that is maintained by a person aged 18 or older who assumes responsibility for the care and control of a minor parent, pregnant minor, or child of a minor parent or provides the minor parent, pregnant minor, or child of a minor parent supportive services, including counseling, guidance, and supervision.
Health Services
This issue is not addressed in the laws and policies reviewed.
Parent Preparation for Expectant Youth
This issue is not addressed in the laws and policies reviewed.
Education and Services to Support Parenting Youth
Citation: Rev. Code § 5107.30
The department may conduct a earning, earning, and parenting program (LEAP) to encourage teens to complete high school. The LEAP program shall provide information on adoption as an option for unintended pregnancies to participating teens.
'Participating teen' means an individual to whom all the following apply:
- The individual is participating in the Ohio Works First (OWF) program.
- The individual is under age 18 or is age 18 and in school and is a natural or adoptive parent or is pregnant.
- The individual is subject to the LEAP program's requirements
Every participating teen shall attend school in accordance with the requirements governing the LEAP program unless the participating teen shows good cause for not attending school. The department shall provide, in addition to the cash assistance payment provided under the OWF program, an incentive payment, in an amount determined by the department, to every participating teen who attends school in accordance with the requirements governing the LEAP program. In addition to the incentive payment, the department may provide other incentives to participating teens who attend school in accordance with the LEAP program's requirements. The department shall reduce the cash assistance payment, in an amount determined by the department, under the OWF program to every participating teen who fails or refuses, without good cause, to meet the LEAP program's requirements.
Subject to the availability of funds, county departments shall provide for participating teens to receive support services the county department determines to be necessary for LEAP participation. Support services may include publicly funded child care, transportation, and other services.
For information on assisting youth participating in independent-living programs complete high school, see Educational Supports for Youth in Foster Care - Ohio | Child Welfare Information Gateway.
Economic and Concrete Supports
Citation: Rev. Code § 5107.24(D)
The department, whenever possible and to the extent permitted by Federal law and regulation, shall provide cash assistance under the OWF program to the parent, guardian, custodian, or specified relative of a pregnant minor or minor parent on behalf of the pregnant minor, minor parent, or minor parent's child.
Services and Supports for Parenting Youth That Promote Self-Sufficiency
Citation: Admin. Code § 5101:2-42-19
Independent living services are to be provided to each youth in the custody of a children's services agency as developmentally appropriate, no later than age 14, for normalcy and practical skills to prepare them for the transition from agency custody to self-sufficiency.
If an agency is providing independent living services to an eligible unmarried minor female who is pregnant or has a child and is part of an OWF assistance group, the agency must inform the local county department of the agency's involvement with the family to ensure coordination of services.
After conducting a life-skills assessment, the agency will determine which independent living services are needed by the youth. The services provided may include, but are limited to, the following:
- Academic support and postsecondary educational support
- Career preparation, employment programs, or vocational training
- Budget and financial management
- Housing education and home management training
- Health education and risk prevention
- Family support and healthy relationship and marriage education, including information about safe and stable families, healthy marriages, spousal communication, parenting, responsible fatherhood, child care skills, teen parenting, and domestic and family violence prevention
- Mentoring, including being matched with a screened and trained adult for a one-on-one relationship that involves the two meeting on a regular basis
- Supervision services for a youth placed in a supervised independent living arrangement
- Room and board financial assistance for rent, deposits, utilities, and other household start-up expenses
- Financial assistance, including direct cash assistance or other payments made or provided by the county agency to help the youth gain independence
Foster Care Prevention Strategy for any Child Born to the Youth
Citation: Admin. Code § 5101:2-45-02
Pregnant or parenting youth in foster care in need of prevention services, including those youth who are in extended foster care, are also eligible for family first prevention services when such services are designated in the family case plan or prevention services plan prior to the provision of services.