The Ohio Association of Child & Youth Care Professionals, Inc.

Serving Ohio's Professionals since 1977

Child and Youth Care Registration and Licensing Bill
Do Ohio's Youth Deserve
Anything Less?

In 2008, Maryland was the first state to pass a licensing requirement for child and youth care professionals.  The Ohio Association for Child and Youth Care Professionals, Inc. has supported the introduction and creation of a licensing requirement for Ohio's child and youth care professionals for over a decade. 

 

The purpose of the Child and Youth Care Registration and Licensing bill is to provide for the registration and licensing of those working with children and youth in Ohio as Child and Youth Care Workers. This encompasses those working with children and youth in residential treatment facilities, group homes, schools, and other treatment or care settings.

 

The bill would be a revision to the counselor, social worker, marriage and family therapist section of Ohio Revised Code.  This revision would create the Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist Board to be the Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist and Child and Youth Care Worker Board, creating the potential for persons to be licensed as independent child and youth care workers and registered as child and youth care workers.  

 

Per provisions in the draft bill: 

Benefits to Children and Youth in Care

First and foremost, there will be better standards and better accountability of direct care staff that work with Ohio’s most vulnerable youth.  The bill would create the demand for better, standardized, and more complete training of staff.  The bill will exist increased safety for children and youth in Ohio who are in care and treatment and overall accountability for the staff who serve them.

 

Benefits to Child and Youth Care Professionals

The child and youth care professional will be recognized as being a part of a profession.  There will exist a career track for child and youth care professionals resulting an trained and consistent workforce.  Additional resources will be developed to equip the child care worker with skills and training needed to perform successfully.

 

Benefits to an Agency

There will exist an improved picture of past performance of staff.  Staff who register with the board are developing a history of competence and ethical behavior.  Primary training will become the responsibility of the child and youth care worker, not the agency. 

Independent licensed child and youth care professionals will be qualified to supervise restraint and seclusion.  Licensed child and youth care professionals will encourage retention of qualified staff as recognized professionals.

 

The licensing bill was previously introduced twice in the Ohio legislature, but both times did not make it from committee.  It has since been revised to recognize previous concerns, and consequently there is additional support in the field for this.   Our Board and members are currently working with Ohio legislators on the introduction of this revised bill.

 

We need your support!   Contact your representative and voice your support!

 

Take Our Survey

 

We're Members of ACYCP