Lucas County Children Services officials called on the community to be proactive by reaching out to them for help before problems develop to the point that foster placement of children is used as a last resort.
“We have learned that the best way to respond to child abuse and neglect is to prevent it before it occurs, as opposed to reacting to it after something bad has happened to a kid,” Randall Muth, the agency’s executive director said.
Mr. Muth spoke during a “community conversations” meeting at the Frederick Douglass Community Association Center along Douglas Avenue in central Toledo. About 40 people attended the two-hour event, themed “Safe Children, Safe Families,” during which agency officials told about the services the agency provides and answered related questions.
“I think there is a stigma in the African-American community that children’s services is interested in reacting, as opposed to helping the families,” Mr. Muth said. “We want the Black community members to reach out to us to prevent [child] trauma, and to have faith and trust in the agency and [to know] that the last thing we want to do is remove your children.”
Mr. Muth said African Americans, who make up about 22 percent of the population in Lucas County, account for almost 60 percent of foster care cases, with about 50 percent of those referrals coming from families of color, whereas white families are underrepresented by almost a half.
“We want to build trust in the community so they know that when they call us, our first response is going to be, ‘How can we help you?’” he said. “You can expect that we will treat you with dignity and respect. … Our main message is we want to do everything we can to keep your [child] out of the system, and we want you to be proactive and [know that] calling us is absolutely OK.”
When community members calls the agency at 419-213-2273, they will be connected with a trained assessment caseworker who will identify what the particular needs of the family are and whether or not the family qualifies for the services the agency provides.
“We’ll work with you to resolve those barriers, understanding that the last thing we want to do is take your kids [away from you] into care,” Mr. Muth said.
“The family will be then assigned to a caseworker who will do a full assessment and look at what the needs are: Are you calling because your children don’t have basic necessities? Do you need help with getting your utilities turned on? Do you need help with making your rent payment? Things like that.”
One in 41 Black children will have their relationship with their birth parents legally terminated , Joyce James, CEO of Joyce James Consulting, a nationally recognized racial equity expert, said earlier this year during a child welfare symposium in Toledo. That’s “more than doubled the rate of the general population,” she said.
Suzette Cowell, the children services board chairman, attended Monday’s session.
“We work with the community, we work with the individuals in the community,” she said. “We’re not here to take your children. That’s not what we want to do. We want to just strengthen the family.”
The stated mission of Children Services is “to lead the community in the protection of children at risk of abuse and neglect.”
In 2022, on any given day the agency had between 750 and 800 children in foster care, of whom about 150 are up for adoption, according to the agency.
“One of the best ways that families can prevent child abuse and neglect is to be proactive — knowing what resources are available to address different types of situations, and knowing how these agencies and individuals can be of help,” Hope Bland, the LCCS director of diversity, equity, inclusion, and strategy, said in a statement.
Mr. Muth said he hopes to hold community meetings every last Monday of the month “because it’s important for us, not just me, but my entire administrative staff, to hear what the community expects of their agency.”
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