Tagged: Children

A Cincinnati-area family services agency that's come under recent fire over child abuse deaths is likely to receive $2 million to hire more caseworkers, supervisors and case reviewers.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports the director of the Hamilton County Job and Family Services asked for the funds in an April 5 memo and two of the three commissioners who'll vote on the request say they support it.

They say the money will come from $28 million set aside for a possible fine in an investigation into agency bookkeeping.

Montgomery County Children Services says Abuse and neglect referrals are down.  The 4 percent drop in 2011 was included in new statistics released Monday.  The number of referrals dropped from 3,903 in 2010 to 3,757 in 2011.

But in a report from the Dayton Daily News, officials are say cases of severe abuse and cases involving multiple victims or perpetrators are evident.

Ohio's work to make sure more children have health coverage has earned the state $21 million in federal bonus funding.

U.S. health officials say Ohio is receiving bonus money for a second straight year. Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says in a statement that more of Ohio's children now have the advantages health coverage provides.

Only 22 other states qualified for bonuses.

To receive the funding, states must surpass a Medicaid enrollment target and improve access to Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, known as CHIP.