(A)The department of children and youth shall create a central intake and referral system for all home visiting programs operating in this state. Through a competitive bidding process, the department of children and youth may select one or more persons or government entities to operate the system. In its oversight of the one or more system operators, the department shall streamline the system to ensure families and children receive services from home visiting programs as described in division (B)(3) of this section.
(B)If the department of children and youth chooses to select one or more system operators as described in division (A) of this section, a contract with any system operator shall require that the system do all of the following:
(1)Serve as a single point of entry for access
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(A) The department of children and youth shall create a central intake and referral system for all home visiting programs operating in this state. Through a competitive bidding process, the department of children and youth may select one or more persons or government entities to operate the system. In its oversight of the one or more system operators, the department shall streamline the system to ensure families and children receive services from home visiting programs as described in division (B)(3) of this section.
(B) If the department of children and youth chooses to select one or more system operators as described in division (A) of this section, a contract with any system operator shall require that the system do all of the following:
(1) Serve as a single point of entry for access, assessment, and referral of families and children to appropriate home visiting services based on each family's location of residence;
(2) Use a standardized form or other mechanism to assess each family member's risk factors and social determinants of health;
(3) Ensure that families and children are referred to and receive services from home visiting programs that are appropriate to their level of needs, including the following:
(a) Programs using home visiting contractors that provide services within a pathways community HUB certified by the pathways community HUB institute;
(b) Programs that provide services using the early head start home-based option.
(C) The standardized form or other mechanism described in division (B)(2) of this section shall be agreed to by the children and youth advisory council created under section5180.04of the Revised Code.
(D) A contract entered into under division (B) of this section shall require a system operator to issue an annual report to the department of children and youth that includes data regarding referrals made by the central intake and referral system, costs associated with the referrals, and the quality of services received by families and children who were referred to services through the system. The report shall be distributed to the children and youth advisory council created under section5180.04of the Revised Code.
(E) Nothing in this section is intended to do any of the following:
(1) Prohibit the department of children and youth from using alternative promotional materials or names for the central intake and referral system;
(2) Require the use of help me grow program promotional materials or names;
(3) Prohibit providers, central coordinators, the department of children and youth, or stakeholders from using the help me grow name for promotional materials for home visiting.
Last updated September 8, 2025 at 5:57 PM