Cuyahoga County, Ohio Amends Contracts To Expand Emergency Capacity To Prevent Foster Youth Sleeping At DCFS Offices

Cuyahoga County, Ohio is issuing amended contracts valued at $12.7 million to expand emergency foster care capacity. The goal is to avoid having foster youth stay at Division of Child & Family Services (DCFS) offices. The contracts extend the length of four existing contracts for short-term emergency residential child care, and provide funding for a “no reject or eject” contract for eight beds. The provider organizations under these existing contracts have said they have capacity to accept more youth but lacked funding to hire enough staff.

At the Cuyahoga County Council’s July 5, 2022, meeting, two DCFS . . .