Trending
LISBON -- Spring brings the planting of the pinwheels on the Lisbon square, a staunch reminder of all the cases of child abuse and neglect in Columbiana County -- a total of 499 for 2023.
This year, the planting is expected to take place in the coming days, but with residents also urged to wear the color blue on Wednesday to help bring even more awareness to Child Abuse Prevention Month.
"Every child needs someone to advocate for them," county Department of Job and Family Services Director Rachel Ketterman said.
In discussing the pinwheels, she said they're not just a sign of children being abused or neglected. Every one of those pinwheels is a sign of someone advocating for every one of those children.
"We need all residents of Columbiana County to protect all youth under the age of 18," she said, regardless of economic status and location.
Ketterman recently presented county commissioners with 2023 statistics for children services, along with a flyer designating April 10 as "Wear Blue Day." The commissioners approved a proclamation declaring April as Child Abuse Prevention Month, which Commissioner Mike Halleck read aloud, saying "we believe that all residents of our county, professional and private citizens alike, have a moral and legal obligation to protect the children of our county."
According to the 2023 estimated census, the child population in Columbiana County was 20,137. The agency received 2,149 child abuse and neglect calls, with 499 of those allegations investigated. The number of children involved with children services via intake/ongoing and adoption was 1,340. The number of children in placement was 131, with the annual cost of foster care totaling $3,626,850. The number of children living with relatives was 137, with 17 children living with non-relatives. In the county, there are 17 licensed foster homes. There were 15 adoptions in 2023 and five children were emancipated after turning 18.
In looking at the numbers, Halleck said 10 percent of the kids in the county have been abused in some way.
Ketterman said the majority of the 131 children in placement are in congregate care settings, with the average cost $400 to $500 per day. She noted one child has a room and board bill of $800 per day that the DJFS must pay. She said the cost of foster care has definitely skyrocketed the last couple of years.
"These are pretty sobering statistics," Halleck said.
Ketterman said they try to negotiate as much as they can without being put on the bottom of the list. Some of these kids have behavioral and mental health issues and in the congregate care settings, they're receiving care 24/7. The county recently arranged for two kids to be placed at facilities in Arkansas. According to Ketterman, there's a huge crisis in placing kids in foster homes or congregate care facilities.
"We need foster parents," she said.
Columbiana County used to have several group homes where they could place kids, such as the Rogers Group Home or a girls home that was located in East Palestine. Now there are none. She stressed there's a need for more foster homes.
Anyone interested in becoming a foster parent should call 330-420-6644. The vocation requires a background check and 24 hours of training, along with a home check.
For the Wear Blue campaign, businesses, schools and county agencies are asked to take photos of their staff members wearing blue on Wear Blue Day and send those photos to CCDJFS Social Services Administrator Tina Deal-Hendon at tina.deal@jfs.ohio.gov with the subject line Wear Blue.
To report a case of child abuse, call 330-420-6600. For more information about child abuse, visit the agency website at columbianacountyjfs.org.