Who We Are
The Ohio Association of Child Caring Agencies is a state-wide network of public and private child and family serving agencies.
What We Do
OACCA represents member interests to the Ohio General Assembly and other areas of the state government. We also take an active approach to federal and local issues that affect our member agencies.
A Proud Member Of:
Child Welfare League of America
Foster Family-Based Treatment Association
Alliance for Children & Families
National Organization of State Associations for Children
 | Independent Living Legislative ForumsJune 18, 2008 OACCA is holding forums around the state to advance independent and transitioning living reforms for youth transitioning out of foster care with the state legislature. The purpose of the forums is to share and discuss legislative recommendations with legislators, foster youth & parents, and independent living professionals. Topics include: higher education, housing, healthcare, transportation, and workforce. We hope you can attend so that your voice will be heard on these crucial issues that Ohio youth face every day. Dayton Montgomery County Children’s Services ■ July 29 ■ 10AM – 2PM Haines Children's Center, 3304 N. Main St., Dayton, Ohio 45405 Cincinnati Lighthouse Youth Services ■ August 15 ■ 10AM – 2PM 1501 Madison Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45206 Columbus Viaquest Behavioral Health of Ohio ■ August 27th ■ 10AM –2PM 525 Metro Place North, Suite 300, Dublin, Ohio 43017 Cleveland Cleveland Christian Home TBA Click here to register for these events. Click here to access event announcement. |
 | Ohio Independent Living SummitDetails Registration is free for youth and foster parents. Discounted hotel rooms and a limited number of room scholarships will be available soon. Detailed information and registration will be available shortly. Invitation for Workshop Proposals If you are interested in presenting at the upcoming Independent Living Summit, please send your completed workshop proposals to Bryan Brown or fax to (614) 228-7004. The deadline for submission of a proposal is July 7, 2008. Applications will be reviewed by the Independent Living Summit 2008 Workshop Committee, who will confirm acceptance of your proposal via email by July 28, 2008. Workshop Cover Sheet [download] Workshop Template [download] Access Save the Date Flyer [download] |
 | OACCA Attends Signing Ceremony with Governor Strickland for SB 163May 16, 2008 Governor Ted Strickland signed SB 163, Senator Tom Niehaus’s foster care reform bill, into law on Wednesday. Bryan Brown and Mark Mecum of OACCA attended, along a other invited advocates. We are proud that after two years of hard work, the General Assembly passed SB 163 and HB 214, two bills that reform the foster care system in Ohio.  From Left: Bryan Brown (OACCA), Adrian MacLemore (Ohio Youth Advisory Board), Greg Kapcar (PCSAO), State Representative Jeff Wagner, State Senator Tom Niehaus, Governor Ted Strickland, State Representative Courtney Combs OACCA members can access an Implementation Guide for HB 214, the foster care law that focuses on foster parent training. You must log in and then click on Advocacy Resources. An Implementation Guide for SB 163 will also be available shortly. |
 | OACCA Urges U.S. Senate to Pass Medicaid Moratoria LegislationMay 12, 2008 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service has proposed regulations that would reduce federal Medicaid reimbursement to states significantly -- stripping away from $15 to $50 billion in federal dollars over the next five years. Ohioans are losing their homes in record numbers, gasoline prices are climbing out of sight and healthcare is too expensive, unavailable or rationed by corporate executives to fill the gap that will grow even wider if these regulations go into effect. Fortunately, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 5613, which would place a one-year moratorium on the Medicaid regulations. The Senate now has the opportunity to pass H.R. 5613 or a similar bill, S. 2819, to prevent these regulations from being implemented in Ohio. OACCA has written a letter to U.S. Senator George Voinovich from Ohio [download] outlining our support for the bill. OACCA urges its member agencies to also submit letters to Senator Voinovich by using this template [download]. Note: U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown already has expressed his support for the legislation. |
 | OACCA Political Connections SurveyIn order to effectively advocate and lobby our concerns to the legislature and state departments, we often try to locate member agency staff that has already developed relationships with key policy makers to assist us in our efforts. In order to organize and collect information on the relationships that you have developed with policy makers, we urge you to complete the OACCA Political Connections Survey today. To access the online survey, click here. The survey will take approximately 5-10 minutes to finish. Email Mark with any problems or questions. |
 | SACWIS Information and UpdatesThe Ohio Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS) is being developed by ODJFS pursuant to SB 238 of the 126th Ohio General Assembly and the federal Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1993. This area of our website will serve as a central database of SACWIS related resources and updates. Articles Letters Links |
 | Update Your Agency and Program ProfilesTo update information about your agency and the programs that you offer, please log-in. There is one username and password assigned per agency to administer your agency and program profiles and to access other members-only information. (Email Lindsay to find your username and password.) Please distribute the log-in information to all staff that you wish to have access. |
 | OACCA Announces Leadership Award RecipientsMarch 19, 2008 STATE ASSOCIATION FOR CHILDREN ANNOUNCES AWARD RECIPIENTS Annuals Awards Presented at March Advocacy Conference in Columbus On March 4-5, 2008, the Ohio Association of Child Caring Agencies (OACCA) presented leadership awards to outstanding individuals that provide services to children and youth at its annual advocacy conference at the Hyatt on Capitol Square in Columbus. The Virginia Colson Award for Service to Ohio’s Children and Families is presented to Doris Edelmann, Aftercare Coordinator at Montgomery County Children’s Services and to Lisa Dickson of the Foster Care Alumni of America, Ohio chapter. The Public Partner of the Year Award is presented to Jim McCafferty, Director of Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services. The George Stevens Award for Service to OACCA is presented to Jim Miller, Executive Director of The Village Network, a foster care agency based in Wooster, Ohio. The Colson award honors a person whose continued service to families and children exemplifies the qualities of Virginia Colson, the founding Executive Director of OACCA. Colson’s passionate and tireless effort to build and strengthen quality services to children and families is nationally recognized and is her legacy to OACCA. This year’s recipients, Doris Edlemann and Lisa Dickson, are chosen for their dedication and outstanding advocacy to meet the needs of youth in care in order to achieve successful adulthood. Their work is never ending, and neither is the love they have for the youth they serve. The Public Partner of the Year Award honors a person employed at a public agency that works closely with OACCA in collaboration with public and private children’s agencies to improve the lives of Ohio’s children. This year’s recipient, Jim McCafferty, is chosen to recognize the strong, supportive partnership he has worked to create with private children’s agencies in order to improve the system of care for Ohio’s disadvantaged children. The George Stevens Award for Service to OACCA honors a person whose continued service to OACCA exemplifies the qualities of George Stevens, former Executive Director of Oesterlen Services for Youth and founder of OACCA. Stevens was sincerely committed to the need for a strong, unified voice for private child caring agencies and the mission of OACCA. He was a charter member of the Association and gave freely of his time, energy, and staff resources in our early years. His efforts and dedication made OACCA a reality. This year’s recipient, Jim Miller, is chosen for his dedication, advocacy and leadership to OACCA and children and families across Ohio. If you would like more information about the awards or the recipients, please contact Mark Mecum at (614) 461-0014 or mmecum@oacca.org. |
 | OACCA 2008 Public Policy Agenda ReleasedApril 08, 2008 The Ohio Association of Child Caring Agencies has released its 2008 Public Policy Agenda that lists our priorities for county, state, and federal public policies. Access the Public Policy Agenda here.  The Public Policy Agenda will be distributed to members of county governments in Ohio, as well as members of the Ohio General Assembly, other state offices, and Members of Congress from Ohio. For more information on OACCA or our public policy priorities, you can contact us at (614) 461-0014 or mmecum@oacca.org. |
