Skip Navigation
Administration for Children and Families  
ACF
ACF Home   |   Services   |   Working with ACF   |   Policy/Planning   |   About ACF   |   ACF News   |   HHS Home

  Questions?  |  Privacy  |  Site Index  |  Contact Us  |  Download Reader™  |  Print      


Children's Bureau Safety, Permanency, Well-being  Advanced
 Search

 

Ohio

Context Data | Outcomes Data | State Comment | Federal Comment

Ohio [ Context Data ]

A. Key Context Statistics

General Population

1998

1999

2000

2001

Total children under 18 years

2,844,005

2,844,071

2,888,339

2,876,999

Race/ethnicity (%)1

 Alaska Native/American Indian

0.2

0.2

0.2

0.2

 Asian

N/A

N/A

N/A

1.2

 Asian/Pacific Islander

1.3

1.4

1.1

N/A

 Black

14.5

14.5

14.2

14.5

 Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander

N/A

N/A

N/A

0.0

 Hispanic

2.3

2.4

2.8

2.8

 White

81.7

81.6

79.2

79.1

 Two or more races

N/A

N/A

2.3

2.2

 Other

N/A

N/A

0.3

N/A

% Child population in poverty

16.1

17.6

14.6

16.2

% Child population living in metropolitan areas

84.6

89.5

80.7

83.5

 

Child Welfare

1998

1999

2000

2001

Child maltreatment victims

58,938

55,921

54,084

51,031

Children in foster care on 9/30

-

20,078

20,365

21,584

Children adopted

1,015

1,868

2,044

2,230

1 The 2000 Census of the United States includes two new race catagories: (1) Persons of two or more races and (2) Other. Back

B. Child Maltreatment Data (NCANDS)

 

Number

Rate

Maltreatment Information Overview

1998

1999

2000

2001

1998

1998

2000

2001

Children subject of an investigated report alleging child maltreatment

135,613

128,924

120,712

113,720

47.7 per 1,000

45.3 per 1,000

41.8 per 1,000

39.5 per 1,000

Child maltreatment victims2

58,938

55,921

54,084

51,031

20.7 per 1,000

19.7 per 1,000

18.7 per 1,000

17.7 per 1,000

Child fatalities

60

58

58

80

2.1 per 100,000

2.0 per 100,000

2.0 per 100,000

2.8 per 100,000

 

Age of Child Victims (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Under 1 year

7.6

7.6

8.2

7.9

1-5 years

30.6

29.6

30.2

30.2

6-10 years

30.0

29.9

29.6

28.9

11-15 years

23.0

23.8

23.7

24.7

16+ years

6.1

6.2

6.3

6.5

Unknown

2.7

2.8

1.9

1.8

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

58,938

55,921

54,084

51,031

 

Race/Ethnicity of Child Victims (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Alaska Native/American Indian

0.4

0.3

0.4

0.2

Asian/Pacific Islander

0.2

0.2

0.3

0.2

Black

31.8

30.1

31.2

30.0

Hispanic

1.3

1.3

1.1

1.0

White

62.6

64.0

63.5

60.7

Two or more races

-

-

-

1.1

Other/Unknown

4.1

4.8

5.4

6.9

Total %3

100.4

100.7

101.8

100.0

Number

58,938

55,921

54,084

51,031

 

Maltreatment Type of Child Victims (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Emotional abuse

3.1

4.2

5.5

11.2

Medical neglect

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

Neglect

55.0

53.3

52.7

53.1

Physical abuse

27.3

28.0

27.7

25.6

Sexual abuse

14.1

14.1

14.0

15.4

Other

-

-

-

-

Unknown

0.4

0.3

0.1

-

Total %4

100.0

100.0

100.0

105.3

Number

58,938

55,921

54,084

51,031

2 Children with more than one report of substantiated or indicated maltreatment may be counted more than once. Back
3 Percentages may total more than 100 percent because Hispanics may be counted both by Hispanic ethnicity and by race. Back
4 Percentages may total more than 100 percent because children could have been victims of more than one type of maltreatment. Back

C. Children in Foster Care
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)

Number of Children

In Care on 10/1

Entered Care

Exited Care

In Care on 9/30

Total Served

FY1998 (10/1/97-9/30/98)

-

-

-

-

-

FY1999 (10/1/98-9/30/99)

16,951

15,946

12,819

20,078

32,897

FY2000 (10/1/99-9/30/00)

