More than 300 employees from the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS), along with other County employees and community partners participated in the 2023 Cuyahoga Hero 5k walk

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time when child advocates across the nation focus on ways to prevent abuse and neglect, recognizing the importance of strong families and communities working together to keep children safe.

The namesake of the Payne and Superior Avenues building dedicated his life providing services to residents throughout Northeast Ohio and beyond. Virgil E. Brown (1917-2010) became the first African American to lead the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections as well as the first elected to the Cuyahoga County Commission.

After much research and preparation Cuyahoga County will soon have a collaborative Child Protection Team (CPT) dedicated to detecting and preventing sometimes severe and hard to spot cases of child abuse and neglect. Clinicians from MetroHealth System, Cleveland Clinic, and University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children will join forces with the multidisciplinary team at Canopy Child Advocacy Center to form the CPT in an unprecedented collaboration between organizations.

The culmination of a four- year federal grant project has not only changed the ways Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services address the needs of youth who identify as LGBTQ+ but has also provided a blueprint for Health and Human Services divisions throughout the nation to follow.

Ticket to Hope, an Ohio-based non-profit, successfully partnered with the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to provide hockey tickets to the Cuyahoga County families.

In honor of Older Americans Month, the Division of Senior and Adult Services (DSAS) wanted to spotlight a Cuyahoga resident who embodies this year’s theme of “Age My Way.” We found the most amazing example in Centenarian Vaddie B. Todd. Todd was recently honored by the Cuyahoga Council, friends and relatives in celebration of her 105th birthday, which occurred on March 21, 2022.

Social isolation – also known as loneliness -- is a big contributor to declining health in older adults. Did you know that social isolation is as detrimental to one’s health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day? Lack of meaningful social interaction among older adults can lead to obesity, depression, sleeplessness and a downward spiral of issues. DSAS helps seniors get social. Our Community Social Services Program works with 36 community partners across the County to ensure adults age 60 and over have opportunities to engage with one another.

As we age, we can at times find ourselves in situations that put us in peril. Even the savviest, most independent of us can fall prey to any numbers of risks – from a physical injury, to a mental decline, a shady new acquaintance or a seasoned scam artist. While most people can safely navigate these pitfalls, some older adults need a helping hand to stay safe when these situations arise.

When the COVID-19 Pandemic forced government agencies and non-profits that assist people to close their doors to in-person services, the leadership at The Centers for Families and Children (The Centers), who administer the Child Development Associate Training got creative.

If you ever visited the Mt. Pleasant Center on Kinsman Avenue, more than likely you have sat in the Barbara S. Galloway Conference Room, located on the second floor of the facility. The woman for whom the conference room is named, has a legacy worthy of the recognition.

The Cuyahoga County Fatherhood Initiative partnered with the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the National Fatherhood Resource Center and Little Free Libraries for outstanding events last week. The goal was to promote the importance of fathers reading to their children, and it proved to be a huge success!

As a result of federal legislation that expanded the Child Tax Credit, nearly 90 percent of families with children are eligible to receive up to $3600 per child under 6 and $3000 per child 6-17 years of age. Research has shown that the expanded Child Tax Credit reduced child poverty and allowed families to meet their basic needs. Child Tax Credit dollars were used to purchase food, pay rent, and afford other household needs.

The Cuyahoga County Senior and Adult Services Advisory Board held its second Annual Board Meeting on January 28. The virtual meeting themed, “From Surviving to Thriving,” provided the community an opportunity to learn about the Board’s initiatives, and the Division of Senior and Adult Services’ (DSAS) mission, programs and services which have been helping older adults move 'from surviving to thriving' over the past year.

The Superhero Project, pairs artists with youth who are experiencing critical illness, a major change, trauma or special needs. Each child is virtually interviewed by an artist to determine what type of superhero best represents them. Afterwards, the artists design the superhero caricature, creating a visual representation of their strength and resilience.

DCFS, with the support of community members and local businesses provided toys, bikes and tablets for foster care youth through the Hope for the Holidays program, an annual gift program for children and teens in foster care.

In partnership with the Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center, Cuyahoga County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) provides funds to assist low- income residents with the purchase and repair of hearing aids and other assistive devices through the Audiology Patient Assistance Program (APA).

Santa’s elves delivered thousands of toys to the Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) this week as part of Hope for the Holidays, an annual gift program for children and teens in foster care. More than 4,000 youth are expected to receive gifts this holiday season.

The Cuyahoga County Division of Senior and Adult Services (DSAS) launched a new narrative around the topic of aging with its recent “Reframing Aging” workshop. The session was facilitated by state aging expert, Beth Kowalczyk, Chief Policy Officer for the Ohio Association of Area Agencies on Aging. Kowalczyk is part of a national group of facilitators trained in the Reframing Aging concept by the Gerontological Society of America.

Every Child Needs Family. That’s a theme the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services has maintained for many years. It’s a reminder that every individual child is not just a case, but a young person who needs all the things we get from a family, including love, support, advice, guidance, safety, etc.