LORAIN COUNTY — Lorain County Children Services is preparing to ask voters for additional funding after officials said placement costs for children in care have increased 185% over the past four years.
During the April 24 Lorain County Commissioners meeting, commissioners approved the first step in the process for a proposed additional 0.3 mill levy that could appear on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot.
The resolution requests the Lorain County Auditor to certify the county’s total tax valuation and estimate how much revenue the levy would generate over five years.
Children Services Executive Director Kristen Fox said the request is being driven by sharply rising placement costs and an increase in the number of children in care.
“The reason I’m here today is because we are looking to put an additional levy, .3 mills, on the ballot in November,” Fox said.
She said the agency has seen major financial strain from both more children entering care and the rising cost of placement services across Ohio.
“From 2021 to 2025 those costs increased by 185%,” Fox said. “This is not just a Lorain County issue. This is across the state.”
Fox explained that many children require placement in foster homes, group homes, residential treatment centers and other congregate care settings both inside and outside Lorain County.
Those providers have significantly increased their per diem rates, making it harder for county budgets to keep pace.
“We do have children in our care and we want to make sure that they are receiving the best care that we’re able to provide,” Fox said.
She said the agency has worked to manage costs responsibly but has reached a point where additional funding is necessary.
“We take our responsibility very seriously when it comes to being stewards of the public’s money,” Fox said. “We have tried very difficult to manage with what we receive, but it has just become blatantly obvious that we do need to do something different.”
Commissioners also asked about the agency’s recently opened Connection Center, which provides upgraded visitation rooms and independent living services for youth.
Fox said families and children have responded positively to the new facility.
“The visitation rooms are a huge upgrade from what they had before,” she said.
Commissioners noted that the levy request is only the first step. Children Services operates under an independent board, and the commissioners’ role is to request the auditor’s certification before the board decides whether to proceed with the exact levy amount.
Commissioner Dave Moore also pointed to a separate statewide petition effort involving taxes and noted the uncertainty surrounding future ballot issues.
Fox said about 52% of the agency’s budget currently comes directly from levy funding, with the remainder coming from state and federal sources.
When commissioners asked for clarification on the increase in placement costs, Fox confirmed the scale of the jump.
“It was a huge jump,” she said.
If approved by the board, the additional levy would appear before voters in November.
