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Job & Family Services reports steady caseloads, highlights child abuse prevention outreach
Summary
JFS Director Kelly Joe presented program metrics: ~3,200 call center calls in February, 14 active Benefit Bridge participants, ~82 children in foster care with seven preparing to emancipate, ~6,900 active child support cases issuing about $1.5M monthly, and two new hires raising staff to 179. The board also proclaimed April as Child Abuse Prevention Month and promoted community 'pinwheel' outreach and a senior forum.
Kelly Joe, Job & Family Services director, delivered the department's monthly data report and community program updates to the board.
On service metrics, Joe reported the customer service center received about 3,200 calls in February (down from January), while in‑person lobby traffic rose slightly. The department has 14 active participants in the Benefit Bridge program and continues to use Individual Training Accounts (ITAs) for workforce retraining (examples cited: CDL and nursing assistant training). Under CCMEP, about 200 young people aged 14–24 remain engaged; the child support division has about 6,900 active cases and distributes approximately $1.5 million each month to families.
On child welfare, Joe reported there are approximately 82 children in foster care and that seven of those youth are preparing to emancipate in the coming month; JFS will hold an annual graduation celebration in June. The department noted that shared placement agreements (IAT) and collaborative funding continue to place some children in community treatment placements the county helps fund as a preventive measure.
Joe also previewed two outreach items: a senior forum on April 22 at the Streetsboro Community Center that will include Social Security Administration and guardianship services representatives, and a Child Abuse Prevention Month campaign using pinwheels and an encouragement to wear blue on April 8.
"We are serving about 82 kiddos in foster care," Joe said, and highlighted the department's work placing youth into next steps and supporting families through prevention programs.
Next steps: JFS will continue reporting monthly metrics and return with any levy‑related informational materials as requested by the commissioners and will host the planned community events.
