Bill > HB635

This bill enacts the Child Protection Reform Act, which makes several significant changes to Ohio's child welfare and criminal laws. The bill modifies numerous sections of the Revised Code to enhance child protection, improve agency procedures, and increase accountability for child abuse and neglect cases. Key provisions include: requiring weekly in-person visits for children under five or with developmental disabilities in agency custody; mandating that public children services agencies share case information between counties; establishing a new electronic dashboard to publicly track child placement data; expanding protections for children by increasing the age threshold from ten to eighteen in several criminal sentencing specifications; requiring agencies to notify law enforcement about certain types of child neglect; creating new whistleblower protections for employees who report child welfare concerns; and requiring more comprehensive training for child services caseworkers, including disability assessment and domestic violence recognition. The bill aims to improve child safety, streamline inter-agency communication, increase transparency in the child welfare system, and provide more robust protections for vulnerable children. The changes reflect a comprehensive approach to reforming child protection practices, with an emphasis on early intervention, information sharing, and maintaining child well-being.

Health and Social Services

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb635