News Briefs

February 19, 2015 by Staff Report

@News Briefs 20ptML:HUD Awards

Geauga $255,569

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Capital Fund Program has awarded Geauga County $255,569 to improve public housing infrastructure in the county.

This funding — which is part of a larger $39.4 million award for east and Northeast Ohio counties — allows authorities to make critical improvements to their housing units, including roof replacements and plumbing and electrical system upgrades, along with asbestos and lead paint removal.

According to HUD, the U.S. loses nearly 10,000 public housing units each year due to disrepair, making these investments in critical repairs all the more important.

“This is about improving the safety and sustainability of affordable housing,” said U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), ranking member of the of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs. “This federal support will help ensure that our public housing authorities can continue to provide Ohioans with a place to call home.”

Juvenile Court Awarded Grant

Geauga County Juvenile Court will share in a competitive RECLAIM grant offered by the Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS).

Ashtabula, Geauga, Mahoning, and Trumbull county juvenile courts formed a RECLAIM collaborative, NEORR, to reduce recidivism, out-of-home placements and provide more effective transitions back into the home after in-patient therapy.

NEORR is one of only two collaboratives in the state awarded $250,000 annually by DYS for the next five years.

“The Geauga County Juvenile Court will use these funds to provide cost-efficient services for youth in need of treatment to reduce recidivism,” said Judge Timothy Grendell. “The accessibility of these non-Geauga County taxpayer funds should enhance our ability to rehabilitate, while reducing the cost to our county’s taxpayers for youth placements in detention and DYS facilities.”

While previously cost-prohibitive, the introduction of these funds will allow Geauga County to participate in the new expansion and enhancement of innovative, evidence-based treatment programming such as Multi-Systemic Therapy (MST), Transition to Independence Process (TIP) and High Fidelity Wrap Around services, in a fiscally prudent manner.

Mahoning County Juvenile Court will serve as the administering agent of the NEORR award and Case Western Reserve University Begun Center for Violence Prevention Research and Education will provide fidelity assurance and program analysis to DYS.

Other partner agencies include the Children’s Protective Services Division of JFS in Geauga County, the Family First Council of Geauga County, and Homes for Kids of Ohio in Boardman.

Employment Law Program Feb. 20

Geauga Growth Partnership will present “Employment Law – An Informational Program for Small Businesses” from 7:30-10 a.m. Feb. 20 at Kent State University Geauga.

Register online at employment-law-feb20.eventbrite.com.