Trumbull County Children Services (TCCS) is one of eight county agencies selected to implement the Public Children Services Association of Ohio's (PCSAO) new program PACT. 

PACT, which stands for Practice in Action Together, is a new shared practice model developed by PCSAO to begin modernizing Ohio's children services agencies.

Since December 2020, PCSAO says it has been using a collaborative design approach with public children services agencies (PCSA) and individuals with lived experiences to develop a relational practice model that focuses on four main components: purpose, values, behaviors and outcomes. 

"PACT will be revolutionary for public children services agencies as the model focuses on 'how' we strengthen relationships between caseworkers and families, elevate healing, and achieve equity while meeting state and federal mandates," says PCSAO Executive Director Angela Sausser. "PACT was developed for and by caseworkers, supervisors and agency leaders working alongside families, former foster youth, academics and other experts."

Participating county agencies selected as 'champions for change' include:

  • Ashtabula County Children Services
  • Athens County Children Services
  • Belmont County Job & Family Services
  • Champaign County Job & Family Services
  • Fairfield County Job & Family Services
  • Morgan County Job & Family Services
  • Perry County Children Services
  • Trumbull County Children Services

"PCSAO's board of trustees has committed initial funding to build internal implementation capacity that will be needed to provide technical assistance, coaching and facilitation for these counties," Sausser adds. "This includes engaging Kaye Implementation & Evaluation as a research partner."

"How we do our work is imPACTful when working with families. PACT's design is to help strengthen the relationships and collaborative efforts of child welfare and families served with the intent to provide more positive outcomes," states Angela Cochran, START caseworker with TCCS and PACT design team member. "When we focus our attention on family values and building partnerships, we find that the work that we do daily is more meaningful and imPACTful in the lives of those we serve. I am very excited to see PACT implemented in our daily practice and improving how we work with families."

Leading the project is Mike Kenney, PSCAO's director of strategic initiatives, who praised directors of selected agencies as thought leaders who are committed to improving outcomes for children and families. 

"After two years of listening to families, caseworkers and leaders on the journey to co-designing PACT, we believe that this model will result in hope for success and shared dignity between workers and families," Kenney says. "Relationships are the leading indicator of positive outcomes for families and children. PACT is designed to help caseworkers and families build meaningful relations through behavioral change and with relentless focus on family-centered values."

More information on PACT can be found on PCSAO's website.