[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6297473,"mediaKeyId","2509963-d2b01111bf26bbd95312a7e0c771acf0","parentId",2509963,"title","Nonprofits, reentry programs and juvenile advocates press committee for sustained reentry, DYS reforms and human‑trafficking funding","audioSeconds",3994,"startMs",6430000,"endMs",2436000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2509963-d2b01111bf26bbd95312a7e0c771acf0&start=6430&end=2436","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2509963-d2b01111bf26bbd95312a7e0c771acf0/thumbnail_6430000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6297473/Ohio/Nonprofits-reentry-programs-and-juvenile-advocates-press-committee-for-sustained-reentry-DYS-reforms-and-humantrafficking-funding","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6297473-60ff073470afd46bb487c2898cf4da77/orig.mp4?Expires=1771077128&Signature=CX-bRQbAJWu7F4CTuyX1bhilhJH7n9XqpT0wGyXkIXNX~fVBMUQTR7OSMpTZj~HKNSkdpew5jD9Wot5NMCOeWKbky~ipnKP1n41KHd~~ORIXrMZJTn5Hw56pqu4BDRLFZBciGXEDL4TZGyQ5v4YUuaXMMiSYL-tJNJwhfr9NMOZJ1fAhUMJ8x4EwGU8bVdT3u~V7BWThnq~GBDB2VO722FLpcjAvLHElLhwP7-XDfH1TN-vjMtznlMLMG8noDl0I4wsYu5tQaIow2Nb~jqoxjRB-EZbJ1EJ7Jin9vEY-7NBOC0Ean9vXHh43TJ81KpiumcSg4fOonScu0mk340qQ9Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Ohio Legislature","date","2025-03-05T00:00:00Z","article","A series of nonprofits and reentry organizations urged the House Public Safety Committee to invest in reentry services, community‑based juvenile alternatives, workforce training and continued funding for anti‑human trafficking work.

Who testified: witnesses included Maria Focia, president and CEO of Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry (LMM); Oluwatosa (Olu) Martins, Midwest regional director of Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO); Sasha Naiman of the Children's Law Center; Kirsty Muncy of the Collaborative to End Human Trafficking (Cuyahoga County); and grassroots speakers (Project Lift Services, Voices of Injustice, Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless) who emphasized local, culturally competent reentry services and mental‑health supports.

Main asks: advocates asked the committee to continue or expand state funding for proven reentry workforce programs, support the Department of Youth Services (DYS) shift to smaller regional and community corrections facilities, restore and sustain state grants that the Office of Criminal Justice Services uses for anti‑trafficking prevention, and ensure reentry funding supports housing, mental‑health continuity, Medicaid enrollment at release and wraparound services.

Evidence and program outcomes cited: LMM described its Chopping for Change culinary vocational program (more than 400 graduates since 2016; program graduates had an under‑3% recidivism rate in LMM reporting). CEO said it serves justice‑impacted people in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus and requested $1 million over the biennium to restore transitional job funding; CEO noted its placements and credentialing work and said advanced training yields wage increases (a 30% increase for participants who finish advanced training). Children's Law Center urged DYS investments in smaller, regional facilities and community alternatives for youth, citing evidence that community‑based placements reduce recidivism and improve reentry outcomes. The Collaborative to End Human Trafficking asked that OCJS anti‑trafficking line items be maintained, noting prior allocations of about $4.5 million per fiscal year in the last budget.

Grassroots and lived‑experience testimony: multiple witnesses with lived experience of incarceration said state reentry dollars should flow to grassroots providers with community credibility and lived experience. Voices of Injustice and Project Lift advocated for funding to support trauma‑informed mental‑health care, pre‑release planning, restorative justice programming inside facilities and post‑release housing assistance. A speaker who was wrongfully incarcerated urged specific allocations to community groups that provide immediate housing, clothing and mental‑health supports on release.

Juvenile justice points: Sasha Naiman of the Children's Law Center urged funding to shift DYS away from large institutional settings toward smaller regional facilities and community corrections facilities (CCFs) in counties with the most DYS commitments; the center recommended continued funding for staffing and for programming that addresses developmental needs and reduces reliance on seclusion.

