Ashtabula County Children Services
Ashtabula County Children Services is your county
agency, responsible by law to protect and care for
children who are physically, emotionally or sexually
abused, neglected, or whose parents are unable to
care for them.
Intervention with troubled families can keep a crisis
from escalating into violence.
When a child's health and/or safety threatened, we
must be able to respond immediately, whenever
and wherever a crisis occurs in Ashtabula
County.
The Children Services 24-Hour toll-free helpline
service offers this protection.
Anyone who suspects child abuse or is in danger
of abusing children themselves, can contact us
anytime of day or night, from anywhere in the
county.
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Persons 60 years of age or older are in need of
protective services if they are known or suspected
to be suffering from abuse, neglect, including self-
neglect, or exploitation to an extent that either life
is endangered or physical harm, mental anguish
or mental illness results or is likely to result.
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If you are the victim of domestic violence or
sexual abuse YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
Homesafe provides:
*Shelter, staffed 24 hours / day.
*24 hour hotline.
*Food.
*Clothes.
*Individual support.
*Support groups.
*Referrals to community agencies.
*Legal advocacy.
*Crisis Intervention.
*Court and hospital accompaniment.
*Children's program.
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If you are considering leaving an abusive situation,
having the following in an easily accessible place
will be useful:
*Cash
*Important papers (insurance, Medicaid cards,
bank information, lease or deed, car registration,
prescriptions and medications, court orders or
papers, birth certificates, social security cards, etc).
*Keys to the House and Cars.
*Important phones numbers.
*Extra clothing.
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Ohio Works First For Our Future
Our Families * Our Businesses * Our Communities
Ohio Works First (OWF) can provide temporary
cash payments, health care, food stamps, and child
care subsidies for families in crisis.
Through the new program, Prevention, Retention,
and Contingency (PRC), any family with income
at or below 150% of the federal poverty level
guideline can receive emergency payments.
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Child Support Enforcement Agency
Ordinarily, your self-sufficiency contract for the
OWF program requires cooperation with the Child
Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) to establish
paternity and collect child support for children living
in the home.
However, there may be times when cooperation may
not be in the best interest of the child. In those cases,
a person may claim "good cause". Evidence supporting
the claim for good cause must be provided to CSEA
within 21 days.
The CSEA shall grant a 25 day extension to provide
documentation if necessary. A good cause claim
may be corroborated with either of the following evidence:
*A court, medical, criminal, child protective services,
social services, psychological, or law enforcement
record, or other credible and competent evidence, that
indicates that the person who could be established
might inflict physical or emotional harm to the child
or caretaker.
*A birth certificate, medical or law enforcement record
that indicates the child was conceived as a result of
incest or forcible rape.
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Victims of Crime Assistance
Program
Who is eligible?
*Someone who is injured during a violent crime.
*A dependent of a deceased victim.
*Someone who has paid the expenses of a victim.
*A person who is legally authorized to act on
behalf of the victim.
To be eligible...
for compensation, a victim MUST report the
crime to a law enforcement officer within 72
hours and MUST cooperate fully in the investigation
and prosecution of the crime. The victim also must
file a claim for compensation within two (2) years of
the date of the crime. Minor victims have until their
20th birthday to file a compensation claim.
Expenses that are not considered:
Property damage or loss, including cash.
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Mental Retardation
and Developmental Disabilities
The Ashtabula County Board of Mental Retardation
and Developmental Disabilities (ACBMR/DD) investigates
unusual incidents, alleged abuse, or neglect of individuals
with disabilities who are eligible for Board services.
The Case Management Department is responsible for
responding immediately to any emergency situation
involving an eligible person whose eligibility has not
yet been determined. Crisis intervention services are
therefore available on a 24 hour a day basis.
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Child Abuse: Children Services: 440.998.1811 or
toll free: 1.888.998.1811.
Adult Abuse: Homesafe Inc.: 440.992.2727 or
24 hour toll free: 1.800.95.ABUSE
Rape Crisis: 440.998.2100 or
toll free: 1.888.492.SAFE
Elder Abuse: Adult Protective Services: 440.994.2020 or
toll free: 1.800.935.0242.
Victims of Crime Assistance: 440.576.3523 or
toll free: 1.800.824.8263
Supportive Family Services: Ohio Works First (OWF)
Child Support Enforcement Agency: 440.998.1110 or
toll free: 1.800.935.0242
Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities:
Case management: 440.466.7110 or
emergency: 1.888.522.3051