ODJFS has taken many steps to address the issues, concerns, and ideas that were raised during the administration’s transition, and we want to share with you and our partners the progress we have made over the last year.  We are proud to say we have facilitated new partnerships, built relationships, and used new methods and technology to assist in our mission to serve Ohioans.  To read more about our accomplishments, just click on the links at the left.

With the state’s transition to the new OAKS administrative software system and efforts to update other programs and information systems, ODJFS recognized the need for a chief information officer. In December, John Wanchick was appointed to this position. Over the next several months, John will restructure the Office of Management Information Services (MIS) to improve its around-the-clock computer operations and to make system changes and integration more agile.

The new structure will allow ODJFS to operate as a single enterprise, rather than as a federation of stovepiped programs, by focusing on improved project and portfolio management, architecture and engineering, and application development.

Along with welcoming a new chief information officer, MIS has been working to establish an IT strategic plan and has conducted “Meet and Greet” IT strategic plan overview meetings with deputy directors, program offices, and county agencies to clarify goals and objectives. These important efforts ensure that communication and logistics are handled efficiently. MIS is working to  implement several initiatives, such as a project support unit and a forum for working collaboratively with smaller and medium-sized counties.

Currently, MIS is in the following stages of development, implementation, and upgrading for these core systems:

SACWIS (State Automated Child Welfare Information System)
In 2007, as planned by the previous administration, the agency began rolling out SACWIS, the new case management system for county children services agencies. In response to the needs of the counties, the SACWIS Knowledge Base was established to provide responses to frequently asked questions. The SACWIS Forum was established as a vehicle for county and state users to discuss questions in an open dialogue. Children’s services agencies have been key participants in virtually every aspect of SACWIS development, beginning with the establishment of the system’s business requirements and continuing through system design and user acceptance testing. Once SACWIS is implemented, it will give ODJFS and our partners enhanced capability to track our children and their caregivers. Updates on SACWIS can be found at http://jfs.ohio.gov/sacwis/.

CRIS-E (Client Registry Information System -Enhanced)
MIS and the Office of Family Stability are working to upgrade CRIS-E, the online database that supports the processing of Ohio’s public assistance, food stamp, Disability Assistance, Medicaid, and related programs. The Office of Ohio Health Plans also has been involved in these discussions. With no new funding, the current plan is to upgrade the system incrementally, with child care eligibility included. The goal is to allow one-stop eligibility electronically for all programs.

While the new CRIS-E plans are being implemented, the Bureau of Child Care has moved forward with a separate vendor to assess child care certification, licensing, and payment processes. This work will help ensure efficient tracking and operations as the program expands and as the CRIS-E upgrade is developed.

Benefit Bank
One of the Strickland administration’s many initiatives is the Benefit Bank, which can be found online at http://www.thebenefitbank.com/. This program assists Ohioans with tax returns and helps them apply for various state and federal programs. It is administered by the Governor’s Office of Faith-Based Initiatives (GOFBI) and is coordinated by the Second Harvest Food Bank. ODJFS has been working with the Benefit Bank and our many partners to roll out training and implementation and to integrate a computer application so that county and state offices can accept information electronically.

MITS (Medicaid Information Technology System)
The Office of Ohio Health Plans has been immersed in the development of a new Medicaid Information Technology System (MITS). MITS will replace Ohio’s outdated, 23-year-old Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS) with a state-of-the-art, industry-standard system that will not only make it easier to give Medicaid consumers the best care for the best price, but will simplify data sharing between states, federal agencies, and health care providers. The first phases of the project were completed on schedule and within budget. In the most recent phase, a vendor has been selected and work begun on the software design and development.

SETS (Support Enforcement Tracking System)
SETS, the Web-based system that tracks case information to collect and  distribute the state’s child support funds, has seen many positive enhancements over the past five years. Among other things, the Bureau of Automated Systems and SETS has prepared for increases in federal tax refund offsets to pay past-due child support. It also has worked to ensure that the system is able to comply with new federal regulations.

