Lorain County

Domestic Relations Court

The Court

Lorain County Justice Center

225 Court Street

2nd and 4th Floor

Elyria, Ohio 44035

Off Site Locations

Juvenile Facilities Complex:

Pathways, 1076 Infirmary Road

Stepping Stone, 1064 Infirmary Road

Turning Point, 1080 Infirmary Road

Multi-Purpose/Administration, 1070 Infirmary Road, Elyria, Ohio 44035

Boys and Girls Detention Home, 9967 S. Murray Ridge Road, Elyria, OH 44035

http://loraincounty.com/domesticrelations/

JUDGES

Judge Debra Boros

Judge Frank Janik

Judge Lisa Swenski

Mission Statement

The primary goal of the Juvenile Court is to reform and deter delinquent behavior.

Unlike the adult system, punishment is not the focus.

Serve the citizens of Lorain County in a fair and timely fashion

Provide “best practice” solutions and programming to families.

How can the public

access court services?

Unofficial Complaints -These “pink” sheets can be submitted by parents/legal

guardians or members of the community (School Officials, LCCS, Probation Officers).

- Reviewed by the Intake Department for consideration of a STATUS offense.

- If complaint includes element of a crime, it will be forwarded to the Prosecutor’s Office for review.

- However, the Prosecutor’s Office is reluctant to file a delinquency charge solely based on a citizen complaint. Police should be called for community incidents (ex.: neighbors disputes and foster parent concerns)

Police/Law Enforcement

The majority of complaints in Juvenile Court result from police reports. Police can refer a

juvenile to the Court by certifying their reports to either:

- Lorain County Juvenile Court for “Status”

offenses (Violations of Probation, Violations of Parole, Tobacco Violations, Curfew, Unruly/

Ungovernable) OR

- Lorain County Prosecutor’s Office for Delinquency offenses.

School to Court Referrals School officials can officially refer the child after 5

unexcused absences. Attendance Officers will investigate, monitor the

attendance and provide interventions to address issues that interfere with attendance.

Conferences are held by the Attendance Officers with the child, parent, principal and/or the superintendant (through a step-by-step process)

Officers will prepare the case for prosecution after 15 unexcused absences.

Prosecution of parent and/or child will be determined by the Lorain County Prosecutor.

The Attendance Officers may utilize Pro-Se Mediation through the Court’s Mediation Program. If the child is over the age of 10, mediation is between the parent and child. If under the age of 10, the Attendance Officer develops a case plan for the parent.

Families may also be referred for In-Home Behavioral Therapy (IHBT) through a local provider

Contact Information

Court Attendance Officers

Dale Bruder (440) 326-4875 (Lorain: Lorain High grades 9-10, Longfellow,

Hawthorne, Washington, Larkmoor) Alex Heir (440) 326-4871 (Lorain: Lorain High grade 11, New Beginnings, Admiral

King, Toni Morrison, Frank Jacinto, Garfield) Jesse Ball (440) 326-4877 (Oberlin, Clearview, Avon, Avon Lake) Brandy Signor (440) 326-4864 (Midview, Sheffield/Sheffield Lake, Keystone,

Columbia) Mechelle Cave (440) 326-4879 (JVS, North Ridgeville, Wellington, Firelands) Adam Kappa (440) 326-4872 (Lorain: Lorain High grade 12, Credit Recovery,

General Johnnie Wilson, Palm, Helen Steiner-Rice, Dahonas)

Attendance Program Contacts

Patricia Jacobs, Program Manager (440) 326-4873

Don Robinson, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Lorain County Prosecutor’s Office

(440) 329-5286

All attendance officers will serve the following:

Lorain County Academy, Education

Alternatives, PEP (Positive Education Program)

Legal Process

Complaint is Alleged /

Police Report is Filed

Child is admitted into the DH;

Charges are filed

by the Prosecutor’s Office and

a hearing is held within 24 hours to

advise parent/child of the charges

and their legal rights

Child is not admitted into the DH;

Charges are filed officially

by the Prosecutor’s Office

Given a summons to appear

at a future Court date.

Child is not charged officially

and may be given an opportunity

to complete a

Diversion Program

Youth

ADMITS

to the charges

as alleged

in the Complaint

Case may be

referred to the

Investigation &

Referral Team

for case plan &

recommendations

The Court may

impose an

immediate

dispositional

order (probation,

Comm. service,

Counseling)

Youth

DENIES

the charges as

alleged in the

Complaint

Case will be set

for Pre-Trial,

an attorney

may be

requested,

matter continued.

