Lucas County Children Services - Financial Summary
The total revenue line increased by 4% over 2022. State revenue increased by 19%compared to 2022 because of an increase in funding for multi-system youth, the State child protection allocation, and a one time employee work force grant. Other revenue was up 28% compared to 2022 because of placement cost share reimbursement from the Lucas County Family Council.
2023 LCCS Revenue
Placement costs were up by 26% due to an increase in the cost of congregate care. The Family First Prevention Services Act placed a number of financial burdens on congregate care placement settings, including requiring them to be a qualified residential treatment program facility (QRTP). This cost is ultimately included in their per diem rate. To help offset this, LCCS created a placement committee. This committee is currently working on finding ways to step down kids that are in this type of placement setting, actively recruiting agency and treatment foster homes, placing more emphasis on kinship care, collaborating with the Board of Developmental Disabilities, Lucas County Family Council in cost share arrangements and using outside partners like Isaiah 1:17, all in an effort to bring down these costs. In addition, the agency’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Strategy (DEIS) team is working to integrate unbiased practice strategies to assist with ensuring equitable outcomes that may prevent child placement. Child Welfare Contract costs were up 45.8% because of increased collaboration with other community partners inline with our current strategic plan.
2023 LCCS Expenses
Cost-Saving Measures
- Reduced labor costs by 0.41% in 2023 despite contractually obligated salary increases and increases in health care costs.
- Reduced the cost of the vacation payout incentive for bargaining and non-bargaining employees in 2018. Vacation payout became time limited to one year., effective in 2021.
- Reduced the cost of technology by leveraging relationships with other agencies and joining the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services’ state network.
- Reduced the amount spent on child welfare contracts by changing to a referral model.
- In addition to ensuring that relative and foster care families needing day care services applied for benefits with Lucas County Department of Job and Family Services, LCCS staff worked with relatives to apply for new day care benefits with ODJ FS.