Is there sufficient oversight for Highland County Children Services?

COMMENTARY – It's been more than a year since the Highland County Board of Commissioners took action to eliminate the local Board of Directors for Highland County Children Services and combine the public agency with the Department of Job and Family Services.

Without revisiting all the budgetary and fiscal oversight concerns expressed by the commissioners over the 2010 Christmas holiday decision, suffice it to say that they did, indeed, have somewhat understandable – if not totally agreeable – concerns with the public agency and its finances.

Likewise, the public agency's former board had understandable concerns with the commissioners' takeover of the Children Services administrative oversight.

In a Dec. 29, 2010 story in The Highland County Press, Commission President Shane Wilkin said, "Most board members understood. Danny Long (former Highland County Children Services board member) told me he just wanted to 'be sure the children are well cared for.'"

"Pam Nickell (former HCCS board member) said she wasn't sure this was the best plan," Wilkin said.

In a letter to Highland County Department of Job and Family Services Director Debbie Robbins and Highland County Children Services Director Wendy Jacobs, the commissioners wrote:

"After careful thought, consideration, and discussion, both in and outside of Highland County, it is the intent of this board to move forward to combine Highland County Children Services and the Highland County Department of Job and Family Services. The combination of these two agencies is an effort to streamline operations, to be more efficient with monies available, and to better service the public. We are now joining the majority of counties in Ohio by combining the two agencies.

"The merger of the two departments will take effect July 1, 2011 to coincide with the implementation of the new state budget. However, we expect both agencies to immediately begin the transition process to make this change as seamless as possible. The departments will be fully merged and operational by July 1, 2011.

"We find ourselves at a time where not only the county but the state, too, is faced with unprecedented budget challenges. The full cooperation and support of both agencies throughout this process is imperative. It is only with total cooperation that we can be successful and perform the services needed by the citizens of Highland County during these difficult times. The issues we face have made all agencies throughout the county re-evaluate how business is done. Although change is seldom desired, it is this change and our ability to adapt that will, in the years to come, make us better."

Has that change, in fact, "made us better"?

Has that change improved services to those Children within the custody and supervision of Highland County Children Services?

Has that change improved services to the families who are served by the publicly funded agency?

I may be wrong and I may have missed the obvious, but was there a single reference to the well-being of the children in the commissioners' letter? If so, I didn't see it.

And I attended the afore-referenced meeting in December 2010, as well as subsequent meetings on the same issue.

Former Children Services Director Wendy Jacobs said she had serious concerns about the merger. So did some of the former Children Services board members.

In fact, on May 11, 2011, Wendy Jacobs sent a letter to the county commissioners addressing concerns about the pending move and merger with Job and Family Services.

Ms. Jacobs wrote: "Highland County Children Services is requesting assistance in the physical move to JFS. There are several tasks that need to be accomplished, and the current staff does not have the time to complete them. With current caseload sizes, the staff are already working overtime weekly to meet mandates."

The staff was already overworked, according to their supervisor.

Ms. Jacobs continued: "Please contact the agency as to who(m) will complete the tasks by what date. Probationers cannot be used to perform some of the tasks, as the files will be accessible to those that are boxing them, and many of the probationers do, or have had, cases with the agency. Some tasks will require the individuals to sign confidentiality agreements and should have no criminal history or Children Services history for security reasons.

"The agency would further like information on the expense of the move," she said. "This was a decision made by the county commissioners, and the agency did not budget for the expense involved. It is the understanding of the agency and Children Services Board that any cost incurred would be county responsibility. Highland County Children Services cannot use levy funding to support the move and supplies involved."

Highland County Department of Job and Family Services Director Debbie Robbins also expressed concerns. She told The Highland County Press last year that the agencies will do their best to "make it work."

Has it worked?

Or has the combination of administrative duties, coupled with the elimination of the Children Services Board been too much, too soon?

"At this point, I think that the decision has been made, the commissioners have decided the path that they want us to take, and for Wendy Jacobs and I to comply with their wishes," Robbins said at the time of the decision.

Shortly thereafter, in August 2011, former director of Highland County Children Services Wendy Jacobs was placed on administrative leave.

Robbins said that she could not discuss what led to the action.

On Aug. 10, 2011, it was announced publicly that the county commissioners had terminated Jacobs' employment as Children Services director.

As reported by The Highland County Press, Commissioner Tom Horst made a recommendation to "follow the recommendation of the director of Job and Family Services" to terminate Jacobs' employment, effective immediately. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Jeremy Shaffer, and it passed by a 3-0 vote.

It has not been stated what led to the termination. However, Robbins told The Highland County Press following the meeting that, "The choice was made based on what was going to be best for the agency as a whole."

One former Children Services Board member, Roberta Riley, told The Highland County Press this week that the former board believed the termination was mostly a cost-cutting action.

With Jacobs' termination, Robbins became the agency's fourth director in less than a decade.

Robbins said last year that there will be many steps the agencies have to take in order to facilitate the merger.

"Because we're dealing with people, our first thought is we want to ensure we try to retain every employee, but there may be changes in job duties," Robbins said. "It's a difficult process to go through, but we will go through things in the best way we can, and in a fair and consistent way. The bottom line is, we will make it work."

In re-reading that previous quote, and in re-reading the commissioners' letter, I'm left with the impression the "people" that the public officials expressed initial concern for were their own positions and those of their staff.

What about the children and the families? Couldn't someone with agency oversight responsibility have mentioned the obvious?

The fact of the matter is this: The HCP was the only media to attend all of these meetings. I remember the concerns that former Children Services board members had. I remember board members like Arlene Cole and Roberta Riley speaking out for the children. I don't remember any new oversight committee speaking on behalf of the children.

In a letter dated June 6, 2011 addressed to "All Children Services Clients, Supporting Community, and County Officials," the former Children Services Board members expressed concerns with the commissioners' decision to merge the agency with Job and Family Services. (For the full text of the letter, please see the accompanying sidebar.)

The letter begins: "The following explains the current position of the Highland County Children Services Board regarding the upcoming merger of Highland County Children Services and the Highland County Job and Family Services, as well as the most crucial of our reasons for our position."

After referencing fiscal issues, the board concluded with this caveat:

• At this point, we are very concerned about what service(s) might have to be underfunded to cover this. Will money from the levy be used for these additional costs?

• While we realize that over the coming years the merger will no doubt be of benefit to the county, we do not, at this time, view it either as a positive for the services to CHILDREN (emphasis added), or as an efficient use of agency funds.

Let it be noted that the services to children, with a specific reference to children, was included in the former board's letter.

Perhaps of similar importance and concern, since the commissioners arbitrarily did away with the Children Services Board, exactly how much input within the agency have they had this past year?

How often do they meet with JFS administrators, Children Services staff, caseworkers, advocacy staff, etc.?

This week, I asked JFS Director Debbie Robbins if the commissioners have been supportive.

"The commissioners have been very supportive of what we're doing," she said.

I then asked how many meetings regarding Children Services she has had with the commissioners since they disbanded the Children Services Board last year.

"I have never really met with them (regarding Children Services)," she said.

Earlier this month, I asked Commissioner Shane Wilkin how many meetings the commissioners have had since doing away with the Children Services Board.

"None," he said, but added that whenever he's "in the building," he communicates with Robbins and asks "how things are going."

When asked about the oversight of Children Services as it is now structured, Robbins said that families can speak with her, with commissioners or with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

(Frankly, since both the director and commission president have already admitted there have been no Children Services meetings in the past year, perhaps local families in search of answers might start with the state of Ohio. But I digress.)

Director Robbins did point out that the agency must deal with "emotions," while following the rules.

Rational minds can appreciate that. But what happens to families when the rules are a moving target, of sorts? What happens when the rules are "A" on Monday, but "B" on Tuesday – either through human error, miscommunication or any other reason?

What happens, for instance, when a family requests all agency directives to be placed in writing – just to avoid any misunderstandings – and that request is met with resistance?

That's where agency oversight ought to come into play.

Do those with Children Services oversight responsibility regularly sit in on meetings with caseworkers and families? If not, are they adequately prepared to make the decisions that impact these families and the taxpayers who may ultimately foot the bill?

As one who has attended the vast majority of all commission meetings for the past three years, I cannot readily recall post-merger (Job and Family Services/Highland County Children Services) public meetings with the new JFS and county commissioners' oversight.

According to the former Highland County Children Services Board's website, Children Services' "mission is to keep children safe while helping families stay together, learn healthy living habits, and become a stronger family unit."

"Keep children safe while helping families stay together" seems like a noble mission for the public agency, and one that ought to be promoted through its administrative oversight.

There are other matters worthy of taxpayers' consideration. We may delve into some of these at another time.

However, in the past two weeks, two Ohio attorneys have informed The Highland County Press of legitimate concerns with the local oversight of Highland County Children Services.

At least two families have been referenced with what appear to be legitimate concerns.

Furthermore, among taxpayers' legitimate concerns are:

• The county commissioners' vote to disband the Highland County Children Services Board of Directors and its apparent lack of planning for subsequent oversight.

• The combination of Children Services and Job and Family Services staff and administration, and an admitted lack of initial communication among the respective staffs.

• The contentious dismissals or resignations of three consecutive Children Services directors.

• The present oversight responsibilities.

• A question of internal staff communication.

The Highland County Board of Commissioners acted in good faith to remove the oversight committee in the form of the former Children Services Board. Their reasons were as much financial as anything. That's understandable given the present economy. Moreover, the Children Services staff has an often difficult and unenviable task.

That said, it doesn't excuse the apparent lack of administrative oversight within the county since the action to remove the Children Services Board.

Commissioners should address these concerns for the children and families affected as well as the taxpayers of Highland County and the state of Ohio.

Rory Ryan is publisher of The Highland County Press.