SCOTI (Sharing Career Opportunities and Training Information)
SCOTI, the Web-based system that, among other things, matches Ohio employers with job seekers, is being redesigned through a phased approach. The first phase has three distinct features that will enhance the system’s self-service functionality. The second phase will focus on “Talent Bridge” initiatives. These are initiatives that focus more on broader employment issues, such as which skills, talents, and credentialing are needed to grow the state’s economy. One example is the Ohio Open Door Card program, which would use unspent federal Workforce Investment Act dollars to give Ohio workers access to education and retraining opportunities. ODJFS also is developing a “splash” page that will feature job opportunity data just before users are directed to the home page of a new Web site: www.Ohiomeansjobs.com.

The ODJFS leadership team realizes how important all of our partners are to us.  In 2007, we met with various County Directors and newspaper editorial boards via Director Jones-Kelley’s statewide tour. We held monthly meetings with partner organizations, worked to increase communication on policies and program implementation, and formed advisory committees, strategy meetings, and statewide workgroups. Below is a brief summary of some of our most important outreach efforts.

Federal Outreach
The director and assistant directors visited the regional and national offices of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to meet with key players, to share our vision, and to identify areas for improvement and growth.

A number of our program leaders have worked with federal officials and policy makers, to share and advocate for policy changes that would improve our ability to implement programs in Ohio. The following are just a few examples.

Deficit Reduction Act
The Office of Family Stability (OFS) has voiced agency concerns regarding the onerous work participation requirements that the 2005 federal Deficit Reduction Act set for the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program. OFS staff members also have expressed concerns about the recent federal TANF improper payments review being conducted by the HHS Office of Inspector General.

WIA (Workforce Investment Act)
The Office of Workforce Development has advocated on the federal level on the reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act, unemployment compensation, and the Trade Adjustment Act legislative proposals that are pending in Congress.

Child Care
The Bureau of Child Care and Development created an audio presentation titled “Family, Friend & Neighbor Care,” which was played during a conference call with other state administrators. Ohio hosted the 2007 “Peer to Peer” discussion on child care quality rating systems for the six ACF-designated “Region V” states (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin).  It is scheduled to host the 2008 “Peer to Peer” discussion, as well.

County Outreach
ODJFS has worked with counties to remove barriers, to rebuild trust, and to foster understanding. By embracing them as partners, we believe we have made it easier for them to serve our families.

Statewide Workgroups and Strategy Meetings
In 2007 we eliminated the executive leadership committees and instead developed a new statewide workgroup process. The workgroups engage counties and workforce areas in finding solutions to systemic, cross-cutting issues that face ODJFS, its customers, and stakeholders. ODJFS has received 15  workgroup requests and is working to develop solutions to program and services issues related to the following  topics:

• The State Hearing Process
• Disability Determination
• Income Maintenance Control
• Child Support Deficit Reduction
• State/County Fiscal Issues

Along with these workgroups, offices have held strategy meetings with existing advisory board members and stakeholders to address office-level issues, to get feedback, and to work together to solve problems.

Medicaid
The Office of Ohio Health Plans has worked intensively with staff from the Ohio Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (MR/DD) to address areas of concern raised by CMS, such as the delegation of ODJFS Medicaid authority to MR/DD and/or the county boards. We are hopeful that the governor’s creation of the Executive Medicaid Management Administration (EMMA) will more satisfactorily address these issues, as EMMA will coordinate the management and implementation of the Ohio Medicaid program across five state agencies, 144 county governmental authorities, and 13 PASSPORT administrative agencies.

CPOE (Child Protection Oversight and Evaluation)
CPOE Quality Improvement Plans (QIP) are a collaboration between county agencies and ODJFS to bring about positive changes in child welfare practice. In preparation for completing the Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) Statewide Assessment, ODJFS and its community partners will examine the issues associated with meeting the educational needs of foster children.  Additionally, this issue will be examined further during the CFSR on-site review.  The latest information can be found at  http://jfs.ohio.gov/ocf/gen_info.stm.