19,100

15,396

14,131

20,365

34,496

FY2001 (10/1/00-9/30/01)

19,563

16,157

14,136

21,584

35,720

Median Length of Stay (Months)

 

 

 

 

 

FY1998 (10/1/97-9/30/98)

-

N/A

-

-

N/A

FY1999 (10/1/98-9/30/99)

12.6

N/A

4.8

13.4

N/A

FY2000 (10/1/99-9/30/00)

14.0

N/A

7.4

14.4

N/A

FY2001 (10/1/00-9/30/01)

14.7

N/A

7.6

13.4

N/A

 

Age of Children in Foster Care (%)

In Care on 10/1/97

In Care on 10/1/98

In Care on 10/1/99

In Care on 10/1/00

Entered Care During FY 1998

Entered Care During FY 1999

Entered Care During FY 2000

Entered Care During FY 2001

Exited Care During FY 1998

Exited Care During FY 1999

Exited Care During FY 2000

Exited Care During FY 2001

In Care on 9/30/98

In Care on 9/30/99

In Care on 9/30/00

In Care on 9/30/01

Under 1 year

-

5.3

5.4

5.3

-

12.7

12.9

13.8

-

5.7

5.4

5.7

-

5.5

5.4

5.7

1-5 years

-

24.0

24.9

24.7

-

24.8

24.7

24.0

-

25.5

27.3

27.1

-

24.8

24.8

24.4

6-10 years

-

23.0

23.8

23.2

-

21.5

21.1

20.4

-

20.2

21.5

20.8

-

23.5

23.0

22.0

11-15 years

-

29.0

28.5

28.8

-

28.6

28.5

29.1

-

25.3

24.0

24.9

-

28.6

28.8

28.9

16-18 years

-

17.2

16.1

16.8

-

12.0

12.6

12.6

-

21.7

20.4

20.2

-

15.9

16.6

17.6

19+ years

-

0.7

0.8

0.8

-

0.0

0.0

0.0

-

1.1

1.2

1.1

-

0.9

0.8

1.0

Unknown

-

0.9

0.6

0.5

-

0.3

0.2

0.0

-

0.5

0.2

0.2

-

0.9

0.6

0.4

Total %

-

100.0

100.0

100.0

-

100.0

100.0

100.0

-

100.0

100.0

100.0

-

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

-

16,951

19,100

19,563

-

15,946

15,396

16,157

-

12,819

14,131

14,136

-

20,078

20,365

21,584

 

Race/Ethnicity of Children in Foster Care (%)5

In Care on 10/1/97

In Care on 10/1/98

In Care on 10/1/99

In Care on 10/1/00

Entered Care During FY 1998

Entered Care During FY 1999

Entered Care During FY 2000

Entered Care During FY 2001

Exited Care During FY 1998

Exited Care During FY 1999

Exited Care During FY 2000

Exited Care During FY 2001

In Care on 9/30/98

In Care on 9/30/99

In Care on 9/30/00

In Care on 9/30/01

Alaska Native/American Indian

-

-

0.2

0.1

-

-

0.1

0.1

-

-

0.2

0.1

-

-

0.1

0.1

Asian

-

-

0.1

0.1

-

-

0.2

0.2

-

-

0.3

0.2

-

-

0.1

0.1

Asian/Pacific Islander

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Black

-

-

46.9

47.1

-

0.1

41.0

42.3

-

-

40.3

41.1

-

0.1

47.0

47.4

Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander

-

-

0.0

0.0

-

-

0.0

0.0

-

-

0.0

0.0

-

-

0.0

0.0

Hispanic

-

0.7

2.6

2.7

-

0.8

2.8

2.7

-

1.2

2.9

2.6

-

0.5

2.5

2.7

White

-

0.3

44.2

44.0

-

0.5

50.5

49.6

-

0.2

50.7

50.2

-

0.5

44.4

44.1

Two or more races

-

-

5.1

5.1

-

-

4.2

3.4

-

-

4.3

4.4

-

-

4.9

4.3

Unknown

-

99.0

0.9

0.9

-

98.6

1.3

1.7

-

98.6

1.2

1.3

-

98.9

1.0

1.2

Total %

-

100.0

100.0

100.0

-

100.0

100.0

100.0

-

100.0

100.0

100.0

-

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

-

16,951

19,100

19,563

-

15,946

15,396

16,157

-

12,819

14,131

14,136

-

20,078

20,365

21,584

 

