MOUNT VERNON — Families lined up early on Aug. 9 for the Knox County Job & Family Services Back-to-School Voucher Program.
By the time it ended, 530 families had received help buying school and hygiene supplies.
“The back-to-school vouchers were off the charts this year,” JFS Director Scott Boone told the commissioners last week.
Distribution was scheduled to start at 9 a.m. By 8:15, there was a line around the parking lot, so distribution started at 8:30 a.m.
“By 11:30 or 12, we’d served over 1,425 children. That is the equivalent of 530 families,” Boone said.
Each voucher was worth $150. Families can redeem them at Mount Vernon locations Walmart, Marshalls, Shoe Sensation, Fashion & Home by FC, and Gabriel Brothers in Mansfield.
Boone said JFS wants to direct more TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) money to the program in 2025 to serve at least 1,500 children.
“We ended up turning maybe 30 to 60 people away, and we hate doing that,” he said.
In previous years, the program distributed vouchers at Mount Vernon and Danville locations. Boone said JFS condensed it to the First Church of the Nazarene in Mount Vernon this year to make it less confusing to the public.
JFS has overseen the program for 15 years. Interchurch Social Services coordinates it.
ISS Executive Director Carolyn Fergus previously told Knox Pages that with two locations, she reserves vouchers for each location.
However, she does not know how many families will show up at each location. That can result in families being turned away in one location and vouchers going unused in the other.
Boone said JFS staff believe rising costs and harder economic times contributed to the large turnout.
Workforce
In a typical August, staff sends around 20 resumes to employers twice a month. This month, staff sent 67.
“We’re seeing a real spike in applicants but not job opportunities,” Boone said. “The interest is there; there’s more seekers but fewer jobs.”
Boone said Knox County encounters the same trends as other counties regarding folks who do not respond to interview invitations.
“We make job offers, and they’ll ghost us, so that part is still a little bit puzzling,” he said.
He noted there has been a large volume of probationary removals since 2019.
“But we feel that that maybe it’s a positive indication because I tell them not to settle when you’re going through the interview process,” he said. “A lot of people are desperate just to put somebody in the seat. … But longer term, if you don’t make the right selection, everybody suffers from that.”
Child Support Month
Boone said the Ohio Justice Bus, a mobile, free legal aid partnership with Knox County Child Support Services, “has led to a lot of good connections for folks in our community who need help.”
“We’re trying to get them to come along a little more often because the folks we’ve talked to seem to appreciate more opportunities,” he said. “And I think [Juvenile Judge Jay Nixon] would like more formal legal advice available to folks versus us saying ‘Maybe you can do this, maybe you can do that.’
“So the Justice Bus might offer some different opportunities for folks to get direct legal advice.”
CASAs
Commissioner Teresa Bemiller asked about the juvenile court’s CASA program (Court Appointed Special Advocate) and how it works with Children’s Services. CASAs are similar to a guardian ad litem and speak on behalf of a child.
Specifically, she asked what happens in the event the CASA’s recommendation differs from JFS’.
“Normally it’s in tandem in terms of what the case plan goals are and the reunification priorities,” Boone responded, adding that JFS regularly works with CASAs.
“They do visit with the kids, at least on a weekly basis in the homes where they live, and we try to coordinate where we’re going in terms of where these kids are going to live.”
Boone said he has not seen a disagreement firsthand, but based on past experiences, a judge or a magistrate would negotiate differences.
Foster care
JFS received a favorable foster care audit. Boone said the agency will have about 35 foster families by fall.
“We’re getting ourselves away from the private networks and the $200, $300, $400 a day board payments that we do for those kids,” Boone said.
In 2018-19, JFS had custody of 100 to 150 children. Currently, between 65 and 70 children are under JFS’ care.
Boone said adoption rates spiked in the last few years because some parents could not get themselves into regular recovery and sobriety.
“So we had to go to the two-year plan toward adoption. We still pay monthly costs for those kids, but it’s less than board, and it’s money well spent because it goes to forever homes,” he said.
Future repairs
Upcoming repairs include replacing rooftop HVAC units and flooring.
The department also needs to replace two vehicles approaching 140,000 to 150,000 miles. Both have oil leaks, and one has shifting problems.