Medicaid, continuity of care and MAT: speakers urged strengthened continuity of care at release, including Medicaid enrollment before release where possible; the DRC director had earlier told the committee that Medicaid continuity reduces recidivism and that maintaining federal funding streams is critical.

Committee response and context: committee members broadly engaged with witnesses, asked for details about program scale and cost per participant, and discussed whether reentry funding should prioritize statewide or local allocations. Several members noted that prior biennia included reentry investments and asked for specifics on how many people programs can serve per dollar.

Provenance: testimony excerpts appear across the hearing transcript where each witness introduced their organization and recommendations.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Ohio House Public Safety Committee - 3-05-2025","oneSentenceSummary","A range of nonprofit and workforce organizations told the House Public Safety Committee continued and expanded state funding for reentry programs, community juvenile alternatives and anti‑trafficking grants is needed to lower recidivism and support returning citizens.","taxTitle","Public Safety Committee, House of Representatives, Committees, Legislative, Ohio","taxId",79292,"location","Ohio","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6297463,"County commissioners push $1 NextGen 911 fee to replace local levies; lawmakers debate distribution and auditor findings",338,4972000,5310000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2509963-d2b01111bf26bbd95312a7e0c771acf0&start=4972&end=5310","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2509963-d2b01111bf26bbd95312a7e0c771acf0/thumbnail_4972000.jpg","/articles/6297463/Ohio/County-commissioners-push-1-NextGen-911-fee-to-replace-local-levies-lawmakers-debate-distribution-and-auditor-findings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6297463-52890e7da6d7b2549cc1c79cb11d4e7b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771077128&Signature=gUT6-H3-sAhjjqf~764~WzbiaAubrCEfLASqd~FKnrFGcz2eEQnkeTiL619SOX3ie3RGLQPQtBKw8mAJXF1wnXZQM1guIloSDOOEa0Roz9DqNN6WMHie7K~YOu4pW-gG-uhzZzQGiNUFe7~7vWjNOgpclDi5TPMBcIAXbNRcqSfJ7sZ4~Z-xEaEcgfJ4pVwNIVZKM9sm6wG5QUxos0Tk9Bj6UurRnq1HxY~UfRQ-zP3X1upXoKYMOCmwz6Y6Vs76SkUAuLxjY~lvIVWn7k62P651LJkUA1lEbb0Y9eBcpJsYciYLk4JnoVqs9iR6GLqC2YwWOKIZm5Y8n9-1kauaYw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Charlie Schilling, a Washington County commissioner testifying for the County Commissioners Association of Ohio (CCAO), urged the House Public Safety Committee to consider raising the monthly Next Generation 911 access fee from 40 cents to $1 to reduce reliance on local property‑tax levies.

What the commissioners said: Schilling said Washington County was the first in the state to connect to the NextGen 911 system and that counties face higher recurring costs (IT, staffing and oversight). He told the committee that a $1 fee spread across cellphone users would be a more equitable way to fund 911 operations and could allow counties to roll back or avoid property tax levies. \"One of the goals of this policy would be to distribute the cost of 911 across all citizens who are able to access 911 via their cell phone instead of relying on property tax owners,\" he said, and he urged support for proposed amendment HC0401.

Opposition and fiscal audit context: Committee members flagged language in a recent state auditor performance audit indicating that, under the audit\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000s assumptions, maintaining the fee at 40 cents would produce positive fund balances through 2032. Representative Hall cited the audit, noting it found the 40¢ fee produced surpluses in some scenarios. Members asked whether counties would simply accumulate surpluses or whether the distribution formula should be changed instead of raising the fee. Schilling said he wanted a net zero outcome for his county and argued that a $1 fee would allow Washington County to fund three public‑safety answering points (PSAPs) and the additional personnel and IT costs.

Distribution and equity questions: Representatives asked for data showing which counties currently levy property taxes for 911 services and how much those levies raise; Schilling agreed to provide county levy lists and rates through his association. Some members supported the concept of a statewide pool that would distribute revenues and reduce property‑tax burdens in smaller counties; others said more analysis was needed.

Comparisons to other states: Schilling cited neighboring states that are charging higher surcharges — Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Texas — and called $1 \"reasonable\" in that context. Committee members responded that each state's model is different and emphasized the need to analyze distribution formulas and carryover surpluses before raising the fee statewide.