5 In this and subsequent race/ethnicity tables, data for two or more races may be provided for 1998 and 1999 because of States' resubmissions. However, data for 1998 and 1999 may not capture all children of two or more races and therefore may not be comparable to the 2000 data pertaining to two or more races. Back

D. Children Waiting to Be Adopted
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)6

Overview

9/30/98

9/30/99

9/30/00

9/30/01

Children waiting to be adopted

-

3,476

4,439

5,929

Children whose parents' rights have been terminated (TPR)

-

590

3,035

4,919

 

Age of Waiting Children (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Under 1 year

-

3.1

2.8

2.8

1-5 years

-

27.7

26.6

26.9

6-10 years

-

30.4

29.3

28.0

11-15 years

-

30.5

31.4

31.4

16+ years

-

6.9

8.2

8.7

Unknown

-

1.5

1.7

2.3

Total %

-

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

-

3,476

4,439

5,929

 

Race/Ethnicity of Waiting Children (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Alaska Native/American Indian

-

-

0.1

0.1

Asian

-

-

-

0.1

Asian/Pacific Islander

-

-

-

-

Black

-

0.2

48.0

53.8

Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander

-

-

-

-

Hispanic

-

0.4

2.0

2.6

White

-

0.3

44.2

37.9

Two or more races

-

-

5.4

5.0

Unknown

-

99.1

0.4

0.4

Total %

-

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

-

3,476

4,439

5,929

6 Waiting children are children who have a goal of adoption and/or whose parentsÂ’ rights have been terminated. Children 16 years and older with TPR, but with a goal of emancipation, have been excluded from the waiting children and TPR populations. Back

E. Children Adopted
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)

Age of Adopted Children (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Under 1 year

2.0

7.4

6.3

4.9

1-5 years

53.7

48.6

48.4

47.0

6-10 years

29.6

28.7

28.9

29.9

11-15 years

13.1

13.1

13.7

15.4

16+ years

1.7

2.2

2.7

2.8

Unknown

-

-

-

-

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

1,015

1,868

2,044

2,230

 

Race/Ethnicity of Adopted Children (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Alaska Native/American Indian

0.1

0.2

0.2

0.0

Alaska Native/American Indian

-

-

0.3

0.1

Asian/Pacific Islander

-

0.1

-

-

Black

41.6

50.9

42.5

44.8

Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander

-

-

-

-

Hispanic

2.0

0.4

3.6

2.7

White

50.7

46.6

45.6

45.1

Two or more races

-

-

6.8

6.8

Unknown

5.6

1.9

0.9

0.5

Total %

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

1,015

1,868

2,044

2,230

Back to Top

Ohio [ Outcomes Data ]

1. Reduce Recurrence of Child Abuse and/or Neglect
(NCANDS)

1.1 Recurrence of Maltreatment Within 6 Months (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Children without a recurrence

-

-

-

91.8

Children with one or more recurrences

-

-

-

8.2

Total %

-

-

-

100.0

Number

-

-

-

19,452

2. Reduce the Incidence of Child Abuse and/or Neglect in Foster Care
(NCANDS, AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database Jan —Sept)

2.1 Maltreatment in Foster Care (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Children maltreated while in foster care

-

-

-

0.13

Children not maltreated while in foster care

-

-

-

99.87

Total %

-

-

-

100.0

Number

-

-

-

32,418

3. Increase Permanency for Children in Foster Care
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)

3.1 Exits from Foster Care (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Adoption

-

-

12.0

13.9

Guardianship

-

3.9

3.9

3.9

Reunification

-

71.6

64.2

62.5

Other

-

8.6

8.4

8.0

Missing data

-

16.0

11.4

11.7

Total %

-

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

-

12,819

14,131

14,136

Pie Charts describing data from Table 3.1 above.

3.2 Exits of Disabled Children (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Adoption

`

-

15.6

18.0

Guardianship

-

2.8

3.5

3.3

Reunification

-

72.6

59.5

57.0

Other

-

15.7

13.7

14.7

Missing data

-

8.9

7.7

7.0

Total %

-

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

-

4,391

4,930

4,344

 

3.3 Exits of Children Over Age 12 at Entry (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Adoption

-

-

0.4

0.6

Guardianship

-

3.1

3.0

3.5

Reunification

-

50.8

52.8

50.3

Other

-

18.1

20.1

19.1

Missing data

-

28.0

23.6

26.4

Total %

-

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

-

4,548

4,601

4,603

 

3.4 Exits to Emancipation (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Children age 12 or younger at entry

-

24.2

22.5

22.2

Children older than 12 at entry

-

75.6

77.3

77.8

Missing data

-

0.2

0.2

-

Total %

-

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

-

952

1,028

1,013

3.5 Exits by Race/Ethnicity (%)

Alaska Native/A.I.

