About Us

The Shelby County Family and Children First Council is a countywide collaborative effort of our social services agencies, school systems, business, city, and county representatives. The Council was organized in January of 1993 in response to Governor Voinovich’s Family & Children First Initiative. The goal of the Council is to improve the quality of life for children and families of Shelby County in the areas of health, child development, and education. This will be accomplished by working together to redesign existing programs so that they lead to better results and reinforce each other, fill service gaps, and develop new approaches where needed.

A. Vision Statement
The family is the core of Shelby County and children are the future. Shelby County will be a place where families can build upon their heritage, feel secure in the present, and reach for the future.

B. Mission Statement
Shelby County Family and Children Fist will coordinate and collaborate with government and social service agencies to provide services to families and children to enhance their well-being.

• 1. Mission Objectives
  To empower parents by offering means to nurture and motivate their children to realize their potential.
• To provide a comprehensive and effective network which supports families in their responsibility to build independent and productive lives for children.
• To mobilize community resources and create partnerships designed to improve results for families and children.
• To increase the responsiveness and integration of the human and social services system to better support families and children.
• To equip parents and families with the necessary education, skills, network, and tools to support children in the earliest years of life and beyond.

A. The Shelby County Family and Children First Council may include as members, any agency, school system, parent/family representatives, or other interested party who serves Shelby County children and their families according to the vision and mission statement. The responsibility of the Council as a whole will be to advise, assist and provide input to the voting members. The Shelby County Family and Children First Council will be comprised of two entities. The voting members (referred to hereafter as the Executive Council) and the Advisory Members.

1. Executive Council as mandated by ORC 121.37 will include the following

• Ohio Department of Youth Services
• Council On Rural Services Program
• Shelby County United Way
• City of Sidney
• Shelby County Department of Job and Family Services
• Superintendent of Sidney City Schools
• Superintendent of Shelby County Schools
• Director of the Tri- County Board of Mental Health and Recovery Services
• Parent Representative (minimum of 3 or equal to 20% of council membership) The parent rep must not be employed by an agency represented on Council and whose family are or have received services from an agency represented on Council or another county’s Council.
• Shelby County Commissioner
• Sidney/Shelby County Health Department Shelby County Board of DD
• Early Intervention Collaborative Representative

a. Responsibility of the Executive Council will be to make final decisions regarding Shelby County Family & Children First Council.

b. The Executive Council will provide oversight on behalf of the Administrative Agent, The Board of Shelby County Commissioners, in all fiscal management and operational procedures to the Help Me Grow system. Council will ensure that policies and procedures are in place to monitor and evaluate program components. The Help Me Grow Committee will function as a Council Committee.

c. All powers and duties of the administrative agent (Board of Shelby County Commissioners) shall be the responsibility of the Executive Council (by Resolution #2001-443 dated 11/8/2001).

d. The day-to-day decisions regarding the programmatic and administrative operations of the council will be provided through the Director on behalf of the Executive Council.

e. All contracts will be submitted to The Board of Shelby County Commissioners for approval or disapproval

2. The Juvenile Probate Judge shall act in the capacity as a resource to the Executive Council.

3. Advisory Members will consist of additional agencies providing services to families and children within the community that are not mandated by ORC 121.37 to be a part of Executive Council. Advisory Members do not vote but are critical in providing valuable input into discussions prior to Executive Council rendering a decision. The role of the advisory group is to provide a broader input from additional members from within the community to aide in the decision making of the Executive Council as a whole.

A. The Chair, with the advice and consent of the Executive Council, shall create committees and shall appoint such persons to the committees as determined to be in the best interest of the families of Shelby County.

B. There shall be an Executive Committee elected from the Executive Council composed of the Chairperson, Vice Chair, Past Chair, and Secretary. The Chairperson may appoint any other member of the Executive Council to serve on the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall perform such duties as may be assigned to it by the Executive.

C. There shall be an Early Childhood Coalition Committee. This committee is comprised of child serving agencies in the community to insure quality services to this

1. Subcommittees may be added as needed and this will be the responsibility of the Executive Council to make a motion and vote any additional committees as they deem

A. Time of meetings: The Shelby County Family and Children First Council (which will include the Executive Council and Advisory Members) will meet a minimum of four times a year. Additional meetings will be determined as needed.

B. Notice: Each member of the Executive Council shall be given notice of scheduled meetings and any items of business that will be considered at those meetings.

C. Quorum: One half plus 1 of Executive Council members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business at regular, annual or special Family and Children First Council meetings.

A. The Council will conduct all business according to Roberts Rules of Order

A. All members of the Shelby County Family and Children First Council shall comply with the requirements of Ohio Revised Code Chapter 102 and other applicable state law and administrative codes relating to ethical behavior. Members are expected to conduct themselves conscientiously, honestly and with integrity in the fulfillment of the mission of the

B. The Shelby County Family and Children First Council shall not condone or permit any discriminatory policies and practices with respect to race, religion, gender, ethnic groups, or disabilities in fulfilling its stated

C. On any matter before the Board to approve, or make recommendations upon, a proposal for funds for the benefit of any public or private institution or agency, a member shall abstain from voting if such person: (a) has a personal financial interest, whether direct or indirect, in the institution or agency; (b) is employed by the institution or agency; (c) has a personal financial interest in the proposal whether direct or indirect; or (d) serves as an officer, employee or member of the governing body of any other institution or agency which has an interest in the proposal whether direct or indirect.

Such member is obligated to reveal to the members his/her conflict of interest prior to or during discussion of any proposal so affected, abstain from said vote and an entry so stating shall be made in the minutes of the meeting

A. The Council Director responsibilities include: Leading the Council in creating a vision and annual plan to identify counties priorities to increase child well­ being, to establish local indicators for success and monitor the community progress; to report annually the Council’s progress on these selected goals. Provide oversight and administration of all grants and funding for Council programs and provide oversight of service coordination services to multi need children and families in Shelby

B. Council Director can authorize the organizational expenditure of funds up to $5,000 for expenses related to program needs, and service contracts routine in nature. The authorization of administrative expenses as it relates to supplies and equipment and the like is not to exceed $500.00 and shall be reported to Council.

These Bylaws may be repealed or amended, or new Bylaws may be adopted, at any regular meeting of the Family and Children First Council provided that members have been notified in writing of the nature of the proposed amendment(s), change(s), etc. at a previous regular scheduled meeting, and there is a majority of those voting members in favor of the change (equal to one half plus one members).