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Gov. DeWine Wants An Overhaul Of Ohio's Foster Care System

By Jo Ingles

Published November 5, 2019 at 6:53 PM EST

Gov. DeWine signs executive order on foster care [Dan Konik] — Gov. DeWine signs executive order on foster care

Gov. Mike DeWine has signed an executive order that establishes an advisory council that will come up with suggestions for how to make it work better for foster families.

Lieutenant Gov. Jon Husted spent some time in Ohio’s foster care system.

“I started out my life in foster care and was blessed to be adopted by wonderful parents who gave me a great, loving environment to grow up in," Husted says.

But Gov. Mike DeWine says many foster care kids are not as lucky, especially now that the opioid crisis has increased the caseload significantly. He has signed an executive order to create a panel that will hold seven meetings throughout the state before the end of this year and make recommendations for overhauling Ohio’s foster care system.

DeWine has put foster care leaders, parents and alums of the system on the panel, which will hold forums to hear about problems and possible solutions. Julianna Barton was an abused child who found the foster care system unforgiving and unwelcoming and no better than her home. She aged out and dropped out of high school in her senior year.

“I was scared, that I wasn’t ready. I didn’t even know how to do simple things like balance a checkbook or learn how to drive a car," Barton says.

Barton is now a student at Columbus State Community College and looks forward to being on the panel. The new advisory council will hold seven meetings throughout the state before the end of this year.