Johnson Announces Passage of Bill Increasing Flexibility for Foster Care Training

COLUMBUS—State Senator Terry Johnson (R-McDermott) announced the passage of House Bill 8 by the Senate yesterday, which creates greater flexibility for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) to establish foster caregiver training requirements. This would extend greater flexibility to Ohio's foster families by reducing statutory training mandates and permitting them to take up to 20% of preplacement hours online. "House Bill 8 would allow more great people to step up and become foster families," Johnson said. "By increasing the flexibility of training with foster families and those seeking to become foster families, we are opening the door to many children across the state." According to ODJFS, nearly 16,000 children are in protective care outside their homes in Ohio, and Ohio has roughly 8,000 licensed foster families around the state. To learn more about House Bill 8, click here.