The QRTP toolkit explains a new federal child welfare law and details how courts can incorporate it into short-term non-family placement for children with specific treatment needs.

The QRTP toolkit explains a new federal child welfare law and details how courts can incorporate it into short-term non-family placement for children with specific treatment needs.

A new judicial resource will assist Ohio courts as part of a national effort to limit the number of children placed into foster care.

The Ohio Supreme Court recently released a toolkit that addresses upcoming changes to local courts. It will incorporate a federal law reforming child-welfare practices across the nation known as the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA).

The law, which goes into effect on Oct. 1, was created to provide federal funding of services for families with children who are at-risk of entering foster care, and to change the standards of placement for youth into congregate care.

The toolkit focuses on the approval process for Qualified Residential Treatment Programs (QRTP) – short-term, non-family placement for children with specific treatment needs.

It also explains how courts can implement these new requirements within the existing court structure and statutory framework of Ohio’s child welfare system

The guide was created by a subcommittee of the Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Children & Families.

The Subcommittee on Responding to Child Abuse, Neglect & Dependency workgroup consisted of judicial officers and child welfare stakeholders from across the state.

“The toolkit is another systems collaboration initiative with the intention to educate about FFPSA and juvenile court judges' roles and responsibilities -- required when children are being placed in residential treatment settings,” said workgroup chair and Lucas County Juvenile Judge Denise Cubbon.

The judicial toolkit for QRTP hearings, also known as level of care assessments, also cites relevant state and federal law, while including best practice recommendations and sample court forms to be used during these proceedings.

“It’s an exciting time to be practicing in this area and to watch all of this unfold,” said Mahoning County Juvenile Magistrate Kathleen Lenski, who also served on the workgroup.

“The goal is to help families remain together and to find timely permanent solutions for children when they cannot,” she said.

Hard copies of the toolkit can be requested by calling the Supreme Court at 614.387.9385 or emailing cfc@sc.ohio.gov.