What happens next: Schilling said CCAO can provide county levy and rate data; the committee asked staff and stakeholders for additional fiscal modeling to compare raising the fee versus changing how the current funds are distributed to counties.","The County Commissioners Association of Ohio told the House Public Safety Committee that raising the monthly NextGen 911 access fee from 40 cents to $1 could let counties reduce local property levies that currently fund 911 operations and cover rising IT and staffing costs for NextGen systems.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6297468,"Victim advocates urge $5 million state line to backfill federal VOCA shortfall",352,4247000,4599000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2509963-d2b01111bf26bbd95312a7e0c771acf0&start=4247&end=4599","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2509963-d2b01111bf26bbd95312a7e0c771acf0/thumbnail_4247000.jpg","/articles/6297468/Ohio/Victim-advocates-urge-5-million-state-line-to-backfill-federal-VOCA-shortfall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6297468-6bb91a5945a6a2fa4396addd10ce8228/orig.mp4?Expires=1771077128&Signature=FF0V~0vonogCP8tnBbRxiUJXk9oWDpQwwWmoKpVwbOT6fbncd8-l3OsivNw3SHyrYmTFFrR8Yhcom~1fD-9ayw0orn1P7hs37NXpjCKOswdojAaTF~704VWy592jrupB2IxmoTZaueoO-GBgagBNUawaGmyFKxdBAH~SDtZLPqejrK5dSiaGFM3xIJ9n37D9p9WcENvZHGoZx7jSd4nxULEbNu-77atTWNfhPPfWfdRN~1Za1lwSHVHcK~rox4inplmVJLf0ilNDuIoH1EulLbYGDBQjL6vjE7QAovJ-rh~DbPVv68Nv0KvlA-moGAUYCGjqJRBcNgCM~zEmB~KWtA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Elise McConnell, executive director of the Ohio Victim Witness Association (OVWA), told the House Public Safety Committee that Ohio victim advocates have experienced a steep funding decline due to reduced federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) receipts and asked the legislature to create a $5 million annual state line item to stabilize direct victim services.

Decline in VOCA revenues: McConnell said Ohio received about $117 million from the Crime Victims Fund in 2018 but received approximately $26.5 million in 2024, a decline she described as \"almost 77%.\" She said the shortfall has forced victim services organizations to reduce staff, curtail programs or close entirely, and made it harder to comply with legal obligations under recent expansions such as Marcy's Law.

What OVWA proposes: McConnell asked for a new state appropriation of $5,000,000 each fiscal year to be administered through the attorney general's office to fund direct victim services and to ensure victims can access advocates and statutory rights. She said the proposed fund would prioritize counties with no full‑time victim advocate or only part‑time coverage and that the dollars would largely support staff salaries.

Why advocates say the funding is needed: McConnell told the committee that state‑level support would reduce coverage gaps, increase consistent service delivery, and enable compliance with statutory obligations to notify and assist victims. She said that many local programs currently rely almost entirely on VOCA funds (federal fines, fees and penalties) and remain vulnerable to federal funding fluctuations.

Committee response: Representatives asked clarifying questions about allocation, county equity and whether funds could be shared or regionalized; OVWA said the association is open to flexible delivery models (shared advocates or traveling advocates) but emphasized the immediate priority is to make full‑time advocacy available in counties currently without it.

Provenance: McConnell\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000s remarks and Q&A are in the public hearing transcript at the time she testified.","The Ohio Victim Witness Association told the committee federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds have dropped sharply and asked for a $5 million annual state line item to sustain victim advocates and meet Marcy's Law implementation needs.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6297478,"Ohio prison chief urges more staff, security tools and reentry funding in biennial budget",579,111000,690000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2509963-d2b01111bf26bbd95312a7e0c771acf0&start=111&end=690","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2509963-d2b01111bf26bbd95312a7e0c771acf0/thumbnail_111000.jpg","/articles/6297478/Ohio/Ohio-prison-chief-urges-more-staff-security-tools-and-reentry-funding-in-biennial-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6297478-beda2369b225ef080d76ce1978353fd2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771077128&Signature=A~MaqJaYtLs1L9hxWfhkwL16hFI8WVpKZ1NQZHKZ1vN4Sm4oPJkR1j~28g2mofGYaaUdk5aifAUNLlvLfdy3HVyTF13m04C2tnsIAOMdNKEkziQOsm1P0gPSeAzEaXXvqA-qKbL8WabnkxiKLZgQzXXDK6~f331ivIJSlSipGvB6zhJ7lze0bFC5g~blZSAi8R50nwHNSZ6do~R2HVT4kALyO2Pxe0vWOsYTn97l2ZqeoKlSwdPNbyf8HVx2CL7vIr9Rnvh7o-gDLBTpyq6Xsa2Yuzk1Y1tRJB9OiVRmyCvLCMnHU8GVcrb9OXtM6T6ggWfu5fpOaBreTYXEo5Bduw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Director Chambers Smith, head of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, told the House Public Safety Committee that the department\u0000is seeking additional staffing and security funding in the governor\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000s executive budget to address a more violent prison population and rising operational costs.