Youth may be

released from

the DH pending

Pre-trial; may be

placed on

In-Home

Detention for

Supervision.

Referred for

possible

out-of-home

placement

Present the case

to the Children’s

Continuum of

Care Committee

at LCBMH

Referral to

most

appropriate

program to

address

needs & risk

Referred for

evaluations

(Psychological,

Psychiatric,

D/A, IQ)

Referral

to the

I&R

Team

Contact Information

Investigation & Referral Team

Anna Cacchione, Prog. Manager: (440) 329-5656

Heather Melendez, Education-Prevention Specialist: (440) 329-5249

Jim Carroll, Case Planner: (440) 328-2212

Giovanna Reising, Case Planner: (440) 329-5730

Jennifer Drake, Case Planner: (440) 329-5603

Jean Frantz, Case Planner: (440) 329-5262

Intake Department

Responsible for DH

admissions 24 hrs/day

(determining remand/denial, speaking w/ law enforcement)

Conducts Unofficial hearings as well

as hearings for Shoplifting and Unruly Behavior

Responsible for Diversion Program

(tracking referrals and compliance)

Refers youth to I&R; In-home Detention;

Catholic Charities Teen Domestic Violence group;

Parenting programs and any other program

as deemed appropriate

Community

Control

General

Probation

Specialized

Services

Community

Intervention

Program

Status

Probation

General

Community

Control

Sex

Offender

Unit

MI-DD &

Bellefaire

JOP

Success

For Youth

Monitored

Time

Contact Information

Chief Probation Officer Patricia Wilson (440) 326-4888

General Community Control/Sex Offender Unit Edward Moore – (440) 329-5247 (Casework Supervisor)

Jerome Fisher - (440) 329-5702 - Lorain High, Clearview, General Johnnie Wilson, Vermilion

Mildred Gonzalez – (440) 329-5305 – Lorain High, Whittier, Longfellow, Sheffield/Sheffield Lake

Marci Murphy -(440)329-5702 – Avon, A. Lake, Columbia, Firelands, Keystone, Midv., N. Ridgeville, W Ex.

Drew Coleman – (440) 329-5543 – Elyria, Oberlin

Sex Offenses: Jeff Keiper – (440) 326-4891

Monitored Time Probation Nancie Murello – (440) 329-5245 (Supervisor) Erica Szilagyi – 326-4885 Tim Workman – 329-5194

Contact Information

Specialized Services Jennifer Kerns – (440) 328-2213 (Supervisor) Success For Youth: George Harris – (440) 326-4884 MH/MI/JOP: Steve Medvetz – (440) 326-4890 and Jim Rufo – (440) 329-5248

Status Probation/Diversion Nancie Murello – (440) 329-5245 (Casework Supervisor) Andrea Delp – (440) 326-4006

Community Intervention Program Donna Rivera-Wells, Prog. Mgr. – (440) 326-4874 Tom Adelsberg, Deputy Prog. Manager – (440) 326-4876 Maria Davis, Clerk – (440) 326-4870 Courtney Burns, CCO – (440) 326-4887 Micah Gibbs, Assistant – (440) 326-4894 Amanda Snider, CCO – (440) 326-4847 Luis Quinones, Assistant – (440) 326-4839

Specialized Dockets

Juvenile Drug Court -Rewards based program for

juveniles who have been adjudicated delinquent and have significant drug and alcohol issues.

-Weekly Court sessions to discuss

progress and monitor school progress, drug/alcohol treatment needs, parental concerns and all other case plan components.

-Parents of the youth in the program

are held accountable for their own substance issues and encourage to attend treatment of their own, if deemed necessary.

-Successful completion results in a

graduation ceremony and dismissal of charges (via an agreement with the Lorain County Prosecutor’s Office).

Family Drug Court -Family Drug Court assists clients of

Lorain County Children Services (LCCS) who are drug/alcohol dependent and their children have either been adjudicated abused, neglected or dependent, or the clients are involved with LCCS on unofficial/In-Home cases.

-Participation in Family Drug Court

is voluntary, but expected once accepted in program.

-Weekly court hearings as well as

participation in any services deemed appropriate by the Drug Court Team.

-The ultimate goals are for

participants to retain or regain custody of their children, working towards completion of the case plan components, and maintaining sobriety.

