Kinship & Adoption Navigators
/in Assists Children, Champaign, Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, Pregnancy & Parenting Services, Professional Counseling, Shelby, Specialized Counseling /by Andrea SkrlacOhioKAN
Kinship & Adoption Navigator Program
The program is designed to assist those who have adopted children as well as those who are providing kinship care. The first step to access the program is to call 1-844-OHIO-KAN to connect with a navigator who will talk with you to understand your situation and needs. If you and the navigator decide together that we can help you navigate and access important resources, we’ll walk through the OhioKAN BASICS overview to make sure we completely understand your family situation and can start making a plan together. We’ll use the OhioKAN Information Hub to review more than 8,000 records to find, analyze, and organize all of the resources available to you based on your exact situation, location, and needs. Based on our conversation and resource review, we’ll create a Personalized Resource Plan. This document becomes the action plan for navigating and accessing all of the local and statewide resources that fit your situation. With the support of dedicated site navigators here at CSSMV, OhioKAN’s 100% free services will help kinship and adoptive families in Champaign, Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, and Shelby Counties navigate and connect with all of the resources available locally and statewide. For more information and helpful resources, as well as a directory of other regional partners serving other areas of Ohio, you can visit the OhioKAN website at https://ohiokan.jfs.ohio.gov. To connect with a navigator from ANYWHERE in Ohio, call 1-844-OHIO-KAN.Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley is thrilled to partner with OhioKAN, a new statewide flexible and responsive kinship and adoption navigator program designed to assist children, caregivers, and families.
The purpose of the Post Adoption Special Services Subsidy (PASSS) is to assist Ohio families after the finalization of their adoption. The subsidy is available to all adoptive families regardless of the type of adoption (international, attorney, public or private agency), with the exception of step-parent adoptions. The child DOES NOT have to meet either the federal or state definition of special needs to receive this subsidy. Each child may be eligible for up to $10,000 per year ($15,000 if residential treatment is recommended by a qualified professional).
PASSS funds may be used for reasonable costs of services to address the child’s physical condition, developmental disability, mental health, or emotional condition that either existed prior to the adoption or developed after the adoption and can be attributed to factors in the child’s preadoption background, medical history, or biological family’s background or medical history.
PASSS eligibility requirements:
- Child/young person resides in Ohio with the adoptive family
- Child/young person has been adopted by someone other than a step-parent
- Child/young person has a physical or developmental disability or mental or emotional condition that either existed before the adoption petition was filed or developed after the adoption petition was filed and can be directly attributed to factors in the child/young person’s pre-adoption background or medical history, or biological family’s background or medical history
- The child/young person is under the age of eighteen OR the child/young person is at least eighteen years of age and less than twenty-one years of age and has been diagnosed with a mental or physical disability
- Other sources of assistance are inadequate or are unavailable to meet the child/young person’s immediate needs
For more details about PASSS, click HERE.
Eligibility
While CSSMV’s Kinship Navigators serve the specific counties listed above, OhioKAN is a 100% free program available to all kinship and adoptive families in Ohio.
Contact
Call 1-844-OHIO-KAN (1-844-644-6526) to talk one-on-one with an OhioKAN Navigator. Phone lines are open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Location
CSSMV’s OhioKAN Navigators are based at our Center for Families on Brown Street in Dayton.
Chums Program
/in Greene, Montgomery, Programs & Services, Senior Services /by Andrea SkrlacChums Program
for older adults with diagnosed mental illness

The Chums program helps seniors (age 50 and older) with diagnosed mental illnesses to learn skills to help maintain independence and take back control of their lives. Life Essentials staff facilitate the program by combining the practices of education, networking and behavioral activation services. The program enhances the quality of life for program members by equipping them with tools that promote self-management of their mental illness. Participants learn common themes that contribute to their recovery including diet, exercise, goal setting, stress management and much more. They also get the opportunity to bond with people who are in similar situations.
Eligibility
Those age 50 and older with diagnosed mental illness may be eligible to participate.
This program serves residents of Montgomery and Greene Counties.
Contact
For more information, call (937) 586-0545.
Location
Program staff are based at:
922 W. Riverview Avenue
Dayton, Ohio 45402
Guardianship Services
/in Greene, Guardianship Services, Montgomery, Programs & Services, Senior Services, Top Level Program Category /by Andrea SkrlacLife Essentials
Guardianship Services