Child Support
In partnership with the counties, the Office of Child Support has made several changes to its rules and/or interpretations to ensure continued improved services for Ohio families and children. One change removed some restrictions that prevented child support enforcement agencies from terminating services. Another allows certain child support enforcement activities provided by probation officers to be eligible for federal reimbursement.

Protect Ohio-Child Welfare Waiver Project
ODJFS continues to implement Protect Ohio, the state’s Title IV-E Waiver Demonstration Project. The purpose of the project is to determine whether giving counties flexible Title IV-E spending (1) improves the way they manage their child welfare programs and (2) improves outcomes for children and families.  This program is being implemented in 18 counties and, as a result of a recent federal decision, will be allowed to continue.

PAMS (Public Assistance Monthly Statistics)
ODJFS is exploring ways to improve the PAMS report, the monthly report that shows statewide and county-specific data on six ODJFS program areas: Ohio Works First, Title I-E foster care and adoption assistance, Disability Assistance, food stamps, Medicaid, and child care programs. The Bureau of Research and Evaluation completed extensive revisions to the “actual expenditures” and “mandated share” reports and found that changes would help the state and counties better understand the data that the reports generate.

County Profiles
The Office of Research, Assessment, and Accountability’s Performance Center recently posted 88 county profiles, an Appalachian profile, and an Ohio profile to the Innerweb, to give county agencies and others immediate access to demographic and performance data. The profiles include such things as the average age and income level of county residents, the percentage of the county’s population receiving food stamps and OWF benefits, and the number of 1-year-old who received medical exams through the HEALTHCHEK program, to cite just a few examples. The profiles can be found online at http://jfs.ohio.gov/county/cntypro/index.stm.

County Fiscal Assistance
Because the state and counties are preparing for future federally required A-133 audits, all county audits have been stopped for the time being. ODJFS recognized the need to catch up on the backlog of audits and to begin to prepare for the new federal requirements. The Office of Research, Assessment, and Accountability (ORAA) and the Chief Inspector will soon begin designing a program that conducts program and fiscal monitoring with the counties and partner organizations. As always, ODJFS will continue to advise and inform county fiscal staff about the latest rules and procedures. In addition, the Bureau of County Finance/Technical Assistance plans to visit county staff more frequently and to provide more technical assistance and training, as needed. The bureau has worked to respond to questions more quickly and also is working with MIS to develop an electronic invoice tracking system for counties.

Communication
In an effort to assist rural counties, representatives from the Bureau of County Finance/Technical Assistance and ORAA toured the state to hear ideas from county staff about ways the agency can be more responsive. After those meetings, a number of improvements were made, including the development of "Advisory Bulletins," which are sent to county agencies to inform them about potential fiscal issues before those issues develop.

In addition, the Office of Contracts and Acquisitions has been providing monthly “cluster meeting” consultations with each program area to better plan the workflow and priorities of contracts and requests for proposals (RFPs). At these meetings, agreement managers are given a forum for addressing all pending contractual needs and upcoming RFPs. OCA is restructuring its contracts and RFPs to speed processing time and to accommodate large numbers of responses. This will increase efficiency and assist counties, as well.

In 2007, OHP staff implemented many of the recommendations made by the Medicaid Administrative Study Council and the Auditor of State. These included the following:

EMMA (Executive Medicaid Management Administration)
Establishment of the Executive Medicaid Management Administration (EMMA).  On December 10, 2007, Governor Strickland signed an executive order establishing EMMA, an independent, cabinet-level office that will facilitate Ohio having more uniform policies and standards for Ohio's medicaid program by coordinating the policy and decision making across sister state agencies and the service delivery systems they manage.

OHP continued to make progress on the Cash Medical Support initiative, a collaboration with the Office of Child Support and county agencies. For children receiving Medicaid and child support, the support-paying parent is required to pay cash medical support to defray the cost of Medicaid expenditures. Each year, the director updates a table used to determine the amount of cash medical support to be paid. Once new federal medical support regulations become final in the spring of 2008, the Ohio initiative will be implemented. For more information, see http://jfs.ohio.gov/Ocs/NMSN_brochure.pdf.

