Who We Are - Stark County Family Council Overview

There are hundreds of excellent child and family service organizations throughout Stark County. Each one operates independently and focuses on a specific area of service such as: mental health, developmental disabilities, education, substance abuse, child welfare, juvenile justice, etc. While each agency functions independently, many of them are serving the same families and deal with similar issues. The Stark County Family Council was created to open a dialogue among service organizations and families in order to create a broader awareness of important child and family issues. Working together, we develop, implement and evaluate coordinated responses to these issues. In addition, the Family Council provides a public forum for families, organizations and community members to meet on a regular basis to share information, highlight community activities and coordinate planning and program efforts.

Stark County’s collaborative efforts began nearly twenty years ago providing an excellent model of collaboration. In 1993, then Governor Voinovich formally established the Ohio Family & Children First initiative that built upon this type of collaboration in order to provide incentives for counties to work together in more effectives ways so children and families needs were better met. Today, there is legislation in state statute that requires a Family & Children First Council in every county throughout the state (ORC 121.37).

Click here for more information on Ohio Family & Children First.
Click here for more information on Ohio Family & Children First Legislation

The Stark County Family Council Board of Trustees is made up of representatives from public service systems, non-profit agencies, foundations, families and other interested individuals and groups. In addition, a General Membership of over 200 help support the efforts generated through joint planning and program implementation. Together, they develop strategies and practices to maximize the funding and other resources available for child and family services, building upon the strengths of our community.

The priority areas for the Family Council are:

• Wraparound – Current efforts include:
  • Consultation Individual Child and Family Teams
  • Creative Community Options
  • Child & Family Teams
  • ACCORD
  • Comprehensive Strategies Planning
  • Pooled Funding
• Prevention - Working earlier to serve families in need is a primary goal of the Council. Current efforts include:
  • Help Me Grow
  • Early Childhood Resiliency Project
  • Ohio Children’s Trust Fund
  • Shared Beginnings
  • School/Community partnerships

These efforts are supported with a strong emphasis on comprehensive, coordinated planning and a commitment to using researched-based approaches as well as outcomes-based evaluation.

OUR VISION

"The Stark County Family Council will endeavor to encourage and nurture the development of a unified service system that collaborates with families and pools resources to meet the individual needs of children and their families. This collaboration will strengthen and empower all participants to meet physical, emotional, intellectual and social needs of families and children, helping all to build on their strengths."

GUIDING Principles

The Stark County Family Council shall:

• Empower families to identify their priorities, concerns and needs
• Ensure family-centered, culturally sensitive, individualized services and supports
• Develop programs that wraps services around the family’s needs and work to provide whatever services are needed
• Ensure availability of service coordination using a non-categorical approach
• Affirm that the community is part of the solution
• Reaffirm that everyone has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
• Affirm that all families are partners in defining of the issues as well as planning the solutions
• Meet the needs of families by utilizing the least restrictive community-based services and supports
• Develop community awareness of the various systems that provide services and supports to families
• Focus on prevention and the family’s strengths, priorities and concerns
• Accept every family with a “no eject, no reject” services and supports policy

Making a Difference

The Family Council has made an enormous impact on child and family outcomes in Stark County. Helping families obtain and sustain wellness and stay together remains our number one priority.

By developing the Family Council, Stark County has made a serious commitment to working together and hold themselves accountable. Our efforts have increased our county's ability to maximize resources, generate additional state and federal revenue, develop needed programs and services, and build capacity to serve children and families.
When the families of Stark County win, we all win.

For more information, contact Carol Lichtenwalter at the Stark County Family Council at (330) 455-1225 ext. 304 or Carol@starkfamilycouncil.org. You may also find additional information about Family Council at the state web site, www.ohiofcf.org. To read about the historical development of the Stark County Family Council, click on the button Seamless System of Care Manual located below.