Dec. 18—This year’s flurry of activity at the Lake County Department of Job and Family Services shows no signs of slowing as the office continues to adapt to and prepare for transitions at both the local and state levels.

Through it all, Director Suzanne Casar noted, the department remains committed to its mission of serving the public by providing programs to the citizens in a manner that recognizes and preserves individual rights, responsibilities and dignity so families can restore, maintain or improve their capabilities for self-support.

“Our Child Support Division continues to enforce child support orders and also offers free genetic testing to parents/caretakers who need parentage established for their child,” she said, adding the division can also help with the establishment of support orders. “Our team (also) attended various community events to answer questions and provide information to the community about the services we offer.”

This year, the division incorporated initiatives created by Gov. Mike DeWine’s office with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and the new Ohio Department of Children and Youth, including the Ohio Adoption Grant Program, which provides financial incentives to families adopting.

“Many of our adoptive families are already in it and are fully ready to adopt a child that has been placed in their home, but the grant gives them that peace of mind and helps to smooth the transition from foster to legal parent,” Casar said. “Another great addition has been all of the kinship programs that have been developed and continued into 2023, including the Kinship Support and Kinship Guardianship Assistance programs which provide financial assistance to kin and relatives looking to have children placed into their homes.”

The Adult Protective Services Division, she added, also continued opportunities to work with advocates for vulnerable seniors in the community, as “the department remains able to employ a fully dedicated group of social workers who are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our seniors.”

The office faced challenging elements earlier this year, Casar noted, in overseeing the ending of pandemic assistance, with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program emergency allotments ending in February, and the Medicaid unwinding period, which will continue into March, the latter a redetermination to ensure those retaining eligibility are financially qualified.

All Medicaid recipients had coverage retained during the public health emergency.

Additional department challenges included “placement crisis” in the Children Services Division.

“We’re making close to 100 calls per child to secure a place that will at least meet their basic needs, and Lake County is not alone in this as nearly all other counties in Ohio are experiencing this,” Casar said. “We overcome by working as a team and by trying to identify and highlight the strengths and positive attributes of our children in custody. We get to know our kids, when they are at their worst and also at their best and continue to advocate for them to help them achieve and succeed.”

Moreover, the Public Assistance Division continues to receive large volumes of applications and recertifications, monthly, with strict adherence to processing guidelines set forth by the federal and state governments.

“Our staff has been working overtime more of the year to meet deadlines,” Casar said. “The biggest challenges of our OhioMeansJobs team continue to be pandemic-related. As we transitioned out of the pandemic, we solidified and improved existing relationships with employers and have expanded our relationships with additional employers….we have many job orders, but as is the state and national trend, fewer job seekers.”

Consequently, the division transitioned away from “relying on job seekers to come into the offices,” although walk-ins/appointments remain available, and began advertising through billboards, radio commercials and interviews, podcasts, and paid and unpaid social media outreach.

“We increasingly see job seekers engaging our staff through social media, email and online registrations,” Casar said, “and this has allowed us to connect with many via their preferred method of communication.”

This summer, the department’s Public Assistance Division joined the statewide Customer Service Standardization Hotline (1-844-640-OHIO [6446]) which routes callers to their county of residence.

“With the adaption of this new system, we are now able to accept applications and renewal benefits for SNAP, Medicaid, cash assistance and child care by telephone,” Casar said, adding the department also hosted multiple hiring events, expos and career fairs. “Additionally, the state has begun the rebranding process for the OhioMeansJobs Career Centers across the state, and we are updating our branding in electronic materials and will be creating/purchasing new outreach materials used at events.”

On Jan. 26, JFS will host a “Resume Day” to assist those in need of resume review and revision, and on Jan. 31, it will host a “Career Exploration Day” utilizing virtual headsets, which allow participants the opportunity to explore a variety of careers using advanced virtual reality technology.

The department is also in the early stages of planning events for 2024, including a day to assist job seekers with online applications, “an increasingly difficult process” for many.

The agency also hopes to host an event, alongside community mental health partners, with employers for those in recovery programs who have reached a point where they are career-ready.

“Overall, as an agency, the biggest highlight of 2023 has been the commitment of our amazing staff members, who, on a daily basis, encounter tough, difficult situations, and often meet individuals and families on their worst days,” Casar said. “Engagement remains a priority in 2024, and we are grateful for our dedicated staff members and employee retention.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is one in a series looking at what Lake County communities and agencies experienced in 2023 and what is facing them in 2024.