(FREMONT, OH) The Sandusky County Department of Job and Family Services (SCDJFS) has been awarded funding to establish a local group home for youth in custody through an innovative partnership with the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Seneca, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wyandot Counties.
The facility will be located at 410 Birchard Avenue in Fremont, serving youth ages 8-21 in a trauma-informed, community-based environment that maintains vital connections to family, schools, and local support systems.
Addressing Critical Needs
Currently, Sandusky County has ten youth in group homes and residential treatment centers, with placement costs between $1-1.5 million annually. Many are placed hundreds of miles from home, making family visits and community connections nearly impossible.
“These are our youth, and we have a responsibility to address their needs in this community if we can,” said Melanie Allen, SCDJFS Director. “When our youth are placed so far away, they cannot maintain ties to their community, school, and service providers, let alone family.”
Partnership Benefits
The collaboration with the mental health board integrates specialized mental health services directly into the group home framework. The facility will operate as a Qualified Residential Treatment Program under the Ohio Department of Children and Youth, emphasizing trauma-informed care, community engagement, family connections, and skill development.
Financial Impact
The group home will cost approximately $700,000 annually to operate and serve at least 4 youth. With current per-day placement costs ranging from $306 to $900 for out-of-county facilities, this local option will reduce costs while eliminating extensive travel expenses for caseworkers and family visits.
Next Steps
With funding secured, SCDJFS will move forward with establishing the group home. The mental health board has committed $500,000 towards the project over the next two years.
“The mental health board is committed to developing projects that will have a lasting impact on the emotional well-being of our youth. Having a local home as a placement option is vital for our youth in care,” said Mircea Handru, Director of the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board serving Sandusky County.
“We support the efforts to serve our youth in this county and expending these costs in Sandusky County will make a big difference,” said Scott Miller, Sandusky County Commissioner.
*This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding the proposed group home initiative. Actual implementation is subject to funding approval, licensing requirements, and regulatory compliance.
Pictured: Casey Morrow, Sandusky County Department of Job and Family Services, Melanie Allen, Sandusky County Department of Job and Family Services, Mircea Handru, Mental Health and Recovery Services Board SOSW, and Sandusky County Commissioners Russ Zimmerman and Scott Miller.
Sandusky County Department of Job and Family Services
Contact: Melanie Allen, Director
Phone: 419-334-3891
Email: melanie.allen@jfs.ohio.gov