Mental Health Court -A voluntary program that targets

youth with serious mental health concerns.

-Weekly Court sessions to discuss

and monitor school progress, treatment needs, medication protocols, parental concerns and all other individual case plan components.

-Focuses on improving the youth’s

behavioral and emotional functioning and strengthens the family’s ability to care for the child within the home, reducing the risk for out of home placement.

-Successful completion results in a

graduation ceremony and dismissal of charges (via an agreement with the Lorain County Prosecutor’s Office).

Residential Services

Juvenile Facilities Complex

Multi-Purpose Building (offices, meeting rooms)

Turning Point Shelter

Pathways Group Home for Girls & Stepping Stone Residential Center for Boys

Residential Services

Pathways Group Home (for Girls) & Stepping Stone Residential Center (for Boys)

• Staff secure for youth ages 13-17

• Licensed and monitored by the Ohio Dept. of Job & Family Services

• 10 Females & 20 males are allotted in the Residential Phase of the program (21 weeks).

• Transitioned back into the home through short-incremental visits, leading to an Aftercare phase

(where youth is monitored on a regular basis when returned home).

• Case plans address risk, needs, familial concerns, substance abuse, vocational skills and education.

Turning Point Shelter

• A non-secure residential facility providing short-term care (maximum 14 days) for 5 males and 5

females ages 12-17.

• 24-hour supervision and guidance by trained child-care staff

• A social worker provides support services to the juveniles and their families via program referrals.

The goal is to assist the family in preventing further official court involvement.

• Admissions to the shelter are approved by the Intake Department or via judicial orders.

Contact Information In-Home Detention John Matakovich, Prog. Mgr. – (440) 326-4017 Seth Riley, Asst. – (440) 326-4016

Juvenile Drug Court Michelle Grove, Program Supervisor – (440) 326-4074 Dawn Lucey, CCO – (440) 326-4072 Bryan Wootten, Assistant – (440) 326-4072

Family Drug Court Jennifer Kerns, Program Coordinator – (440) 328-2213 Martina Sheridan, LCCS Liaison/CQI Supervisor– (440) 329-5340

Mental Health Court Jim Rufo, CCO – (440) 326-4890 Jennifer Kerns, Program Coordinator – (440) 328-2213 Anna Cacchione, I&R Program Manager - (440) 329-5656 Jessica Ryan, Director of Lorain Programs for Beech Brook – (440) 324-4980

Residential Facilities Michelle Grove, Program Supervisor – (440) 326-4074 Matt Koch, CCO – (440) 326-4075 Paul Doseck, CCO – (440) 326-4073

Department of Support Services

This department provides services and support to the community and court staff.

The department is comprised of the following:

» The Pay-Back Program » Community Service Program » Voices for Children » Assignment commissioners » Juvenile clerks » Systems management

Payback Program

The Pay-Back Program has 4 objectives: Ensure the offender’s compliance with Court orders Provide a work experience that allows the offender to make restitution

(allowable up to $500) Provide victims with access to the Court for reasonable redress Facilitate communication between the Court and all involved parties: i.e.

victims, prosecutors, insurance companies, etc.

Restitution collected: Monies collected in 2012 : $18,355.15 Work for Pay monies collected : $6,208.92 (a total of 1,285.50 hours worked)

Community Service Program

The Program manager is creative in finding and developing sites for juveniles to fulfill their community service obligation.

Works closely with Probation, the Judicial staff, parents and the general public in monitoring and tracking completion of court ordered community service.

In 2012, 490 youth were ordered to complete community service. A total of 7782 hours were ordered.

Voices for Children

Voices for Children’s purpose is to provide a guardian ad litem (GAL) to the Court to advocate on behalf of the abused, neglected, and dependent children coming before it.

The GAL volunteer undertakes an investigation into the circumstances and family life of the child. They review records, interview parents, relatives and foster parents, talk to teachers, neighbors and most importantly, the child.

Upon completion of the investigation, the GAL appears in

court, provides the information and makes a recommendation to the Court as to what course of action is in the best interest of the child.

Contact Information

PayBack Program (Restitution) Lisa Taliano, Program Manager: (440) 329-5237 or (440) 329-5451

Community Service Program Lisa Taliano, Program Manager: (440) 329-5237

Voices For Children Timothy Green, Program Manager: (440) 329-5556 Ed Wacker: (440) 329-5158 Traci Stamco: (440) 329-5197