Dr. Kelly Jo Jeffries, director of Portage County Job and Family Services, briefed the Board of Commissioners Aug. 7 on program data, recent events and staffing proposals.

Jeffries said public assistance case counts were stable for May and June and noted a successful back-to-school voucher effort: the department had issued 687 vouchers and had 312 remaining to process, and a recent distribution event served more than 400 children with roughly 600 accompanying adults and 33 community partner agencies. She said the bridge program that connects child-support enforcement and workforce services produced seven referrals with five clients retaining or obtaining employment.

Jeffries highlighted a Benefit Bridge success story: a client who had struggled with repeated hospitalizations and incarceration is now housed, employed part time, has a driver’s license and is in recovery, credited in part to the program’s peer support.

On budgets and staffing, Jeffries proposed reducing the department’s baseline authorized positions from 210 to 195. She said the change is not intended to displace current employees; instead, the department has held vacancies and will rely on attrition to reach the lower baseline. Jeffries said the move is a precaution against potential state and federal funding changes — specifically noting a projected $150,000 state deficit tied to Benefit Bridge and broader uncertainty over federal SNAP and Medicaid changes. She said Ohio’s SNAP error rate is about 9%, above the 6% federal threshold, which could expose the state to repayment or require future adjustments; she described this as an area of active monitoring and state-level coordination.

Jeffries told the board that child protective services is in surplus—about $100,000—thanks in part to local levy support and budget actions, while other programs such as Benefit Bridge will require careful planning if state or federal allocations change. She asked for patience and support as the department holds positions open and monitors evolving policy and funding deadlines.

No formal board action was recorded on staffing changes during the meeting; Jeffries said the department has communicated with unions and is coordinating any staffing adjustments.