Asian

Asian/Pacific Islander

Black

Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander

 

1998

1999

2000

2001

1998

1999

2000

2001

1998

1999

2000

2001

1998

1999

2000

2001

1998

1999

2000

2001

Adoption

-

-

9.7

8.3

-

-

10.3

5.7

-

-

-

-

-

-

12.0

14.7

-

-

-

-

Guardianship

-

-

6.5

-

-

-

2.6

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

4.3

4.3

-

-

-

-

Reunification

-

-

64.5

66.7

-

-

76.9

68.6

-

-

-

-

-

-

62.9

59.7

-

-

-

100.0

Other

-

-

6.5

16.7

-

-

-

11.4

-

-

-

-

-

-

8.8

7.8

-

-

-

-

Missing data

-

-

12.9

8.3

-

-

10.3

14.3

-

-

-

-

-

-

12.0

13.6

-

-

100.0

-

Total %

-

-

100.0

100.0

-

-

100.0

100.0

-

-

-

-

-

-

100.0

100.0

-

-

100.0

100.0

Number

-

-

31

12

-

-

39

35

-

-

-

-

-

-

5,701

5,806

-

-

1

3

 

Hispanic

White

Unable to Determine

Two or More Races

Missing Data

 

1998

1999

2000

2001

1998

1999

2000

2001

1998

1999

2000

2001

1998

1999

2000

2001

1998

1999

2000

2001

Adoption

-

-

15.3

15.7

-

-

11.5

13.0

-

-

6.3

4.4

-

-

18.0

19.8

-

-

-

-

Guardianship

-

4.5

5.8

4.9

-

4.3

3.5

3.5

-

3.9

3.4

2.2

-

-

5.1

4.5

-

-

-

-

Reunification

-

68.8

62.0

62.4

-

78.3

65.3

64.7

-

71.6

66.3

57.5

-

-

63.2

63.5

-

-

-

-

Other

-

5.2

8.0

9.7

-

4.3

8.3

8.2

-

8.6

5.7

5.5

-

-

7.8

8.0

-

-

-

-

Missing data

-

21.4

8.8

7.3

-

13.0

11.4

10.6

-

16.0

18.3

30.4

-

-

5.9

4.3

-

-

-

-

Total %

-

100.0

100.0

100.0

-

100.0

100.0

100.0

-

100.0

100.0

100.0

-

-

100.0

100.0

-

-

-

-

Number

-

154

411

370

-

23

7,167

7,102

-

12,642

175

181

-

-

606

627

-

-

-

-

4. Reduce Time to Reunification Without Increasing Re-entry
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)

4.1 Time to Reunification (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Less than 12 mos.

-

74.0

73.9

74.2

At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos.

-

19.3

18.9

18.6

At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos.

-

3.7

3.6

3.6

At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos.

-

0.9

1.1

1.1

48 or more mos.

-

1.2

1.1

1.0

Missing data

-

0.9

1.3

1.4

Total (%)

-

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

-

9,172

9,074

8,828

Bar chart describing reunification percentages data in Table 4.1 above.

4.2 Children Who Entered Foster Care (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Children entering care for the first time

-

68.7

72.0

72.0

Children re-entering care within 12 mos. of a prior episode

-

12.6

13.7

12.4

Children re-entering care more than 12 mos. after a prior episode

-

11.4

12.4

13.2

Missing data

-

7.3

1.9

2.4

Total (%)

-

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

-

15,946

15,396

16,157

Bar chart describing re-entries into Foster Care within 12 months from data in Table 4.2 above.

5. Reduce Time in Foster Care to Adoption
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)

5.1 Time to Adoption (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Less than 12 mos.

-

-

5.4

4.6

At least 12 mos., but less than 24 mos.

-

-

23.8

21.1

At least 24 mos., but less than 36 mos.

-

-

28.2

32.7

At least 36 mos., but less than 48 mos.

-

-

20.2

20.1

48 or more mos.

