Ohio Rise Welcomes UL Students at Back-to-School Bash
BELMONT – OhioRISE care coordinators joined in welcoming children and families to Union Local School District during the back-to-school bash Aug. 7.
District officials expected about 400 students and their families to tour the campus. OhioRISE care coordinators, Jennifer Neal and Michelle Wells, were on hand to familiarize them with what the program has to offer, and parents and grandparents were excited to hear about the range of services.
Jefferson County Educational Service Center (JCESC) OhioRISE is a Medicaid managed care program for children and youth with complex behavioral health and multisystem needs in Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Harrison, Jefferson, Monroe, Stark and Tuscarawas Counties and operated by the Jefferson County Educational Service Center. OhioRISE was formed to coordinate resources and put families in touch with what is available.
Wells said the back-to-school bash was also a chance to strengthen ties with other services. One of OhioRISE’s advantages is forming partnerships with agencies and coordinating supports for a child with multiple areas of need. This is called the “wraparound” philosophy. Wells partners closely with Student Services at Union Local to identify children’s needs and how they would benefit from different forms of aid.
“They work really well with OhioRISE care coordinators.”
Afterward, Wells said the high volume of foot traffic provided a perfect opportunity to share information.
“It’s been a very good turnout. I’m very overwhelmed by the amount of people that were here. We handed out a lot of information and did get one referral. We spoke to some families that are involved in OhioRISE.”
She said word is getting out.
Neal agreed there was considerable interest in OhioRISE services.
“Hopefully we will end up with several referrals from today’s outreach event.”
Parents and grandparents were interested, asking many questions about the range of services OhioRISE could cover. One grandparent said the program sounded like a good fit before taking some information.
Anna Bodkin, social worker and prevention specialist at Union Local who works with student services through the East Central Ohio Educational Service Center, has found OhioRISE a valuable partner.
“We love OhioRISE. They continue to help us. When we make any referrals, they help our students and families and get them exactly what they need to be successful this school year. We’re super-excited that they’re here today, and we can’t wait to work with them this school year.”
Bodkin said OhioRISE is equipped to address underlying causes outside of the classroom that may be contributing to a child’s behavior.
“If we have families that come to me and I don’t have the answers, I will reach out to OhioRISE, and they most usually will get me the answers or get me the services that our families need. They’re great. We really appreciate them.”
Principal Ron Bober of Union Local’s third-through-fifth grade elementary was excited to learn more about OhioRISE’s services.
“It’s a valuable resource. It’s a partner that we can go to when we need services for kids,” he said. “They try to connect the families with the right agencies and resources.”
He said care coordinators go above the call of duty, finding resources that families had not known were an option.
“We don’t know sometimes what’s available to us, and they help us help our families connect with those things.”
Assistant Superintendent and Director of Special Education, Jayme Yonak, said OhioRISE’s wraparound services make them an invaluable partner.
“It extends beyond the school day,” she said. “If there’s an issue with attendance or a health care issue, they help with that kind of stuff. If a family is having trouble with housing, they can get assistance”
Yonak said this makes an ideal complement to the district.
“It’s a wraparound service where we do what we can within our buildings and it extends out of that, the additional resources they need outside of the school day. That’s where OhioRISE comes in and helps our teams.”
Superintendent Zac Shutler said OhioRISE’s presence was appreciated in the drive to give families the tools to start their children’s school year off on the right foot.
“The goal was to invite our parents and our community members and our students back on campus, have some fun things for them to do to get them engaged, but also show them the variety of services that are available and how much community support we have in Belmont County,” he said. “We appreciate OhioRISE being out here.”
Other agencies present included the Belmont County Health Department. Kelli Haney, health educator, was familiar with OhioRISE through meetings of the Family and Children First Council.
“We’ve had a great experience. We let them know what programs we have.”
One parent of a child being helped through OhioRISE recalled how the care coordinators found different types of occupational therapy. The parent called OhioRISE a great program, adding they work wonders with the children of Belmont County.
To learn more about OhioRISE, call 740-792-4011, email ohiorise.info@jcesc.org or visit OhioRISE online at https://www.jcesc.k12.oh.us/CareManagementEntity.aspx .
OhioRISE is also on the lookout for more care coordinators. Anyone interested in becoming a care coordinator, please apply at https://jcescvla.bamboohr.com/caoordinators .
OhioRISE Press Release
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