In 2008, Ohio will begin participating in a five-year “Money Follows the Person” demonstration project, in which it may receive up to $100 million in enhanced federal matching funds to relocate approximately 2,200 seniors and persons with disabilities from institutions to home and community-based settings. The program will provide them with services to keep them independent, and it could also help Ohio rebalance its long-term care service and support structure.

The Center for Health Care Services awarded OHP a Pay for Performance (AKA “P4P”) grant to pay for technical assistance and scholarships for Medicaid providers to attend the Pay for Performance Institute. This initiative provides incentives for physicians to increase health care quality and outcomes.

The newly renovated building was the state’s first “green” office building, complete with a rainwater recycling system, low-flow plumbing, and energy-efficient windows, among other features. It also, for the first time ever, houses all 450 OHP staff members within a single location.

Efforts in 2008
The biennial state budget approved in June 2007 authorized the expansion of Ohio’s Medicaid program to more of Ohio’s uninsured children, pregnant women, and workers with disabilities. Below is an outline of the programs:

Coverage for Youths Aging Out of Foster Care
In January 2008, to support youths aging out of the foster care system, the Medicaid program began providing free health care to former foster care youths until they reach age 21. Previously, medical benefits ceased at age 18. With this new initiative, case managers responsible for transitioning 18-year-olds to community resources have been directed to continue their enrollment in the Medicaid program. Those younger than 21 who have already left the foster system can contact their local county offices to apply. This expansion is expected to provide coverage for 800 to 1,200 young people.

Children’s Coverage (up to age 19)
 Federal regulators denied Ohio’s request to expand Medicaid coverage to children in families earning up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). In response, Ohio submitted a request to cover families earning 250 percent of the FPL. The outcome of this is dependent on the outcome of the ongoing debate between the states, Congress, and the president over the reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Once federal approval is granted, an implementation date can be set for this expansion. Depending on their income, some families may have to pay a monthly premium of $40 per child ($120 maximum) to qualify. It is estimated that an additional 20,000 uninsured children could be eligible.

Children’s Buy-In (CBI) Program
Funded with state general revenue dollars only, CBI is exclusively for Ohio’s uninsured children in families earning more than 300 percent of the FPL. CBI will allow working families that have uninsured children with special health needs or high monthly premiums to purchase public health coverage for their children. Children must be uninsured for six months prior to enrolling and meet additional criteria in order to qualify.

Pregnant Women (any age)
Medicaid’s Healthy Start program raised the income limit for pregnant women to qualify from 150 percent to 200 percent of the FPL. Once eligible, pregnant women can receive care for up to 60 days postpartum at no cost to them.  In addition, babies born to Healthy Start mothers automatically qualify for Medicaid during their first year of life. This expansion took place in January 2008, and is expected to cover 3,000 additional pregnant women.

Medicaid Buy-In for Workers with Disabilities
People with disabilities whose income is at or below 250 percent of the FPL will be able to find and keep jobs without risk of losing their Medicaid health benefits.

Currently, employment earnings can disqualify people with disabilities from receiving Medicaid. This presents a challenge since these applicants typically have conditions that private insurers do not cover. Under the new system, they will be able to contribute to Ohio’s economy, keep more of their income, and maintain their health care benefits. Depending on income, monthly premiums may apply.

http://jfs.ohio.gov/ocf/

Sandra Holt, Deputy Director

Early Learning and Child Care
Early in 2007, the governor created the Early Childhood Cabinet to unite key state agencies around the common goal of promoting school readiness by setting and coordinating state policy and programs that serve Ohio’s children from birth through age 6. Alicia Leatherman, formerly executive director of the Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association, was appointed director. Although the cabinet is based at ODJFS, six Ohio agencies are involved: the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services, the Ohio Department of Education, ODJFS, the Ohio Department of Health, the Ohio Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, and the Ohio Department of Mental Health. The following were two of the cabinet’s major initiatives in 2007:

Step Up To Quality
Step Up To Quality (SUTQ) is Ohio’s voluntary quality rating system for child care programs. It is designed to increase the number of high-quality programs, recognize and support programs that achieve higher quality standards, and provide parents with an easy-to-use tool to assist them in making more informed choices on behalf of their children. At the start of 2007, 620 programs across the state were participating. Since then, 400 more—from 65 counties—have applied, and an additional 80 are waiting for verification. Programs with the highest ratings qualify for monetary awards. So far, 172 quality achievement awards totaling $1.6 million have been distributed. For more information, see http://jfs.ohio.gov/cdc/stepUpQuality.stm.