The department\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000s FY26-27 executive request, Smith said, targets staffing and security: \"78% of the additional GRF request that we've made is to go to staffing either raises that we're contractually obligated or increasing security staff.\" She also described a taser pilot and asked for statewide funding to deploy them if the pilot proves successful: \"We will have 2 facilities piloting those this year and hope that we get the funding in the budget to take that statewide.\"

Why it matters: Smith said the system was built for less‑violent inmates and is now housing a much higher share of people convicted of violent crimes, which raises risks for staff and inmates and increases operational pressure. She told committee members the department expects the prison population to grow by about 1,000 people by July 2027 and that staffing accounts for roughly 72% of DRC's budget.

Key facts and figures cited by Smith: DRC's current in‑custody population is roughly 45,200; about 78% of new commitments now are for violent offenses; the statewide correctional vacancy rate fell from 7.9% to 7.3% in a month; roughly 3,200 staff are eligible to retire around the same period; and the department estimates 72% of its budget is tied to staffing and contract increases. Smith also said about 23% of people in prison meet the department's definition of mentally ill, 68% need substance abuse treatment and 27% tested below a sixth‑grade reading level on intake.

Safety measures and contraband controls: Smith described a multi‑pronged approach to drug and contraband reduction that she says has reduced detected drug use since 2021 and includes increased urine testing, wastewater testing, drug‑sniffing dogs, drone detection, body scanners, body‑worn cameras, a centralized mail processing pilot, restrictions on who may visit an incarcerated person, and a books‑ordering pilot. \"We now have a pilot at 1 prison that's gonna go statewide soon, where we order their books for them, and they cannot any longer get books from the outside,\" she said. Smith said DRC is also pursuing a change to a Department of Health administrative regulation so staff and contractors can be scanned at entry (currently DRC is allowed to scan only incarcerated people).

Parole and monitoring: Smith highlighted investments in parole supervision tools and ankle monitoring, which she said helped reduce the average parole officer caseload from about 1:77 to 1:48 during the DeWine administration. She said funding in the executive budget would continue expansion of the ankle monitoring project.

Programming and reentry: Smith defended education, vocational training and medication‑assisted treatment (MAT) in prisons as means to reduce recidivism. She cited program outcomes the department tracks: college plus recovery programs decrease recidivism by 15.6%, general education plus recovery services decrease violence 16.7%, and GED attainment reduces recidivism in Ohio studies by about 20%. She said last year 3,000 people left DRC having completed at least one career‑tech, apprenticeship or advanced credential program and 1,600 people received a high‑school diploma or GED while incarcerated.

Committee questions focused on housing near facilities, accountability for repeated infractions, how the department will staff new or reopened beds, and the scope of drug trends. On community context and recruitment, Smith said many prisons are sited in rural areas and that many staff commute up to 90–120 minutes; she said housing shortages around some prisons complicate recruitment.

On accountability and discipline, Smith described the Facilities Rules Infraction Board process and said discipline can include security reclassification and segregation. On contraband trends, she said DRC is seeing shifts to novel delivery methods (\"paper\" doped with chemicals, covert shipments, drone drops) and that the agency is using new technology and policy changes to respond.

