Madison County Family & Children First Council ~ Purpose

Why is Family & Children First Council important?

The Madison County Family & Children First Council's purpose is to streamline and coordinate existing government services for families seeking services for their children.
 
Our History

The Madison County Commissioners established the Madison County Dept. of Family and Children in 1996 to help implement those programs identified through Council. The aim of Madison County Family and Children First Council is to maintain an efficient and responsive county-wide system which provides comprehensive services to families and children by breaking through the barriers that exist between the various agencies and helping those agencies share resources.
 
In 1993, the first county Family and Children First Councils were begun in Ohio by an executive order of the governor. It was recognized that many families were involved with a number of agencies which were all providing services at the same time. The Council was started as a way for the leaders of these different agencies to work together to help the families they served. Providing unique and family centered services that support and strengthen families and children continues to be our priority. 
 
Over the years and by working together, Madison County agencies have identified gaps in services; joined together in strategic planning; identified collaborative resources; sought out additional funding; and developed innovative ways to address those gaps.

In seeking to fulfill it’s purpose, the Madison County Family & Children First Council provides for the following outlined as defined in ORC 121.37:

 * Referrals to the cabinet council of those children for whom the county council cannot provide adequate services.
 * Development and implementation of a process that annually evaluates and prioritizes services, fills service gaps where                     possible, and invents new approaches to achieve better results for families and children.
 * Maintenance of an accountability system to monitor the county council’s progress in achieving results for families and children.

Amended Substitute HB 289

A county council shall develop and implement an interagency process to establish local indicators and monitor the county’s progress toward increasing child well-being in the county. (Madison County Cluster Committee)
 
A county council shall develop and implement an interagency process to identify local priorities to increase child well-being.  The local priorities shall focus on expectant parents and newborns thriving; infants and toddlers thriving; children being ready for school; children and youth succeeding in school; youth choosing healthy behaviors; and youth successfully transitioning into adulthood and take into account the indicators established by the cabinet council under division (A)(4)(a) of this section. (Madison County Shared Plan) 
                                                                                                                                      
 
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For more information contact:
Amanda Morgan, Council Coordinator
740-852-0339 phone
 P.O. Box 624
London, Ohio 43140