The Life Essentials guardianship program provides support for seniors who have been deemed mentally incompetent and who do not have family willing or capable of making sound decisions for them. Life Essentials cannot accept referrals from individuals such as family members or neighbors; the program only takes referrals from providers. Persons seeking to get an individual into guardianship are referred on to the Probate Court or to the Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP) or to the Dayton Bar Association for information and assistance. Life Essentials cannot provide legal advice, nor can we escort applicants to court. For a guardianship referral to be warranted, the individual must be incapacitated and unable to manage his or her own financial resources and/or unable to make informed medical decisions. A referral form must be completed and there must be a Statement of Expert Evaluation signed by the proposed ward’s doctor or psychiatrist. Life Essentials staff and trained volunteers take on the critical role as guardian, working with their clients to ensure that each individual has the best possible life and lives in the least restrictive environment. Guardians become the advocate and voice for those who are unable to speak for themselves. In addition to fulfilling the role of guardian, the Life Essentials guardianship program provides support to family members and/or friends who are willing and capable of becoming the guardian for a loved one.
Guardianship Forms
Eligibility
Potential clients must have resided in Montgomery or Greene County for at least six months, and must be deemed mentally incompetent by the Probate Court Judge or Magistrate. Life Essentials cannot accept referrals from individuals such as family members or neighbors; the program only takes referrals from providers.
Unfortunately, this program cannot serve those who have assets (home, car, bank account) and need a Guardian of Estate.
Contact
For more information, call (937) 586-0545.
Location
922 W. Riverview Avenue
Dayton, Ohio 45402
Professional Counseling
/in Assists Children, Auglaize, Available To Residents, Champaign, Darke, Greene, Logan, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, Programs & Services, Shelby, Top Level Program Category /by Andrea SkrlacProfessional Counseling

Are you going through interpersonal or emotional challenges that make your daily life more difficult? Our professional counseling team is here to help. Our counselors can help you deal with depression, anxiety, trauma, behavior issues, relationship problems, attachment issues, grief, domestic violence, adjustment to illness, post-adoption emotions, and many other issues. We offer professional counseling for individuals, couples and families, and we work with children age 5 and up.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does therapy entail?
The counseling process begins with a short period of assessment that may take up to 2-4 visits. In this time the therapist is becoming familiar with you and your goals and the barriers you are encountering. After this, you and the therapist work together to develop a treatment plan that outlines your goals and the steps we will take to achieve these. In other words, we are asking, “What do you want? And how will we know when you achieve that?” The treatment process may be brief (6-10 sessions), or extend longer if you feel that more work is needed to resolve your problems to your satisfaction.
How long are counseling sessions?
Generally, sessions are held weekly or twice a month, and each session lasts about 50 minutes.
Many people resolve their concerns in a few sessions. Most treatment is short-term with 10 or fewer sessions.
Is this religious-based counseling?
No. Our professional, licensed counselors provide the same type of counseling you would receive at a non-Catholic facility. You do not need to be Catholic — or even Christian — to receive services at our Counseling Centers.
We offer assistance to people in need regardless of religion or ethnic background; we do not proselytize. If your faith is important to you, it’s certainly something we can talk about in your counseling sessions, but we won’t bring up the subject unless you do.
Do you accept my insurance?
We accept most private insurance as well as Medicaid and Medicare. Please talk with our office staff to see if your plan is accepted. Please check with your insurance provider for the specific details of your plan’s coverage.
What if I don’t have insurance for mental health care?
We use a sliding scale to make treatment more affordable for those who don’t have insurance or whose insurance doesn’t cover mental health services.
How do I schedule an appointment?
If you are interested in pursuing counseling at Catholic Social Services, the next step is to call our office. For our Dayton office, call (937) 296-1007 and speak with our office administrator, Shelia Wright-Davis, at extension 2136. To make an appointment at our Sidney office, call (937) 498-4593.
Eligibility
Anyone seeking professional counseling services is welcome at our Dayton and Sidney Counseling Centers, or at our satellite locations.
Contact
Call (937) 296-1007 for our Dayton office or (937) 498-4593 for our Sidney office.
Location
CSSMV Center for Families
1046 Brown Street, Dayton, Ohio 45409
Northern Counties Office
100 S. Main Avenue, Suite 101, Sidney, Ohio 45365
Prescription Drug Cost Savings
/in Auglaize, Available To Residents, Champaign, Darke, Greene, Logan, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, Programs & Services, Senior Services, Shelby /by Andrea SkrlacPrescription Drug Cost Savings

