Ohio lawmakers step into child welfare work through ridealong program

By Farah Siddiqi

Ohio child welfare leaders are working to bridge the gap between policy decisions at the Statehouse and the realities faced by front line caseworkers. Now, a statewide ridealong program is giving lawmakers a firsthand look at how children services agencies operate across Ohio.

The Public Children Services Association of Ohio runs an annual initiative called the “In Their Shoes: Children Services Ridealong Campaign.” The program invites state lawmakers to visit their local children services agency and accompany a caseworker during a workday.

Lisette Arnold, policy and operations coordinator for the association, said many legislators enter office without direct experience in child welfare systems.

"A lot of legislators don’t have personal experience with children’s services," Arnold pointed out. "When they’re working on these issues, whether it’s a bill or they’re in committee talking about child welfare, they have a lot of questions about our processes. We’re such a big system, so it can be really confusing."

Arnold said ridealongs help counter public misconceptions about children's services and the families involved, while also showing lawmakers the complexity of caseworkers’ decisions and the pressures they face in the field.

The association coordinates ridealongs throughout the year, typically when lawmakers are back in their districts. The association said the visits are designed to educate decision makers before major legislative and budget debates affecting child welfare.

Some lawmakers say the experience directly informs how they think about policy and funding.

Rep. Lauren McNally, D-Youngstown, recently participated in a ridealong with Mahoning County Children Services, where she met with staff and administrators and learned more about agency programs and partnerships.

"I need to have experiences like this, and I need to see tangible, real-world, real-life opportunities for what needs to be changed, what is working, what isn’t working, where we should put more investments," McNally outlined. "I love opportunities like this."

Arnold noted those firsthand experiences often translate into stronger relationships between agencies and lawmakers, making it easier to communicate needs during budget negotiations and legislative sessions.

The association said ridealongs have helped elevate children services during recent state budget discussions, contributing to funding increases and new investments. The association plans to continue the program in 2026, with the goal of keeping front line realities at the center of Ohio’s child welfare policy decisions.