(A) As used in this section, "substitute care provider" means any of the following:

(1) A community addiction services provider , as defined in section 5119.01 of the Revised Code;

(2) An institution or association subject to certification under section 5103.03 of the Revised Code;

(3) A residential facility subject to licensure under section 5119.34 of the Revised Code;

(4) A residential facility subject to licensure under section 5123.19 of the Revised Code.

(B) Not later than ninety days after March 18, 1999, the members of the Ohio family and children first cabinet council, other than the director of budget and management, shall enter into an agreement to establish an office to perform the duties prescribed by division (C) of this section. The agreement shall specify one of the departments represented on the council as the department responsible for housing and supervising the office. The agreement shall include the recommendation of the council for funding the office.

(C) The office established pursuant to the agreement entered into under this section shall review rules governing the certification and licensure of substitute care providers and determine which of the rules can be made substantively identical or more similar in order to minimize the number of differing certification and licensure standards and simplify the certification or licensure process for substitute care providers seeking certification or licensure from two or more of the departments represented on the council. The office shall provide county family and children first councils, substitute care providers, and persons interested in substitute care providers the opportunity to help the office with the review and determination. The office shall report its findings to the council. Each of the departments represented on the council that has adopted rules governing the certification or licensure of substitute care providers shall review the report and amend the rules as that department considers appropriate, except that no rule shall be amended so as to make it inconsistent with substitute care provider certification or licensure procedures and standards established by federal or state law. A department shall give priority to amendments that will not increase the department's administrative costs. In amending a rule, a department shall comply with Chapter 119. or section 111.15 of the Revised Code, as required by the Revised Code section governing the adoption of the particular rule.

(D) In accordance with section 124.27 of the Revised Code, the council shall select a coordinator to oversee the office established pursuant to the agreement entered into under this section. The coordinator shall be in the classified service. In addition to overseeing the office, the coordinator shall perform any other duties the council assigns to the coordinator. The duties the council assigns to the coordinator shall be related to the duties of the office under division (C) of this section.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 64, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2015.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. 25, HB 59, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2013.

Effective Date: 03-18-1999 .