-

-

22.3

21.5

Missing data

-

-

0.1

-

Total (%)

-

-

100.0

100.0

Number

-

-

1,694

1,967

Bar Chart describing Percentage of Adoptions Occurring in Less Than 24 or greater than 48 Months of Entry data from Table 5.1 above

6. Increase Placement Stability
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)

6.1 Number of Placements by Time in Care (%)

Year

Children With 2 or Fewer Placements

Children With 3 or More Placements

Missing Data

Total %

Number

Less than 12 mos.

1998
1999
2000
2001

-
84.0
85.8
86.0

-
12.2
12.0
12.4

-
3.7
2.2
1.6

-
100.0
100.0
100.0

-
18,460
17,945
18,718

At least 12 mos., but <24 mos.

1998
1999
2000
2001

-
62.1
62.1
62.3

-
37.4
37.5
37.5

-
0.6
0.3
0.3

-
100.0
100.0
100.0

-
6,503
6,921
6,911

At least 24 mos., but <36 mos.

1998
1999
2000
2001

-
47.3
45.2
44.4

-
52.2
54.5
55.3

-
0.5
0.2
0.3

-
100.0
100.0
100.0

-
2,883
3,446
3,666

At least 36 mos., but <48 mos.

1998
1999
2000
2001

-
32.2
34.8
35.5

-
67.2
64.9
64.4

-
0.5
0.3
0.1

-
100.0
100.0
100.0

-
1,523
2,096
2,176

48 or more mos.

1998
1999
2000
2001

-
23.7
22.3
21.4

-
75.4
77.0
77.9

-
1.0
0.7
0.7

-
100.0
100.0
100.0

-
3,367
3,906
4,102

Missing data

1998
1999
2000
2001

-
79.5
68.7
55.8

-
0.6
-
1.4

-
19.9
31.3
42.9

-
100.0
100.0
100.0

-
161
182
147

Bar chart describing foster care placements over time percentages data from Table 6.1 above.

7. Reduce Placements of Young Children in Group Homes or Institutions
(AFCARS Annual Foster Care Database)

7.1 Most Recent Placement Settings of Children Who Entered Care During the Fiscal Year and Were Age 12 or Younger at the Time of This Placement (%)

1998

1999

2000

2001

Group homes

-

1.1

1.1

1.2

Institutions

-

3.5

2.8

2.8

Other settings

-

95.4

96.1

95.9

Missing data

-

0.0

-

0.0

Total (%)

-

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number

-

10,527

10,102

10,629

Back to Top

Ohio [ State Comment ]

Barbara E. Riley, Deputy Director
Office for Children and Families
Ohio Job and Family Services
614-466-1213

Ohio's comments on State data presented in Child Welfare Outcomes 2001: Report to Congress are the following:

Ohio's child protection system is state supervised and county administered with the State setting program parameters, allocating funds, and supervising county performance. The State's data reporting system for Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 1998 and 1999 did not capture all necessary information to be AFCARS compliant with the federal guidelines as outlined by the ACF. The State achieved full AFCARS compliance in FFY 2000, therefore 2000 and 2001 data more accurately reflects Ohio's child welfare practice.

State data indicates a steady decline in the number of children who were the subject of an investigative report and the number of child victims from 1998 to 2001. Many agencies have screening procedures modeled after other states. Several agencies have implemented "service tracks" that allow them to identify needs and provide services to families without opening the referral for investigation. As a result of conducting fewer "formal" investigations, agencies are reporting fewer number of child victims. Agencies are using other prevention activities to provide up-front services before the referral is made to child protection services.

The data for outcome measure 4.2 indicate that children entering foster care in FFY 2001 had experienced a prior foster care episode. Although a great deal of emphasis is placed on providing up-front services to prevent removal, there is still a need to increase the availability of services to support reunified families and kinship placement. Ohio is developing aftercare programs and protocols designed to assist workers in the provision of services to children and families following reunification.

Ohio notes a substantial increase in the number of finalized adoptions for FFY 2000 to FFY 2001. This increase is based on enhanced recruitment efforts for foster to adopt families, early identification of kinship care placements and the effective utilization of adoption incentives to the agencies.

Back to Top

Ohio [ Federal Comment ]

The following discussion focuses on Ohio's performance with regard to each of the outcomes assessed in the Child Welfare Outcomes Annual Reports to Congress. The Ohio Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) was conducted in fiscal year (FY) 2002, and compliance with the national standards was based on data from 2000. The final report for that review is available from Reports and Results of the Child and Family Service Reviews (CFSRs) . A discussion of the implications of CFSR findings for Ohio's performance on the Report to Congress Outcomes is provided in Child Welfare Outcomes 2000.

