Ohio START: Pathway to Sobriety and Stability
A successful Lucas County Children Services program that helps families achieve sobriety, safety, and stability is expanding to help more families escape addiction. Ohio START stands for Sobriety, Treatment and Reducing Trauma. It brings together LCCS caseworkers, behavioral health and treatment providers, and court personnel to help parents achieve sobriety, and help children heal […]
Preparing Teens for Young Adulthood
Editor’s note: In a previous edition of Caring for Kids, we introduced you to the LCCS Independent Living caseworkers and advocates who work directly with youth ages 14-18. This article explores how that LCCS team prepares some 200 teens for young adulthood and beyond. Teens live in a lot of different settings in Lucas County—with foster or kinship caregivers, in group homes, and, […]
January – LCCS Community Conversation
Lucas County Children Services is starting the New Year by bringing its community conversation events to a new neighborhood. LCCS will be at the Heatherdowns Branch Library, 3265 Glanzman Rd, Toledo, OH 43614 on Monday January 26, from 5 – 7pm This community conversation and listening session will provide the opportunity for residents to […]
National Homeless Youth Awareness Month
November is designated as National Homeless Youth Awareness Month (NHYAM). This important recognition raises awareness and promotes action to help young people experiencing homelessness. Organizations and individuals participate in events, supply drives, education, and social media campaigns to highlight the issue and support vulnerable youth. Unlike general homelessness awareness, this month specifically addresses the unique […]
Successful Ride-Alongs
Each October, the Public Children Services Association of Ohio (PCSAO) asks its member county agencies to reach out to their elected representatives and invite them to “ride along” with caseworkers doing the hard job of ensuring the safety of children. The hope is that legislators will become more familiar with the needs of children services […]
Doctors in the House
LCCS is doing its part to ensure that future pediatricians recognize and understand the impact of child abuse even before they begin seeing patients of their own. The agency recently welcomed Dr. Grace Cudjo and Dr. Astha Poudel, pediatric residents from Mercy St. Vincent’s Hospital, for a day-long training with our child welfare professionals. They […]
Protecting Children’s Health
For any number of reasons, children who become involved with Lucas County Children Services may not have had the benefit of quality, consistent healthcare in their past. Their families may have moved a lot, lacked transportation, or were unable to afford medical care. Fortunately, youth whose families do become involved with LCCS receive the important […]
Promoting Safe Sleep Practices Across Lucas County
October marked SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and Safe Sleep Awareness Month, and Lucas County Children Services (LCCS) has been working hard to educate families on the importance of safe sleep for infants. In partnership with several community agencies, LCCS is committed to raising awareness and providing resources to keep babies safe. “Ensuring infants have […]
Welcome to the Team: Dedra Brown Joins Parent Empowerment Institute!
We’re excited to welcome Dedra Brown to the Parent Empowerment Institute as our newest Parent Advocate! In this role, Ms. Brown will be supporting parents through group facilitation, one-on-one connections, and sharing resources—all grounded in her deep understanding of the challenges many families face. What sets Dedra apart is her powerful lived experience, which gives […]
LCCS Begins New Fellowship Program
Lucas County Children Services is offering a new fellowship program to encourage students studying fields other than social work to consider a career in child protective services. The paid program allows students working toward bachelor’s degrees in fields such as sociology, psychology, criminal justice or family studies; or who have earned associate’s degrees in any […]