MEDICARE SAVINGS PROGRAM (MSP)
& LOW INCOME SUBSIDY (LIS)
Consumers receiving Medicare who have limited income and assets may qualify for Extra Help with the cost of their prescription drugs. The Social Security Administration (SSA) and Medicare work together to provide this extra help through the Low Income Subsidy (LIS) — also known as the Extra Help program.
Prescription drug costs continue to increase. The insurance maze of tiers, generic vs. non-generic, co-pays and donut holes can be confusing. Some consumers skip doses or just stop taking the medicines that their doctors recommend because they simply cannot afford them. Not taking a prescribed medicine or not taking it as directed can lead to additional health problems.
The Medicare Savings Program (MSP) and Low Income Subsidy (LIS) may be the answer for some struggling seniors.
Those who are eligible for the low income subsidy will get help paying for 75% or more of their monthly Part D premium, yearly deductible, and prescription co-payments. They will also have no gap in coverage = No Donut Hole.
Our agency can assist individuals with the application process. The application is completed electronically with the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Contact our Northern Counties office at (937) 498-4593 or (833) 289-0227 for more information.
Eligibility
This service is available to any eligible adult in our 10-county service area.
Individuals must be receiving Medicare and have limited income and assets as defined by the federal program administrators.
Please call us to see if you meet their eligibility criteria.
Contact
Contact our Northern Counties office at (937) 498-4593 or (833) 289-0227 for more information.
Location
CSSMV Northern Counties Office
100 S. Main Avenue, Suite 101
Sidney, Ohio 45365
Free Classes & Info Sessions
/in Auglaize, Available To Residents, Champaign, Darke, Greene, Logan, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, Programs & Services, Shelby /by Andrea SkrlacFree Classes & Info Sessions
Our Family Stabilization & Support (FSS) staff coordinate an ongoing series of classes and informational sessions that are free for anyone to attend.
Most sessions focus on wellness and stress management, financial empowerment, health and nutrition. Some are led by CSSMV staff, while others have guest presenters from the Ohio State University Extension Office, Day Air Credit Union, and other community partners. The selection of topics is driven by the interest level of our clients and community members.
Attendance is not limited to CSSMV clients. Other agencies are welcome to share our event schedules with their own clients, and anyone from the general public is welcome to attend any session that’s of interest. We only ask that those planning to attend RSVP in advance so we can plan accordingly, and so that we can notify them of any unexpected changes in the class date or time.
Classes offered by other programs within CSSMV, such as Parenting, are also included in our class listings when they are free and open to the public.
Eligibility
There are no residency requirements; you just have to be able to get to the location where our classes are held. Some sessions require you to reserve your seat in advance.
Contact
For more information, call (937) 223-7217 ext.1135.
Location
Eckerle Administration Center
922 W. Riverview Avenue
Dayton, Ohio 45402
Post-Adoption Support Services
/in Auglaize, Available To Residents, Champaign, Darke, Greene, Logan, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, Pregnancy & Parenting Services, Professional Counseling, Programs & Services, Shelby, Specialized Counseling /by atomicPost-Adoption Support Services
Adoption is a life-long process and each adoption is unique and special. Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley offers post-adoption services and general adoption information, support for adoptees, and specialized support for adoptive families through our Safe Counseling program.
Whether you’re an adoptee looking for information on your birth family, you’re looking for information about how to adopt a child, or your family includes an adopted child, we have expertise to assist you. The CSSMV professional counseling program is available to adult and child adoptees and their families, and also offers special expertise in the area of attachment disorders.