At the same time that he created the Early Childhood Cabinet, Governor Strickland signed an executive order raising the maximum child care reimbursement rates for qualifying families to the 65th percentile of a 2006 market survey.  Then he signed another executive order suspending normal rulemaking procedures so that the increased reimbursement rates would take effect immediately. In addition, market rate requirements are now a part of the Ohio Revised Code and are revisited every two years during biennial budget negotiations.

Early Learning Initiative
The Early Learning Initiative (ELI), formerly the Head Start Plus program, uses TANF funds to pay for early learning experiences for qualifying children, ages 3 through school age, who are identified as being at risk of school failure. ELI was expanded and modified in 2007 to eliminate the work requirement for parents and to institute a 12-month recertification period. In addition, the enrollment structure was adjusted to give providers more consistent funding and reimbursement. From June 2006 through July 2007, 102 agencies were providing ELI services, with 16,655 children served. For more information, see http://jfs.ohio.gov/CDC/eli.stm.

Kinship Permanency
The biennial state budget approved in June 2007 expanded eligibility requirements for the Kinship Permanency Incentive (KPI) program. KPI provides time-limited incentive payments to relatives caring for minor children who would be at risk of harm if they remained in their own homes. The changes removed the requirement that a juvenile court must first find the child to be abused, neglected, dependent, or unruly.  Updates on this project can be found at http://jfs.ohio.gov/families/foster_care/index.stm and http://jfs.ohio.gov/families/kinship/index.stm

Education and Training Voucher Program
The Education and Training Voucher (ETV) program offers funds to foster youth and former foster youth so that they can attend colleges, universities, and vocational training institutions. In 2007, ODJFS contracted with the Orphan Foundation of America (OFA)—a national organization that provides education, mentoring, and workforce development services for teens aging out of the foster system—to administer a program helping foster youth in Ohio obtain post secondary education and training. Under the contract, OFA will provide eligibility and fund disbursement services. Through a network of volunteers, it also will monitor and support student progress and will monitor and report on the intended outcomes of the program.

Alternative Response Pilot Project
In June 2007, ODJFS and the Supreme Court of Ohio began developing the Alternative Response Pilot Project, an experiment that will allow caseworkers more flexibility in deciding how to respond to reports of suspected child abuse and neglect. In 10 participating pilot counties, caseworkers will be required to use an “alternative response” to at least 25 percent of all reports of abuse and neglect. Instead of beginning a traditional investigation, they will respond with a “family assessment,” in which they will assess the needs of the child or family without first getting a formal court disposition. The assessments will be conducted in a non-threatening, non-adversarial manner, and will show what services the family needs to ensure the well-being and safety of its children. Caseworkers will then offer those services. The project will begin on July 1, 2008, and last for 19 months. The results will show whether the family assessment system is an effective early intervention method, to stop child abuse and neglect before they occur. For additional information, see  http://www.ohiochildlaw.com.

Adoption Tax Credit
In May 2007 Governor Strickland signed Senate Bill 20, which increased the adoption tax credit in Ohio from $500 to $1,500. ODJFS supported this bill, which provides a further incentive for individuals to adopt children through the public system.

Shared Vision for Youth
Shared Vision for Youth is a national effort to help needy, out-of-school, at-risk youth make a successful transition to adulthood. In 2007, Ohio had $174,000 in unobligated Shared Vision funds (federal and state), which are targeted for the “neediest youth,” including youth aging out of foster care. Ohio allocated a portion of this funding to the OHIO (Overcoming Hurdles in Ohio) Youth Advisory Board, a group of young people ages 14 to 23, all of whom have experienced foster care. With support from the Ohio Independent Living Association and the Public Children Services Association of Ohio, the Youth Advisory Board seeks to influence policy and practice by bringing their knowledge and personal experience to the table. They have met with Governor Strickland, legislators, and ODJFS and are committed to providing leadership and advocacy for Ohio’s young people transitioning out of the foster system.

