The Need for Services
The rise in opioid use has led to a rapid rise in the number of families involved with the Child Welfare System. The demands placed on Children Services in Fairfield and Pickaway Counties have become more complex as a result and will now require additional services to better serve families who are struggling.
Increase among children in foster care due to substance use 
- 79% of families involved with Fairfield County Children Services and 67% of families involved with Pickaway County Children Services have substance use problems
- In 2012, Pickaway County Children Services was working with 46 families and had 10 children in foster care, compared to 192 families and 45 children in 2017
- In 2016, 105 out of 137 of Fairfield County’s new custody cases were due to substance use
Out-of-Home Placement Costs
Pickaway County Children Services
- 2012: $301,700
- 2016: $1,054,000
Fairfield County Children Services
- 2014: $1.6 million
- 2016: $2.6 million, $3 million including additional items (clothing, school fees, etc.)
Kinship Care 
Across Ohio, there has been an 11% increase in placement rates and child are staying in care over a month longer compared to 2010. Many of these children are in kinship placements, with relatives who may be ill-equipped to address the needs of children living in families with substance use problems.
The EPIC Response
EPIC assists families who are involved with Children Services in Fairfield and Pickaway County and struggling with substance use. These families will receive the benefits of Family Treatment Drug Courts with MAT eligibility, Peer Recovery Supporters, and Kinship Caregiver Support to facilitate permanency and well-being for children. These programs are coordinated and provided locally through a partnership among local service providers in both Fairfield and Pickaway Counties and The Ohio State University College of Social Work.
