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Candidate Sutton Calls for Reform of Children Services
System
Former congresswoman and lieutenant governor candidate Betty
Sutton spoke to 500 child protection caseworkers, agency
leaders and other child advocates last week, telling them
just hours before the gubernatorial candidates’ first debate
that she and Richard Cordray will rebuild a system in
crisis.
Sutton addressed the crowd at the 33rd annual
conference of the Public Children Services Association of
Ohio, a membership organization of county child protection
agencies, telling the direct service caseworkers that she
appreciates their efforts to serve vulnerable children and
families. “You are facing challenges that are unprecedented
and growing,” she said. “Ohio ranks dead last in the nation
for state support of these services. We need significant
reform … a continuum of care to support every aspect of
children’s wellbeing.”
Affirming the need for
PCSAO’s continuum of care reform plan for children,
Sutton called for more funding for local government services
like child protection. “We need to strengthen Ohio’s foster
care system,” she said, pointing to the need for more
respite care, more mentoring, stepped-up recruitment of
foster parents and investment in the child welfare
workforce. “Ohio’s foster care system has saved so many
young lives over the years. … We need to do more to ensure
that every child has a loving and supportive home.”
PCSAO’s executive director, Angela Sausser, responded to
Sutton’s remarks. “We appreciate Congresswoman Sutton’s
recognition that our system needs thoughtful, bold
leadership from the next administration,” she said. “PCSAO
looks forward to working with the next governor to redesign
our child protection system to get better results for
children and families.”
Referencing the opioid epidemic, Sausser added that if Ohio
trends continue, the state could see 20,000 children in
custody by 2020 and a gap of $175 million just to pay for
placements for the additional children. “We have a better
way forward,” she said.
Sutton closed her remarks by thanking the hundreds of
caseworkers in the audience. “Your work is the very essence
of public service,” she said.
Cordray and Sutton’s opponent, Attorney General Mike DeWine,
addressed the group the following day.
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