Ohio Revised Code
Chapter 5153 | County Children Services
Section 5153.20 | Cost of Care Charged to County of Legal Residence.

Effective: September 21, 2006
Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 238 - 126th General Assembly
(A)(1) Except as provided in division (B) of this section, the cost of care furnished by the public children services agency or the board of county commissioners to any child having a legal residence in another county shall be charged to the county of legal residence. No expense shall be incurred by the agency or the board of county commissioners, on account of such care, except for temporary or emergency care, without the consent of the agency or board of county commissioners, or as provided by this section. If such consent cannot be obtained the board of county commissioners may file a petition in the court of common pleas of the county in which the child is found for a determination of legal residence of such child. Summons in such a proceeding shall be served, as in other civil actions, upon the board of county commissioners and the executive director of the agency of the county alleged to be the county of legal residence, but the answer day shall be the tenth day after the issuance of such summons. The return day shall be the fifth day after issuance of the summons. The cause shall be set for hearing not less than ten nor more than thirty days after the issuance of the summons. The finding and determination by the court upon such application, subject to the right of appeal, shall be final and conclusive as to the county chargeable under this section with the costs of the care of such child. The board of county commissioners out of its general funds shall reimburse the agency furnishing such care, upon receipt of itemized statements.
(2) Any moneys received by the agency furnishing such care from persons liable for the cost of any part of such care, by agreement or otherwise, shall be credited to the county of legal residence.
(3) The agency may remove and deliver any child, having legal residence in another county in Ohio and deemed to be in need of public care, to the public children services agency of the county of legal residence. All cost incidental to the transportation of such child and of any escort required shall be paid by the public children services agency which delivers back the child. With the approval of the department of job and family services, any child whose legal residence has been found to be in another state or country may be transferred to the department for return to the place of legal residence, or such child may be returned by the agency. All costs incidental to the transportation of such child and of any escort required shall be paid by the department of job and family services if it returns the child, otherwise the cost shall be paid by the agency, subject in either case to such reimbursement as may be obtained from the responsible persons or authorities of the place of legal residence. The department of job and family services may enter into agreements with the authorities of other states relative to the placement and return of children.
(B)(1) If a court determines that reasonable efforts have been made to prevent removal of an adopted child from the child's home pursuant to section 2151.419 of the Revised Code and an adopted child is placed in the temporary or permanent custody of a public children services agency or a private child placing agency within thirty-six months of the date that the child's adoption was finalized, the agency that previously held permanent custody of the child when the child was placed with the adoptive parent shall be given opportunity to participate in planning for the child's care and treatment and shall assume fifty per cent of the financial responsibility for the care and treatment. Shared planning and financial responsibility shall cease on the first day of the thirty-seventh month after the date that the child's adoption was finalized and, on this date, the custodial agency shall then assume full planning and financial responsibility. The custodial agency and the agency that previously held permanent custody of the child may enter into a written agreement for shared financial responsibility that differs from the responsibilities allocated in this division.
(2) Division (B)(1) of this section does not apply to any of the following:
(a) An adoption by a stepparent whose spouse is a biological or adoptive parent of the child;
(b) An international adoption;
(c) An adoption where either the custodial agency or agency that previously held permanent custody of the child is not in this state.
(3) Nothing in division (B) of this section shall prevent a court or a child support enforcement agency from issuing a child support order.

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