Public Children Service Association of Ohio

What Public Children Service Association of Ohio does

Public Children Services Association of Ohio (PCSAO) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership association founded in 1980 and headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, that represents all 86 county public children services agencies (PCSAs) covering Ohio's 88 counties. The organization operates as the unified voice for Ohio's state-supervised, county-administered child welfare system, providing statehouse and federal advocacy, coordinated competency-based training through the Ohio Child Welfare Training Program (developed in 1984 and adopted by more than half of U.S. states), peer-to-peer committees organized by discipline, district meetings across five geographic regions, and executive coaching for member-agency leadership.

PCSAO's service portfolio centers on programs rather than technology products. Major offerings include the biennial PCSAO Factbook (the premier county-by-county data publication on Ohio children services), Ohio START (an opioid response program operating in 56 counties with Family Peer Mentors and cross-system collaboration), and PACT – Practice in Action Together (a shared practice model in 15 counties). Supporting assets include the 3,000 Good Things weekly podcast, an annual statewide conference drawing nearly 800 child protection professionals, multiple newsletters, a job board, and the Wear Blue statewide child abuse prevention campaign. PCSAO does not offer a software platform, API, or proprietary technology product; its intellectual property is concentrated in training curricula and practice methodologies.

Revenue is generated through four streams: membership dues paid by all 86 county agencies (100% retention for more than five years), conference registration and sponsorships, grants from philanthropic and government funders (Annie E. Casey Foundation, Casey Family Programs, Ohio Attorney General's Office, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services), and publications. PCSAO administers pass-through grants such as the $15 million ODJFS frontline workforce recruitment and retention grant disbursed to counties in 2022-2023. The organization is governed by a Board of Trustees composed of member-agency executives and operates with approximately 16 staff members.

Name

Public Children Service Association of Ohio

Legal name

Public Children Services Association of Ohio

Website

https://pcsao.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Public Children Services Association of Ohio is a Columbus-based 501(c)(3) membership association representing all 86 county public children services agencies in Ohio, providing advocacy, training, and program implementation including Ohio START and the PACT shared practice model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: PCSAO generates revenue through dues paid by its 86 member county public children services agencies. All 88 Ohio counties are served, with all 86 agencies being dues-paying members for more than five years.
2. Annual Conference Revenue: The organization hosts an annual statewide conference that draws nearly 800 child protection professionals. Revenue is generated through conference registration fees and sponsor partnerships. Members receive discounts on conference registration fees.
3. Grants and Government Funding: PCSAO receives grants from organizations such as the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Ohio Attorney General's Office, and other partners. The organization has also administered workforce grants from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services ($15 million frontline staff recruitment and retention grant).
4. Publications and Resources: PCSAO publishes the biennial Factbook with county-by-county data (available free online), research papers, policy guides, and other publications that serve policymakers and media.

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PCSAO is a nonprofit membership association of Ohio's 86 county public children services agencies. It delivers advocacy at the state and federal level, peer-to-peer training and committee coordination, specialized programs (Ohio START, PACT), annual statewide conferences, publications including the biennial Factbook, and workforce grants administration for its member agencies.

Product overview

PCSAO operates as a membership-driven association offering a portfolio of programs, publications, and services rather than a unified technology product. Core offerings include the biennial PCSAO Factbook (county-by-county data publication), Ohio START (opioid response program now in 56 counties), and PACT (Practice in Action Together) shared practice model. Supporting services include the 3,000 Good Things podcast, annual conference, job board, Wear Blue prevention campaign, and multiple newsletters (Weekly Update, Ohio START Newsletter, PACT LAB, COSTARS Connection). The association does not offer a software platform, API, or technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ohio START: A program to combat the opioid epidemic, expanded to 56 counties by 2024.
• PACT - Practice in Action Together
• Wear Blue
• 3,000 Good Things

Products and services

• PCSAO Factbook Biennial digital publication providing state and county profiles and statewide expenditures data on Ohio's children services agencies. Premier source for county-by-county data serving policymakers, media, federal/state/local partners, and those interested in child safety and family stability.
• Ohio START Program launched in 2017 to combat the opioid epidemic, providing specialized support to families affected by substance use disorders through Family Peer Mentors and cross-system collaboration with child welfare, treatment, and juvenile court systems.
• PACT (Practice in Action Together) Ohio's shared practice model designed to elevate healing and build relationships between caseworkers and families. Developed for and by public children services agencies based on a behavioral research project with Kaye Implementation & Evaluation and 32 PCSAs.
• 3,000 Good Things Podcast Weekly podcast featuring stories from families, caseworkers, and community members about positive work in Ohio's children services system. Produced as part of PACT LAB newsletter communications, available on Spotify and other platforms.
• Annual Conference Three-day annual professional development conference featuring workshops with CEUs, OCWTP training credits, CLE credits, vendor interactions, networking, and awards ceremonies for child welfare professionals from member agencies.
• Job Board Free job advertising platform for children services-related openings across Ohio's 86 county agencies, featuring listings for caseworkers, supervisors, directors, and support staff.
• Wear Blue Campaign Statewide child abuse prevention awareness campaign occurring annually on the second Wednesday of April during Child Abuse Prevention Month. Encourages Ohioans to wear blue to show support, using hashtags #OhioWearsBlue and #ItTakesACommunity.
• PCSAO Newsletters Multiple newsletter publications including Weekly Update (every Monday morning), Ohio START Newsletter, PACT LAB (highlighting practice model progress), and COSTARS Connection (monthly cross-system technical assistance updates).

