DYS Budget: Leader says more stafff, more training needed

April 12, 2007 - OCSEA's DYS Assembly President Annie Person was in the capital this week to seek more money for her agency.

Person testified that Ohio Department of Youth Services workers, particularly Juvenile Correction Officers, face four obstacles to carrying out their jobs successfully:

• Second-guessing and exaggerations about how they control youth: Of 12 JCO's charged with assaulting youth, charges were eventually dropped against all, but one.

• Lack of appreciation for the level of violence and unpredictability of DYS's youth offender population: Offenders end up in DYS facilities when they are so violent that counties can't safely maintain security over them.

• Insufficient training: Staff need more frequent drilling and practice time.

• Lack of sufficient staff: Large amounts of mandatory overtime and too many staff working alone.

Prior to Person speaking before the subcommittee, DYS Director Tom Stickrath also testified.

Although Stickrath's testimony revealed that the agency faced the possible elimination of 85 positions in the second year of the budget, he pledged to work with the union to prevent layoffs.

Legislators seemed to be genuinely concerned with the issues raised by Person and the job loss referenced by Stickrath.

See Related

OCSEA / DYS Assembly Testimony of Annie Persons

Ohio Department of Youth Services