What the budget request would fund: increased correction officer pay and staffing, shift sergeants whose job is on‑the‑floor mentorship for new officers, expanded body scanners (subject to the Department of Health regulation change), continuation of the ankle monitor expansion, pilot funding for phone‑call transcription/search technology (a 90‑day pilot with Cuyahoga County to translate and search recorded calls), and investments in rehousing and specialized beds to treat serious mental illness.

Ending note: Smith told the committee she recognizes the need to balance safety and rehabilitation: \"The department's responsible for incarceration, operating safe prisons for those who work in, live in, and visit them is paramount,\" she said. Committee members asked for additional follow‑up data after the hearing on vacancy trends, program participation rates and the math behind staffing requests.

Provenance: Testimony and Q&A appear in committee transcript beginning with Smith's opening remarks and continuing through members' exchanges on staffing, contraband and programming.

","Director Chambers Smith told the House Public Safety Committee the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction\u0000(DRC) needs more officers, security equipment (including a taser pilot), and expanded reentry services to address a more violent prison population, rising costs and a projected population increase by July 2027.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6297459,"First Responders Bridge tells committee retreats reduce stress, use and complaints; seeks funding",460,7543000,8003000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2509963-d2b01111bf26bbd95312a7e0c771acf0&start=7543&end=8003","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2509963-d2b01111bf26bbd95312a7e0c771acf0/thumbnail_7543000.jpg","/articles/6297459/Ohio/First-Responders-Bridge-tells-committee-retreats-reduce-stress-use-and-complaints-seeks-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6297459-e4de3d163e75ff29577d38b3b1f371b9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771077128&Signature=TkX0nrJGcEZ-FUHCh0xDppnCJusJkeYZ1XJMqEVJuOK1Sbpky0Iy21y2vMtyumg421B-RROHgeg8TcR4RHkd13BC0dnZKZPN2SvmYdAJ1VghefUdWS0bqQiC1bqeKtQruL9XLOI5pxchIfn4duqBSXy7PTAKOX5fc2C-RIoxEoGf13-ts8~OoHVMIfmByUP~cqPDJAdbaSKOxxC039KTug9UyyyehHBxY0lt34KiVsR4ix~qZxZHSGbVxtyw99gOqcMSZeMXZTjvezr1VcOmctknZdcGPXYinNrDMKhC0owGnPhFbeNV9xRxcsu13QUYZW0~sLv~UBDhxZkWUcR3Cg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mick Jagger and Mike Pavellino, founders of First Responders Bridge and retired public‑safety personnel, described a statewide counseling and retreat program for active and retired first responders that provides multi‑day retreats and short‑term counseling paid by the nonprofit.

Program details: Jagger told the committee the nonprofit offers three‑day retreats for law enforcement, firefighters, EMS, corrections and dispatch personnel and their significant others, plus a network of vetted clinicians for six free counseling sessions per person. He said recent retreats have hosted about 100–115 attendees, that in the last year the group paid for roughly 400 counseling sessions, and that attendees came from 83 of Ohio's 88 counties and 40 states overall.

Impact claimed: Jagger said an Ohio police chief reported that half of his department attended a retreat and afterwards experienced \"less mark offs, less complaints, and less uses of force than they did prior to the retreat.\" The witnesses said retreats cost about $80,000 each (facility, clinicians, programming) and that much of the funding currently comes from corporate sponsors, private grants and participant travel fees.

What they asked for: The organization asked the committee to consider state support to expand retreats and counseling capacity; multiple legislators signaled willingness to explore grant or line‑item support and to coordinate possible amendments modeled on prior wellness funding found in earlier budgets.

Provenance: testimony and follow‑up questions are recorded in the hearing transcript where the organization described scope, cost and participant outcomes.","First Responders Bridge leaders described multi‑day, peer‑support retreats and paid counseling sessions for active and retired first responders, said participants reported fewer sick days and complaints after attending, and asked lawmakers to consider state support to expand the program.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Nonprofits, reentry programs and juvenile advocates press committee for sustained reentry, DYS reforms and human‑trafficking funding

County commissioners push $1 NextGen 911 fee to replace local levies; lawmakers debate distribution and auditor findings

Victim advocates urge $5 million state line to backfill federal VOCA shortfall

Ohio prison chief urges more staff, security tools and reentry funding in biennial budget

First Responders Bridge tells committee retreats reduce stress, use and complaints; seeks funding