County officials and providers urge Senate to address child placement crisis, oppose one-size-fits-all foster rate card

County commissioners and child welfare providers told the Senate Health Committee that Ohio is in a placement crisis for children with complex behavioral needs and urged maintained funding plus careful policy development rather than a rapid statewide rate card change.

Jack Everson, a Ross County commissioner testifying for the County Commissioners Association of Ohio, described statewide increases in placement costs and said counties pay nearly three-quarters of placement costs. "Placement costs have increased all across the settings and now have outpaced inflation," Everson said, citing rises in foster home, group home and residential treatment costs.

Christina…