Feb. 24—ASHTABULA TOWNSHIP — Ashtabula County Children Services is joining with seven other counties to elevate family healing through a family by family approach, said Ashtabula County Children Services Executive Director Tania Burnett.

Burnett said the Public Children Services Association of Ohio recently announced the launch of a new program entitled “Practice in Action Together” . She said the the program was designed in December 2020 in an attempt to strengthen relationships between caseworkers and families.

Eight county agencies have been selected to implement the new program including programs from Belmont, Fairfield, Athens, Champaign, Morgan Perry and Trumbull counties.

Burnett said the program is intended to concentrate on each family unit as unique and to be handled in a way that best serves that family. She said the emphasis will be to find ways to best engage with each family and find a solution best for them.

Laws and regulations that cover children services will remain in place but the way of dealing with each family will change, she said.

Burnett said Ashtabula County Children Services has been working toward a more family centric model and was happy to be part of the eight county experiment. She said 20 different counties expressed interest in being involved.

PCSAO Director of Strategic Initiatives Mike Kinney helped coordinate the project and released information about the program. “After two years of listening to families, caseworkers, and leaders on the journey to co-designing PACT, We believe that this model will result in hope for success and shared dignity between workers and families,” Kenney said.