Section 3109.172. Child abuse and child neglect regional prevention councils

(A) As used in this section, "county prevention specialist" includes the following:

(1) Representatives of agencies responsible for the administration of children's services in the counties within a child abuse and child neglect prevention region established in section 3109.171 of the Revised Code;

(2) Providers of alcohol or drug addiction services or representatives of boards of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services that serve counties within a region;

(3) Providers of mental health services or representatives of boards of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services that serve counties within a region;

(4) Representatives of county boards of developmental disabilities that serve counties within a region;

(5) Representatives of the educational community appointed by the superintendent of the school district with the largest enrollment in the counties within a region;

(6) Juvenile justice officials serving counties within a region;

(7) Pediatricians, health department nurses, and other representatives of the medical community in the counties within a region;

(8) Counselors and social workers serving counties within a region;

(9) Head start agencies serving counties within a region;

(10) Child care providers serving counties within a region;

(11) Other persons with demonstrated knowledge in programs for children serving counties within a region.

(B) Each child abuse and child neglect prevention region shall have a child abuse and child neglect regional prevention council as appointed under divisions (C), (D), and (E) of this section. Each council shall operate in accordance with rules adopted by the department of job and family services pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

(C)

(1) Each board of county commissioners within a region may appoint up to two county prevention specialists to the council representing the county, in accordance with rules adopted by the department of job and family services under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

(2) The children's trust fund board may appoint additional county prevention specialists to each region's council at the board's discretion.

(3) A representative of the council's regional prevention coordinator shall serve as a nonvoting member of the council.

(D) Each council member appointed under division (C)(1) of this section shall be appointed for a two-year term. Each council member appointed under division (C)(2) or (3) of this section shall be appointed for a three-year term. A member may be reappointed, but for two consecutive terms only.

(E) A member may be removed from the council by the member's appointing authority for misconduct, incompetence, or neglect of duty.

(F) Council members shall not receive compensation for their service to the council.

(G) The representative of the regional prevention coordinator shall serve as chairperson of the council.

(H) Each council shall meet at least quarterly.

(I) Council members shall do all of the following:

(1) Attend meetings of the council on which they serve;

(2) Assist the regional prevention coordinator in conducting a needs assessment to ascertain the child abuse and child neglect prevention programming and services that are needed in their region;

(3) Collaborate on assembling the council's regional prevention plan based on children's trust fund board guidelines pursuant to section 3109.174 of the Revised Code;

(4) Assist the council's regional prevention coordinator with all of the following:

(a) Implementing the regional prevention plan, including monitoring fulfillment of child abuse and child neglect prevention deliverables and achievement of prevention outcomes;

(b) Coordinating county data collection;

(c) Ensuring timely and accurate reporting to the children's trust fund board.

(5) Any additional duties specified in accordance with rules adopted by the department pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

(J) Each council shall file with the children's trust fund board, not later than the due dates specified by the board, a progress report and an annual report regarding the council's child abuse and child neglect prevention programs and activities undertaken in accordance with the council's regional prevention plan. The reports shall contain all information required by the board.

Added by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 64, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2015.