Independent Living
In 2007 ODJFS allocated $2.5 million in TANF funds to public children’s services agencies (PCSAs) to provide independent living services to youth ages 16 and older who were in the agency’s custody and to young adults ages 18 to 21 who were emancipated from the agency’s care. PCSAs were also allowed to use the funds to provide independent living services to youth under the age of 16 who were likely to remain in custody until their eighteenth birthdays. Services included life skills development training, education and vocational training, preventive health activities, financial assistance, housing, employment and education, self-esteem counseling, and assistance with developing positive relationships and support systems.

Ohio Children’s Trust Fund
The Strickland administration has made a commitment to strengthen and stabilize the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund, which provides leadership in promoting child abuse and neglect prevention programs. The Trust Fund accomplishes its mission by collecting small fees on birth and death certificates, as well as on dissolution decrees.  It has an annual revenue of approximately $3.4 million.  In August 2007, Candace Valach was named executive director. For more information about the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund, see http://jfs.ohio.gov/OCTF/.

Jeanne Carroll, Deputy Director

http://jfs.ohio.gov/ofam/index.stm

Food Stamp Error Rate
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) requires states to conduct monthly quality assessment reviews, to keep track of any errors made in the administration of their food stamp programs. To encourage states to keep their error rates as low as possible, the FNS can impose sanctions on states that exceed 105 percent of the national-average error rate for two consecutive years. During 2006 Ohio was sanctioned for having two consecutive years (FFY 2004 and FFY 2005) of dollar error rates above the national average. As of June 2007, however, Ohio’s error rate had improved to such a degree that it was no longer in penalty status for FFY 2006. ODJFS is working with its county partners to continue all improvement initiatives.

Deficit Reduction Act
The new TANF work participation requirements set by the 2005 Deficit Reduction Act continue to be a struggle for most states, which have found the rules to be bureaucratic, cumbersome, and difficult to implement. Nationally, Ohio has advocated for changes to the policy. At the same time, OFS continues to provide training and technical assistance to counties to help them meet the new standards. One way it has done this is through a series of County Roundtable discussions, to support county implementation efforts and to ensure consistency.

Family Violence Option
Ohio adopted the TANF Family Violence Option. This allows states to waive some TANF program requirements for victims of domestic violence so that their safety isn’t jeopardized. (For example, a victim would not be required to interact with her abuser to obtain child support.) The Family Violence Option allows caseworkers to identify victims of domestic violence, refer them to appropriate services, and protect their confidentiality.

Closing the Achievement Gap
OFS staff have worked collaboratively on the Governor’s Closing the Achievement Gap initiative to improve high-school graduation rates for students with the highest rates of failure, particularly African-American males. With $10 million in TANF funds earmarked for each year of the biennial budget, the program was launched in the fall. It is being led by former State Senator C.J. Prentiss, who is working from the Ohio Department of Education, and is being piloted at 13 school districts with high dropout rates.

Disaster Assistance
After nine northwest Ohio counties were deluged with six to nine inches of rain on August 20, 2007, Governor Strickland declared a state of emergency. State resources were used to help affected Ohioans recover from this disaster as quickly as possible. Eligible families received TANF disaster assistance benefits of up to $1,500, and eligible elderly or disabled individuals without children received up to $750 of Non-TANF assistance benefits.

SETS (Support Enforcement Tracking System)
The Office of Child Support (OCS) was ranked third in the nation for child support collections in 2007. The state manages its collections with SETS, a Web-based system that tracks case information to collect and distribute the state’s child support funds. Because of a recent rule change, more parents will have their federal income tax refunds taken for past due support. OCS and MIS staff have been preparing SETS for those additional tax offset cases.