CSSMV maintains records for all finalized adoptions that used our adoption placement services.
If you are an adoptee, a birth parent, or an adoptive family whose legal adoption was finalized through CSSMV, we can help you access information from your records.
For assistance, please call (937) 223-7217.
Our counseling team has expertise working with adoptive families as they go through the adoptive family life cycle. To learn more about these stages and how CSSMV can help address some of the unique challenges faced by adoptive families, please click HERE. If you’d like to make an appointment at our Dayton Counseling Center or you have questions about our counseling services, please call 937.296.1007.
Some adopted children have difficulty developing an attachment to their adoptive families. In extreme cases, they may be diagnosed with Reactive Attachment Disorder, or RAD. Catholic Social Services’ Safe Counseling program can help. Click HERE for more information.
Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley is also pleased to be partnering with OhioKAN, a new statewide flexible and responsive Kinship and Adoption Navigator program designed to assist children, caregivers, and families. If you are interested in learning about resources that may be available to you as adoptive parents, please click HERE.
We can give you information about open, confidential, and identified adoption options, as well as explaining what to expect from both emotional and logistical/legal perspectives.
We work with Adoption Circle, a private, non-profit, Ohio-licensed adoption agency, and can also connect you to other community resources.
Eligibility
Our services are available to anyone seeking information or resources about adoption, as well as any birth parent, adoptee, or adoptive family whose adoption was finalized through CSSMV.
Contact
Call (937) 223-7217 ext. 2102.
Location
CSSMV Center for Families
1046 Brown Street
Dayton, Ohio 45409
SAFE Counseling
/in Auglaize, Available To Residents, Champaign, Darke, Greene, Logan, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, Pregnancy & Parenting Services, Professional Counseling, Programs & Services, Shelby, Specialized Counseling /by atomicSAFE Counseling
From the moment of birth, when a baby struggles to find the first breaths of life, the people and the environment surrounding the child are important to his or her survival. When a child’s birth or early developmental experiences are filled with problems, behavioral issues can arise and begin to magnify as the child grows. A child who has endured trauma may develop an attachment disorder. Children who have been abused or neglected and/or had multiple foster care placements prior to adoption are particularly “at risk” of developing attachment and bonding difficulties.
Conventional parenting, standard school discipline or traditional outpatient therapy are often less than effective for “hard-to-reach” children with an attachment disorder. These children and their families need help, and it is available through Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley’s SAFE Counseling program.
SAFE Counseling is designed to treat children and to educate parents of children who exhibit signs of an attachment disorder. SAFE Counseling offers help to parents of children who have serious issues that seem unsolvable.
Attachment therapy is an integrated treatment approach that uses elements of cognitive-behavioral, object relations, family and psychodynamic therapies to facilitate child-parent bonding and to measure feedback. In conjunction with these therapies, holding therapy is used to establish a safe place with safe people in which the child can safely talk about and experience the painful issues of the past.
The program seeks to jump start the attachment cycle aborted as the result of the child’s earlier trauma. SAFE believes it is essential to break through barriers of trauma before a child can develop healthy interpersonal relations built on trust. SAFE counseling aims to begin the attachment and healing process for the child and the adoptive or current family.

Eligibility
If your child has been diagnosed with an attachment disorder, or if you believe your child may be suffering from this disorder, call us for more information or a screening appointment.
Contact
Call our Dayton Counseling Center at (937) 296-1007.
Location
CSSMV Center for Families
1046 Brown Street
Dayton, Ohio 45409
Pregnancy & Parenting Support
/in Assists Children, Auglaize, Champaign, Darke, Greene, Logan, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, Programs & Services, Shelby, Top Level Program Category /by atomicPregnancy & Parenting Support
Discovering that you’re pregnant can be one of the most joyful moments of a person’s life. But even the most enthusiastic new parents may be unprepared — emotionally, financially, and educationally — for the joy, challenges, and occasional heartbreak of parenthood.
This is why Catholic Social Services is committed to providing a continuum of exceptional programs to support mothers and fathers throughout their experience. CSSMV’s programs can help young, first-time, or struggling parents successfully make the journey from pregnancy to a healthy birth to effective parenting. We also provide support for adoptive parents and kinship caregivers, to assist with the special challenges these situations can present.
Our Counseling Team
/in Auglaize, Available To Residents, Champaign, Darke, Greene, Logan, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, Professional Counseling, Shelby, Specialized Counseling /by Andrea SkrlacOur Counseling Team