The State's performance is assessed by examining the percent change in the data for each outcome measure from 1999 to 2001. The percent change was calculated using data carried out to the second decimal point. However, with the exception of outcome measure 2.1, the data presented in the Report to Congress are rounded to one decimal for ease of reading the tables (measure 2.1 must be presented as two decimals because the national standard is less than one percent).

Outcome 1. Reduce recurrence of child abuse and/or neglect
In calendar year (CY) 2001, the State's rate of maltreatment recurrence within 6 months was 8.2 percent, which does not meet the national standard of 6.1 percent or less and is higher than the national median of 8.0 percent. Change in performance with regard to outcome 1 cannot be assessed because the State did not provide data to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) for calculating this measure for previous years.

Outcome 2. Reduce the incidence of child abuse and/or neglect in foster care
In calendar year (CY) 2001, the incidence of maltreatment in foster care was 0.13 percent, which meets the national standard of 0.57 percent or less and is lower than the national median of 0.47 percent. Change in performance with regard to outcome 2 cannot be assessed because the State did not provide data to NCANDS for calculating this measure for previous years.

Outcome 3. Increase permanency for children in foster care
In FY 2001, 80.3 percent of children leaving foster care were discharged to permanent homes (which is lower than the national median of 85.3 percent), and 78.3 percent of children with a diagnosed disability leaving foster care were discharged to permanent homes (which is just under the national median of 78.4 percent). (The data for children older than age 12 at the time of entry into foster care cannot be assessed because "reason for discharge" information was not reported for 26.4 percent of those children.) However, the State's performance improved from FY 1999 to FY 2001 with regard to the percentage of children leaving foster care who were discharged to permanent homes (+6.4 percent change).

Also in FY 2001, 22.2 percent of the children emancipated from foster care were age 12 or younger at the time of entry into foster care (which is lower than the national median of 28.0 percent). Performance on this measure improved from FY 1999 to FY 2001 (-8.1 percent change). In general, the data pertaining to outcome 3 suggest that the State is not consistently effective in attaining permanency for children exiting foster care, although it is more effective in ensuring that children who enter foster care at young ages do not “grow up” in foster care.

Outcome 4. Reduce time to reunification without increasing re-entry
In FY 2001, the percentage of all reported reunifications occurring within 12 months of a child's entry into foster care was 74.2, which is lower than the national standard of 76.2 percent or more, but higher than the national median of 69.2 percent. Information from the CFSR Final Report notes that the State believes that the rate of reunification within 12 months is actually higher than the rate reported to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), because the State may not be reporting "reason for discharge" information to AFCARS for all children. The table for outcome measure 3.1 supports this contention: for FY 2001, "reason for discharge" information was not reported for 11.7 percent of children exiting from foster care. Ohio's reported performance on this measure did not change substantively from FY 1999 to FY 2001.

In FY 2001, the percentage of children re-entering foster care within 12 months of discharge from a prior foster care episode was 12.4, which exceeds the national standard of 8.6 percent or less and the national median of 10.4 percent. Ohio's performance on this measure did not change substantively from FY 1999 to FY 2001.

Outcome 5. Reduce time in foster care to adoption
In FY 2001, the percentage of all finalized adoptions occurring within 24 months of a child's entry into foster care was 25.7, which does not meet the national standard of 32.0 percent or more, but is higher than the national median of 21.0 percent. Change in Ohio's performance on this measure from FY 1999 to FY 2001 cannot be evaluated, because the State did not provide data to AFCARS for calculating this outcome in FY 1999. Ohio's performance on this measure declined from FY 2000 to FY 2001 (-12.0 percent change).

Outcome 6. Increase placement stability
In FY 2001, the percentage of children experiencing no more than 2 placements during their first 12 months in foster care was 86.0, which does not meet the national standard of 86.7 percent or more, but is higher than the national median of 83.3 percent. Ohio's performance on this measure did not change substantively from FY 1999 to FY 2001.

Outcome 7. Reduce placements of young children in group homes and institutions
In FY 2001, the percentage of children age 12 or younger placed in a group home or institution was 4.0, which is lower than the national median of 8.7 percent. Ohio's performance on this measure improved from FY 1999 to FY 2001 (-13.1 percent change).

Back to Top

Return to Chapter IV State Data Pages

Return to Table of Contents