Quantifiable outcome

• $1.9 million saved in placement costs through treatment foster home collaborative
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Kaye Implementation & EvaluationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023PCSAO partnered with Kaye Implementation & Evaluation and 32 PCSAs to complete a behavioral research project in 2023 to determine which caseworker behaviors are most associated with positive relationships with families. The research informed the PACT shared practice model implementation.
• Casey Family ProgramsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Casey Family Programs funded a 2021 virtual learning series on equity concepts led by the Center for the Study of Social Policy to guide PCSAs in understanding systemic inequities in child protection.
• Center for the Study of Social PolicymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Led the 2021 virtual learning series on equity concepts funded by Casey Family Programs to guide internal learning for PCSAs on systemic inequities in child protection.
• Casey Family ProgramsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017With support from Casey Family Programs, PCSAO established the six-county Youth-Centered Permanency Roundtables pilot project in 2014. Casey Family Programs has continued supporting PACT implementation and other initiatives.
• Advocates for Ohio's FuturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010PCSAO agreed to house and support the state health and human services coalition starting in 2010. The coalition advocates for health and human services funding and policy in Ohio.
• Ohio University and Harvard UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998PCSAO collaborated with Ohio University and Harvard University to develop the Executive Leadership Institute in 1998, focusing on value creation, political management, operational capacity building, and strategic performance measurement. The program is now housed at Ohio University's George V. Voinovich Center for Leadership and Public Affairs.
• Ohio Child Welfare Training Program (OCWTP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1984PCSAO helped establish the Ohio Child Welfare Training Program in 1984. The program coordinates statewide competency-based in-service training through regional training centers. PCSAO's assistant director co-chairs the OCWTP State Steering Committee.
• National Association of County Human Services AdministratorscoreOthers · 1 January 1980PCSAO is a member of this national organization representing county human services administrators. This membership provides networking and advocacy resources at the national level for Ohio's county-based child protection system.
• Child Welfare League of AmericacoreOthers · 1 January 1980PCSAO is a member of this nationally recognized child welfare organization, providing access to best practices, standards, and policy resources developed by the CWLA.
• Ohio Job and Family Services Directors' AssociationcoreOthersPCSAO works closely with this sister association supporting county human services. Both organizations share office space at 175 on the Park in Columbus.
• Ohio Child Support Professionals AssociationminorOthersPCSAO collaborates with this sister association that supports county child support professionals.
• County Commissioners Association of OhiominorOthersPCSAO collaborates with this association representing Ohio's county commissioners on matters affecting county-run children services agencies.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Child Welfare League of America: National membership organization advancing child welfare practice, policy, and agency performance. Highly comparable to PCSAO as a peer membership association for child welfare agencies, but operates at the national level rather than as a single-state association.

Direct peers

• Annie E. Casey Foundation: Private philanthropy focused on improving outcomes for children and families, including the Family to Family Initiative that PCSAO helped expand in Ohio. Comparable as a national child welfare thought leader and funder, though structured as a foundation rather than a membership association.
• Casey Family Programs: National operating foundation focused on child welfare and foster care, working directly with state, county, and tribal agencies. A major strategic partner and funder of PCSAO; comparable as a child welfare systems-change organization serving public agencies, though Casey operates its own direct service programs rather than purely advocacy.
• Voices for Ohio's Children: Ohio-based child advocacy organization that awarded PCSAO its Children's Advocacy Champion Award in 2018. Comparable as a state-level advocacy organization for Ohio children and families, with overlapping funder networks and legislative priorities.
• Ohio Job and Family Services Directors' Association: Sister association representing Ohio county JFS directors, sharing office space with PCSAO at 175 on the Park in Columbus. Closest direct peer in terms of operating model, geography, customer base (Ohio county agencies), and advocacy function, but focused on broader human services rather than child welfare specifically.
• National Association of County Human Services Administrators: National membership association representing county-level human services administrators. Most directly comparable to PCSAO at the national level, with similar advocacy, training, and convening functions for county-administered human services systems.
• Advocates for Ohio's Future: Statewide health and human services coalition housed at PCSAO since 2010, advocating for Ohio funding and policy. Comparable as an Ohio-based advocacy coalition for human services, with overlapping legislative agenda and shared staff infrastructure.
• County Commissioners Association of Ohio: Statewide association representing Ohio's county commissioners, who oversee 67 of Ohio's 88 county PCSA agencies. Comparable in operating model (membership association of Ohio county officials) and overlapping agenda on county funding and operations.

Emerging players

• Center for the Study of Social Policy: National policy organization advancing equity in child and family systems, which led PCSAO's 2021 equity learning series funded by Casey Family Programs. Comparable as a child welfare systems-change partner focused on equity, racial disproportionality, and practice reform — overlapping themes with PCSAO's PACT and FACT initiatives.
• National Network for Child Safety (NNCS): Originated as a PCSAO-led initiative and became a separate 501(c)(3) in 2003, expanding to 14 states. Comparable as a child welfare systems-change organization with roots in PCSAO's methodology; potentially a national-scale derivative of PCSAO's model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PCSAOhio
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCexample
• Facebookfacebook.com/PCSAO

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Public Children Service Association of Ohio