Dayton Counseling Center
Cheryl Lobbestael-Griffin, LISW-S, BCN
Years in Practice: 20+ years
Population: Adults, children, families and groups
Specialties: Anxiety, depression, PTSD, complex trauma, adoption related issues, Reactive Attachment Disorder
Therapeutic Approach: Psychodynamic, mindfulness, trauma informed, attachment therapies, cognitive approaches
Degree: MSW from University of Michigan
Licensing: Licensed Independent Social Work, with supervisory credentials (LISW-S) Certified in EEG-Neurofeedback (BCN)
Licensed by: Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board

Sidney Counseling Center
Bonnie Ihle, MS, LPCC-S
Years in practice: 4+ years
Population: Children, adolescents, adults, families, developmentally disabled and veterans
Specialties: Depression, anxiety, adjustment disorders, anger concerns, PTSD, trauma informed care, marriage and couples
Degree: MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Wright State University
Licensing: Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, with supervisory credentials (LPCC-S)
Licensed by: Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board

Dayton Counseling Center
Denetta Harris, MSW, LSW, CATP
Years in Practice: Since 2009
Population: Adults, children, families, and groups
Specialties: Children, families, trauma, anxiety, depression, ADHD, and assessment
Therapeutic Approach: Psychodynamic, mindfulness, trauma informed, attachment therapies, cognitive behavioral approaches
Degree: MSW from University of Cincinnati
Licensing: Licensed Social Worker
Licensed by: Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board for the State of Ohio
Additional Credentials: Certified Child and Adolescent Trauma Professional (CATP)

Sidney Counseling Center
Michelle Paulus, MS, LPCC-S
Years in Practice: 20+ years practice working with children, couples, families, individuals, and developmentally disabled population
Specialties: Treatment of emotional and social issues, depression, anxiety, trauma, and adjustment issues; focus on mental and developmentally disabled individuals, marriage and couples issues, spirituality, early childhood intervention, and parenting skills
Degrees: AA in Communication from Sinclair College, BA in Psychology from University of Dayton, MSEd in Social Agency Counseling from University of Dayton, and Post Graduate in Clinical Counseling from University of Dayton
Licensing: Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, with supervisory credentials (LPCC-S)
Licensed by: Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board

Dayton Counseling Center
Lisa A. Schauer, LPCC
Years of Practice: 11 years
Population: Adults, Couples, Adolescents 16 yrs. and above
Specialties: Community medical and behavioral health integration, victims of domestic violence, planning and linking to community resources, depression, anxiety
Therapy Approach: Client Centered, Solution Focused, Cognitive-Behavioral, Psycho-Educational
Licensing: Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, Licensed Social Worker
Licensed by: Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board

Dayton Counseling Center
Shelia Wright Davis, Office Support Manager
Shelia has been with the Dayton Counseling Center since 1980! When you visit or call the Dayton location, she is the friendly face (or voice) who will greet you, help answer your questions about our services, and set you up with an appointment with a counselor who best meets your needs.

Eckerle Administration Center
922 West Riverview Avenue
Dayton, OH 45402
(937) 223-7217 or (800) 300-2937
General email: cssmv@cssmv.org
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Latest News
- Generations CampaignApril 27, 2022 - 7:15 pm
At Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley’s Annual Meeting on April 27, CEO Laura Roesch announced the public phase of a five-year comprehensive campaign inspired by the desire to broaden and enhance the agency’s impact as it enters its second century of service. The Generations Campaign will run through 2025, with a total fundraising goal of $10,000,000.