As Introduced

130th General Assembly
Regular Session
2013-2014
H. B. No. 485


Representatives Smith, Johnson 


A BILL
To establish the Office of Human Services Innovation 1
in the Department of Job and Family Services.2


BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

       Section 1. (A) There is hereby established in the Department 3
of Job and Family Services the Office of Human Services 4
Innovation. The Director of Job and Family Services shall 5
establish the Office's organizational structure, may reassign the 6
Department's staff and resources as necessary to support the 7
Office's activities, and is responsible for the Office's 8
operations. The Superintendent of Public Instruction, Chancellor 9
of the Ohio Board of Regents, Director of the Governor's Office of 10
Workforce Transformation, and Director of the Governor's Office of 11
Health Transformation shall assist the Director of Job and Family 12
Services with leadership and organizational support for the 13
Office.14

       (B) Not later than January 1, 2015, the Office shall submit 15
to the Governor recommendations for all of the following:16

        (1) Coordinating services across all public assistance 17
programs to help individuals find employment, succeed at work, and 18
stay out of poverty;19

        (2) Revising incentives for public assistance programs to 20
foster person-centered case management;21

        (3) Standardizing and automating eligibility determination 22
policies and processes for public assistance programs;23

        (4) Other matters the Office considers appropriate.24

        (C) In its development of the recommendations under division 25
(B) of this section, the Office shall do both of the following:26

        (1) Have as its goal the coordination and reform of state 27
programs to assist Ohioans in preparing for life and the dignity 28
of work and to promote individual responsibility and work 29
opportunity;30

        (2) Not later than three months after the effective date of 31
this section, establish clear principles to guide the development 32
of the recommendations, clearly identify problems to be addressed 33
in the recommendations, and make an inventory of all existing 34
state and other resources that the Office considers relevant to 35
the development of the recommendations.36

        (D) The Office shall convene and coordinate the directors and 37
staff of the departments, agencies, boards, commissions, and 38
institutions of the executive branch of the state as necessary to 39
develop the recommendations to be submitted to the Governor under 40
division (B) of this section. The departments, agencies, boards, 41
commissions, and institutions shall comply with all requests and 42
directives that the Office makes, subject to the supervision of 43
the directors of the departments, agencies, offices, boards, and 44
commissions. The Office also shall convene other individuals 45
interested in the issues that the Office addresses in the 46
development of the recommendations to obtain such individuals' 47
input on, and support for, the recommendations.48