The State Controlling Board on June 2 approved three waiver requests from the Ohio Department of Children and Youth to continue statewide services supporting foster‑care permanency, early‑childhood workforce credentials, and CASA/GAL operations.

Bridal Stout, speaking for the department, described item 147 as a renewal of a competitively awarded contract for the Connect model that centers older youth in permanency and case planning. Stout said the contract amount is $1 million per state fiscal year—“so it's $2,000,000 over the biennium,” she told the board.

On item 148, the department asked for a single‑source contract with the Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Agency (OCCRA) to run Ohio TEACH credentialing supports for childcare workers. Stout said the federal funds backing the program require working through a recognized entity and the department filed this as a single‑source request; the department said the contract is “a little over $4,800,000 over the biennium.”

Item 149 was a single‑source renewal with the Ohio CASA/GAL association to support court‑appointed special advocates and statewide technical assistance. Stout said the state role is to support recruitment, training and statewide monitoring, while county CASA organizations handle day‑to‑day casework.

Why it matters: these contracts fund programs that support foster youth permanency, childcare workforce training and court‑appointed volunteers—services with direct effects on children and counties across Ohio. Lawmakers pressed for clarity on amounts and program scope; the department clarified the per‑year and biennial amounts during testimony.

Discussion vs. action: the department explained the procurement history (one item was previously competitively bid and renewals are contemplated in the RFP; others were filed as single‑source due to statutory or federal program structures). The board approved the items by voice vote.

What’s next: the department said it will work with counties and the state CASA association to expand coverage in areas without local CASA programs and will provide clearer cost breakout language in future submissions when requested.