Bold Beginning Website Announcement
New Bold Beginning Webpages
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) Child Protective Services Unit members are excited to announce their participation in the Practice and Policy Academy (PPA), a collaboration with other state agencies and Ohio organizations to add new resources to the Governor’s Bold Beginning website. As part of its participation in the PPA, the team worked with Governor DeWine’s office to publish information on the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) of 2016 and Plans of Safe Care (PoSCs), which describe the services and supports to address the needs of infants prenatally exposed to substances, both legal and illegal, and their families.
The goals of the PPA state team are to provide education, training, and implementation strategies on PoSCs by addressing the needs of pregnant and postpartum women with substance use disorder. CARA information on the Bold Beginning Website will be located under the “Plans of Safe Care” pages, which include the following information:
- "Resources for Providers", which is for agencies and providers working with expectant mothers and includes the following resources:
- Background of CARA
- Resources for Plans of Safe Care
- Get Started with Plans of Safe Care
- County Resources and Tools
- Contact Us
- "Help for Families", which covers supports for pregnant women, families, and newborns impacted by a loved one's substance use disorder and includes the following resources:
- Get Help Now
- Resources for Expectant Mothers
- Contact Us
Ohio was selected as one of the states to participate in the Practice and Policy Academy in May of 2020. This multi-system academy is funded through Children and Family Futures, with the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) serving as the lead partner. The academy is comprised of representatives from OhioMHAS, ODJFS, Ohio Department of Health, Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, Ohio Department of Medicaid, Supreme Court of Ohio, Ohio State University, Cincinnati Children’s Medical Center, Ohio Perinatal Quality Collaborative, and several representatives from Ohio’s public children’s services agencies. Three Ohio counties were selected to participate in the PPA as pilot counties: Lucas, Mahoning, and Seneca. Although the Practice and Policy Academy has officially ended, the ODJFS Child Protective Services unit members along with all Ohio’s state team members will continue the work on educating and implementing CARA/PoSCs within each of Ohio’s counties. The additions to the Bold Beginning website are an exciting accomplishment, and the team hopes counties, providers, and families will find the site beneficial. Links to the webpages are listed below:
Plans of Safe Care for Providers | BOLD Beginning! (ohio.gov)
Plans of Safe Care for Expectant Mothers | BOLD Beginning! (ohio.gov)
If you have any questions, please contact: Deanna.Herold@jfs.ohio.gov or Allan.Kisner@dodd.ohio.gov.