Section 307.981. Designating entities as family services agencies

(A)

(1) As used in the Revised Code:

(a) "County family services agency" means all of the following:

(i) A child support enforcement agency;

(ii) A county department of job and family services;

(iii) A public children services agency.

(b) "Family services duty" means a duty state law requires or allows a county family services agency to assume, including financial and general administrative duties. "Family services duty" does not include a duty funded by the United States department of labor.

(2) As used in sections 307.981 to 307.989 of the Revised Code, "private entity" means an entity other than a government entity.

(B) To the extent permitted by federal law, including, when applicable, subpart F of 5 C.F.R. part 900, and subject to any limitations established by the Revised Code, including division (H) of this section, a board of county commissioners may designate any private or government entity within this state to serve as any of the following:

(1) A child support enforcement agency;

(2) A county department of job and family services;

(3) A public children services agency;

(4) A county department of job and family services and one other of those county family services agencies;

(5) All three of those county family services agencies.

(C) To the extent permitted by federal law, including, when applicable, subpart F of 5 C.F.R. part 900, and subject to any limitations of the Revised Code, including division (H) of this section, a board of county commissioners may change the designation it makes under division (B) of this section by designating another private or government entity.

(D) If a designation under division (B) or (C) of this section constitutes a change from the designation in a grant agreement between the director of job and family services and the board under sections 307.98 and 5101.21 of the Revised Code, the director may require that the director and board amend the grant agreement and that the board provide the director written assurances that the newly designated private or government entity will meet or exceed all requirements of the family services duties the entity is to assume.

(E) Not less than sixty days before a board of county commissioners designates an entity under division (B) or (C) of this section, the board shall notify the director of job and family services and publish notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the county of the board's intention to make the designation and reasons for the designation.

(F) A board of county commissioners shall enter into a written contract with each entity it designates under division (B) or (C) of this section specifying the entity's responsibilities and standards the entity is required to meet.

(G) This section does not require a board of county commissioners to abolish the child support enforcement agency, county department of job and family services, or public children services agency serving the county on October 1, 1997, and designate a different private or government entity to serve as the county's child support enforcement agency, county department of job and family services, or public children services agency.

(H) If a county children services board appointed under section 5153.03 of the Revised Code serves as a public children services agency for a county, the board of county commissioners may not redesignate the public children services agency unless the board of county commissioners does all of the following:

(1) Notifies the county children services board of its intent to redesignate the public children services agency. In its notification, the board of county commissioners shall provide the county children services board a written explanation of the administrative, fiscal, or performance considerations causing the board of county commissioners to seek to redesignate the public children services agency.

(2) Provides the county children services board an opportunity to comment on the proposed redesignation before the redesignation occurs;

(3) If the county children services board, not more than sixty days after receiving the notice under division (H)(1) of this section, notifies the board of county commissioners that the county children services board has voted to oppose the redesignation, votes unanimously to proceed with the redesignation.

Effective Date: 09-26-2003; 2007 HB119 09-29-2007