Ohio Children's Trust Fund

What is the Ohio Children's Trust Fund?
As Ohio's sole, dedicated public funding source for child abuse and neglect prevention, OCTF is in the forefront of prevention activities throughout the state. From establishing guidelines for program development – to accessing up-to-date prevention curricula – to producing educational and public awareness materials – to impacting related social policy initiatives, OCTF provides expertise and resources for legislators, the media, state agencies, and the public.

The Ohio Children's Trust Fund was created in Ohio law in 1984. OCTF funds primary and secondary prevention strategies that are conducted at the local level and activities and projects of a statewide significance designed to strengthen families and prevent child abuse and neglect.

Primary Prevention Strategies are activities and services provided to the public designed to prevent or reduce the prevalence of child abuse and neglect before signs of abuse or neglect can be observed. Primary prevention services are voluntary, targeted to the general public, and include such activities as public awareness materials and events to inform and educate people about child abuse, neglect and the importance of prevention, parenting classes and support groups, child development screening, information and referral services, child safety training and family strengthening activities. Primary prevention services reach the broadest audience and generally have the lowest per person cost.

Secondary Prevention Strategies are activities and services that are provided to a specific population identified as having risk factors for child abuse and neglect and are designed to intervene at the earliest warning signs of child abuse or child neglect, or whenever a child can be identified at being at risk of abuse or neglect. Secondary prevention involves services directed to parents, children and families who have risk factors, but abuse/neglect has not yet been identified. Some types of services (such as parenting classes, parent-child family life education, or parent support groups) can be classified as both primary prevention or secondary prevention. However, because of increased risk for maltreatment, services at the secondary level are typically more comprehensive or intensive than at the primary level. Typical secondary prevention services include home visitation, case management/service coordination, respite care, crisis stabilization and mentoring programs. They target fewer people than primary prevention and are more costly.

For more information on OCTF, please visit their website at http://www.jfs.ohio.gov/OCTF/