Assessing Ohio CPS Screening Guidelines for Sexual Abuse

THE BOTTOM LINE, UP FRONT

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By December 31, 2025, the second biennial county memorandums of understanding (MOUs) for addressing child abuse in each of Ohio's 88 counties are to be reviewed, updated, signed by county partners, and approved by resolution of county commissioners.

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The MOUs are governed by state and federal laws and regulations and identify county public children services agencies (PCSAs) as lead agencies providing screening services using the Ohio Child Protective Services Screening Guidelines.

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The Screening Guidelines were independently assessed with current PCSA worker manuals that are not updated to reflect the 2023 Ohio Revised Code definition of abused child as including victims of disseminating materials or performances that are harmful to juveniles.

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The Screening Guidelines promote dangerous screen-in and screen-out example referrals of child sexual abuse. Referrals involving child pornography would seem to have very high barriers of acceptance while those involving rape may be refused. These examples are promoted for CPS screening decisions statewide.

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The Screening Guidelines and county MOUs should be very carefully reviewed and updated by all partners with the public and the press to avoid unwitting approval of screening promoting sexual abuse risk to ALL Ohio children.