In accordance with Section 751.140 of House Bill 483 of the 130th General Assembly, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) is issuing funding to select counties for activities that will positively impact Ohio's Child Welfare System. This funding will allow Public Children Services Agencies (PCSAs) to apply unique approaches to manage and affect outcomes for the children and families in which they serve. PCSAs will submit proposals for consideration to ODJFS no later than November 7, 2014 as instructed in the October 21, 2014 letter from the Director of ODJFS.

ODJFS will issue the funding as an advance to PCSAs upon the proposal's approval. The Efficiency and Innovation Fund Allocation will be a one-time allocation that consists of no more than $250,000.00 in state funds per approved proposal. ODJFS will communicate expenditure coding for the Efficiency and Innovation Fund allocation via a County Finance Information System Alert.

Funds must be reported and liquidated by December 31, 2015. Funds not fully liquidated by December 31, 2015 will return to ODJFS as part of the October - December 2015 quarterly reconciliation.

Please contact the Office of Families and Children for questions regarding funding and allowable activities. Please contact the County Finance Information System (CFIS) HelpDesk in the Bureau of County Finance and Technical Assistance for questions regarding coding.