Partnerships
In August 2007, OCF began a partnership with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections to develop initiatives to make it easier for incarcerated parents to pay child support after exiting the system. Many groups are involved in this effort, including county child support professionals, probation officers, DRC educators, and the Ohio CSEA (Child Support Enforcement Agency) Directors’ Association (OCDA).

County State Initiative
OCF began a new County State Initiative in 2007, in which county, state, and association staff meet twice each quarter to improve Ohio’s child support program.  The team works together to review, identify, and disseminate information related to policy interpretation, technical assistance, or any other relevant issue.  Through technical assistance and monthly video conferences, the initiative helps give counties the support they need to administer Ohio’s child support program effectively.

Ohio’s workforce development system is in the process of a total transformation, the groundwork for which was laid in 2007. ODJFS has worked closely with the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) and the University System of Ohio (USO) to realign services to key customer groups, eliminate duplication, and greatly simplify access to services. The following were some of the great strides made in 2007 to offer improved services for workers and job seekers and to build a workforce with the skills and credentials necessary for Ohio to successfully compete in the global economy.

OSB will support each of Ohio’s 12 economic development regions as they analyze their critical skill shortages and then strengthen their local adult education and credentialing efforts. It will fundamentally reframe the relationship between the regions, adult education, and training, and will turn adult education institutions into demand-driven engines of economic development. For more information, see http://www.ohioworkforce411.gov/workforceprof/OhioSkillsBank.stm.

Incumbent Worker Services
In 2007 Ohio began intensifying its efforts to offer skills training to workers employed in growth industries. ODJFS obtained enhanced waiver authority from the U.S. Department of Labor to use portions of unspent WIA Rapid Response funding to partner with ODOD in offering services for incumbent workers.

Another critical component of incumbent worker services is the Ohio Workforce Guarantee. Under an agreement between ODJFS and ODOD, the Ohio Workforce Guarantee uses WIA and state funding to offer grants to firms locating or expanding in Ohio that plan to create new, high-paying jobs. Initiatives being undertaken by the USO will help provide these firms with the skilled workforces they need.

Rapid Response
The Rapid Reponse Unit is the part of the Office of Workforce Development that works with employers planning mass layoffs or plant closings to assess what services are needed to help the affected workers and to provide them with on-site services. With its partners, ODJFS is redesigning the Rapid Response services that it offers to workers. While retaining a locally directed, community-based effort, the agency is establishing standards for timeliness, content, and quality of the response. For more information, see http://www.ohioworkforce411.gov/workforceprof/RapidResponse.stm.

Ohio Jobs Strikeforce
An initiative designed to stop layoffs before they happen is the Ohio Jobs Strikeforce. The Strikeforce provides expertise and assistance to Ohio  companies in financial distress and in danger of layoffs or plant closure. The Strikeforce also provides grant funds to qualified companies to help prevent such crises.  Qualified companies must go through a competitive bidding process for consulting services. Consultants must provide budgets and work plans showing how their efforts would prevent layoffs or closure, and the company must then submit its chosen plan to the Strikeforce. If a Strikeforce contract is approved, the consulting services are delivered within six months. For more information, see  http://www.governor.ohio.gov/Home/tabid/211/Default.aspx.

Unemployed Worker Services
In 2007, Ohio corrected some unintended inequalities in services offered to unemployed workers. It was discovered that workers involved in long-term lockouts were declared eligible for WIA-funded services in some parts of the state but not in others. To correct that situation, a statewide policy was implemented ensuring that workers throughout Ohio would be afforded the  same access to federal assistance. Similarly, workforce staff realized that laid-off workers in parts of the state with high unemployment were unable to support themselves with transitional jobs while receiving the training necessary for them to enter careers that could sustain their families. Therefore, a policy was implemented providing such workers with WIA-funded financial assistance while requests for emergency federal support are being processed.

