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Knox County Job and Family Services reports steady child-support collections, staffing strains and new program participation
Summary
Director Scott Boone told commissioners the county is handling about 3,100 child-support cases and has collected roughly $4.5 million this year; staffing shortages in public assistance are prompting consideration of call-center changes, and the county has joined the second cohort of the PACT program to improve practice with families.
Scott Boone, representing Knox County Job and Family Services, updated commissioners on program caseloads and operational changes.
Boone reported the county has about 3,100 child-support cases, roughly 467 'seek work' cases, approximately $4.5 million in collections for the year, a 97% paternity-establishment rate and about a 94% support-order-establishment rate. "A lot of it's formula based, but our staff are very attentive to the family needs," he said.
Boone said public assistance work is understaffed and those positions take about two years to fully acclimate; Knox County participates in an eight-county collaborative call center and is exploring whether to handle Knox County calls only while remaining associated with the collaborative for technical support and emergency backup.
He discussed workforce-board changes, noting the Central Ohio workforce board is now called Aspire and that Knox County is monitoring grants and discussions about responsibilities and potential financial impacts. Boone said the county was accepted into the second cohort of the Public Children Services Association of Ohio (PCSAO) PACT initiative (Practice and Action Together), a collaborative practice model intended to build communication and improve outcomes for families.
Regarding foster care and adoptions, Boone said the county is approaching a goal of 30+ licensed foster homes and expects 32 by 2026, with roughly 62 children currently in custody and two adoptions planned for early next year. To reduce costs and delays in permanency, the county’s in-house attorney and staff will begin filing some adoption paperwork for adoptive parents — Boone said that step can avoid private-attorney fees of about $2,000 and shorten lengthy filing waits.
Boone also flagged a regional fraud trend targeting older adults and said staff hope to arrange a March event with subject-matter expert Rick Meeker to educate the public and officials about the scams.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions but no formal action was taken on these program updates at the meeting.
