The Steve Plottner Award for Leadership in Child Welfare honors a person who demonstrates leadership for children, families, and the direct care workforce of the Ohio child welfare system.  The award is named after Steve Plotter, one of Ohio’s most influential child welfare leaders.

Steve was a leader on many fronts.  He was an officer on the Ohio Association of Child Caring Agencies (OACCA), now the Ohio Children’s Alliance, Board of Directors and chaired the Residential Center and Group Home Committee for many years.  In these roles, he led OACCA’s advocacy efforts on child welfare outcomes and licensing standards, the direct care workforce, and the rights of children involved in the child welfare and developmental disability systems.  For twenty-one years, Steve was a leader of the Ohio Association of Child and Youth Care Professionals (OACYCP).  In the roles of Board member, Vice President, and President, he led efforts to enhance and professionalize the field of child and youth care.  Following a two-decade tenure with LHS Family and Youth Service, he became the organization’s chief executive and led agency-wide innovations to adapt LHS the changing health care and child welfare marketplace.

Criteria:

– The nominee is a leader in the Ohio child welfare system
– The nominee is an advocate for children in need of residential care and providers of residential care
– The nominee made outstanding contributions to the field of residential care