Family Health Insurance
Ohio has begun using WIA funds to help workers in trade-impacted layoffs retain their family health insurance until federal assistance can be accessed. The  federal Trade Act programs help those who become unemployed as a result of increased imports from, or shifts in production to, foreign countries. Such workers may be eligible for income support, relocation allowances, job search allowances, and a health coverage tax credit. It often takes a considerable amount of time, however, before qualifying applicants actually receive benefits. Ohio’s policy of providing WIA funds to help families pay for health insurance before federal assistance is available has become a model for other states. It also reflects the principles to be included in future enhancements of the Trade Act.

Apprentice System Expansion
Onio's apprenticeship program provides on-the-job training and related instruction for qualified applicants seeking employment in skilled occupations. In 2007 the Ohio State Apprenticeship Council—using a key investment of WIA funds—expanded the program to include occupations in new and growing fields, such as health care, energy, information technology, and advanced manufacturing. For more information, see http://jfs.ohio.gov/apprenticeship/

The Military Injury Relief Fund

The Military Injury Relief Fund provides grant money to Ohio soldiers injured while serving on active duty. In 2007, using WIA statewide funds, ODJFS began piloting a transitional job training program for returning soldiers, with services provided at the state’s One-Stop Centers. The program has been so successful that a number of other states have replicated it. For more information, see http://www.odjfs.state.oh.us/veterans/new/mirf.asp.

UI Review Under Way
Unemployment insurance (UI) is an employer-paid tax.  The money collected is used to assist unemployed workers in their transition to new employment by paying benefits to those workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own.  In December 2007, Dr. Wayne Vroman, a nationally known economist and actuary with the Urban Institute, a nonpartisan economic and social policy research organization, began working on a comprehensive analysis of Ohio’s UI program.  The final report and recommendations are scheduled to be completed in mid-2008.

Tax Integrity Efforts
In 2007, the Office of Unemployment Compensation (OUC) collected more than $1 million from employers who committed unemployment tax avoidance schemes. These  were the largest recoveries made by ODJFS since 2005,  when Ohio passed a law outlawing “SUTA dumping,” an accounting scheme designed to help employers evade UC experience rating systems. (“SUTA” stands for State Unemployment Tax Act.)  In cooperation with the IRS, OUC received a total of 116 IRS SS-8 audit determinations. SS-8s are documents in which the IRS has determined that employers have misclassified workers as independent contractors. OUC researched these leads and issued assignments to auditors. Through December 2007, 26 assignments were completed and 23 resulted in findings. Based on these findings, $5,048,787.44 in total wages and $2,197,226.97 in taxable wages that were underreported by these employers and 390 individuals were reclassified from independent contractor to employee status.

Reemployment Eligibility Assessment Program
The Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment (REA) program is designed to provide job search assistance to individuals who are most likely to exhaust their unemployment benefits.  Job seekers take the Barriers to Employment Success Inventory (BESI), a computerized assessment designed to identify barriers to employment, and staff assist them in developing a customized return to work plan based on the results.  This return to work plan provides referral and access to the many services provided throughout Local One-Stops in Ohio.  This Office of Unemployment Compensation (OUC) program began in 2005 by serving 10,000 Ohioans.  In 2007 the staff, utilizing the REA program, provided services to over 28,000 Ohioans.

Social Security Offset
In November 2007 Governor Strickland signed a law eliminating the Social Security offset for unemployment compensation.  Prior to that, Ohio was the  only state in the nation to deduct 100 percent of recipients’ social security benefits from their unemployment benefits.  The new law took effect on January 1, 2008.  Approximately 3,000 Ohioans were affected.

Service Integration
The offices of Workforce Development OWD) and Unemployment Compensation have been working together since 2005 on piloting the integration of Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and Trade Act programs at the local level.  This is designed to leverage resources, eliminate duplication, and make it easier for our common customers to obtain reemployment as quickly as possible.  This integration has achieved a 71.5 percent co-enrollment rate in pilot areas, which is higher than co-enrollment rates in non-pilot areas.  It also has strengthened relationships with our partners, opened lines of communication, and fostered additional creative ideas for other ways to integrate services.  In November 2007, OUC and OWD launched a statewide rollout of this program integration initiative.  The goal is to have the entire state of Ohio integrated by the end of FFY 2010.