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.
Northern Counties Services
/in Auglaize, Available To Residents, Champaign, Darke, Logan, Mercer, Miami, Preble, Shelby /by Andrea SkrlacNorthern Counties Services
Auglaize | Champaign | Darke | Logan | Mercer | Miami | Preble | Shelby
In keeping with the mission of Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley, our Northern Counties Office is committed to caring for the elderly and disabled in the communities we serve. Our services include PASSPORT (Medicaid Waiver), Care Coordination and Assisted Living (waiver) in Champaign, Darke, Logan, Miami, Preble and Shelby Counties, as well as offering volunteer-based Senior Outreach services. We also provide counseling for individuals and families, helping them deal with a wide range of situations and stressors. Our professional, licensed counselors are guides who provide direction to people in search of solutions, ultimately empowering them to resolve their problems. CSSMV serves all faiths; you do not have to be Catholic. We offer our programs to people in need regardless of religion, ethnic background, or socioeconomic condition. All services involving a fee are provided on a sliding scale based on income.
Northern Counties Advisory Council
Donald L. Grieshop (CHAIR)
Todd Dammeyer
John Dunlap
Rev. Doug Klinsing
Kathy Nichols
Norm Shearer
Dianne Sielschott
Karen Wendeln

Northern Counties Office
100 S. Main Avenue, Suite 101
Sidney, Ohio 45365
(937) 498-4593 or (833) 289-0227
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
Assisted Living
/in Champaign, Darke, Logan, Miami, Preble, Programs & Services, Senior Services, Shelby /by Andrea SkrlacAssisted Living
Ohio’s Assisted Living Waiver Program

Assisted Living combines a home-like setting with personal support services to provide a safer and more monitored environment than what’s available through home care services. Assisted living facilities provide older adults with a less-restrictive alternative to a nursing facility. Individuals who meet level-of-care needs and meet established financial criteria may be eligible for Ohio’s Assisted Living Waiver Program.
The Assisted Living option is best for individuals who need some services but are still fairly independent. Residential assisted living facilities provide environments that are designed to keep seniors active but safe. Assisted Living promotes aging in place by supporting a consumer’s desire for independence, choice, and privacy. The services help preserve the dignity of the individual, as well as maintaining ties to family and friends.
Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley can help you determine whether you’re eligible for the waiver program, make sure the assisted living facility you’ve chosen is appropriately licensed and certified, and complete the enrollment process.
Eligibility
Financial eligibility must be determined by the Ohio Department of Medicaid. Depending on your income, you may be required to pay a patient liability each month as determined by the Ohio Department of Medicaid and paid to the Assisted Living facility. Assisted Living providers must be licensed as residential care facilities by the Ohio Department of Health and certified by the Ohio Department of Aging as an Assisted Living Provider.
CSSMV can assist you in determining your eligibility and helping you sign up for Ohio’s Assisted Living Waiver Program if you live in Champaign, Darke, Logan, Miami, Preble or Shelby County.
Contact
For a free assessment, call our Northern Counties office at (937) 498-4593 or (833) 289-0227.
Location
Our assessment team is based in our Northern Counties office, at 100 S. Main Street, Suite 101, in Sidney, Ohio.
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
Long Term Support Services
/in Champaign, Darke, Logan, Miami, Preble, Programs & Services, Senior Services, Shelby /by atomicLong-Term Support Services
Helping Older Adults Remain Independent at Home

“Having observed most facets of the CSSMV ministry in Greenville and Darke County, I have become especially appreciative of the work of PASSPORT and other senior-centered programs which provide quality care and dignity to so many seniors in our region … I have been so impressed with the level of expertise and care their staff provide clients. As a Protestant pastor it has been refreshing to see how CSSMV has been willing and able to cross religious boundaries, assisting with needs regardless of faith or creed.”
PASSPORT (Pre-Admission Screening System Providing Options and Resources Today) is a home-care Medicaid waiver program that provides long-term care services to assist people in maintaining their independence. The program is provided at no cost to Medicaid-eligible individuals 60 years of age or older.
Individuals at risk of nursing home placement can often remain in their own homes with the supportive services of the PASSPORT program. Licensed, professional PASSPORT staff members assess clients’ needs, make recommendations, and arrange for services which are provided in-home through contracted agencies.
PASSPORT services can include personal care assistance, homemaking, home-delivered meals, emergency response systems, adult day care, home medical equipment, minor home modification, medical transportation, chore services, and social work counseling.
An assessment at no cost can be completed for anyone interested in home care services, regardless of program eligibility. Even if you don’t think you would qualify for Medicaid, you may qualify for PASSPORT Financial eligibility is determined by the Ohio Department of Medicaid.
What if I’m not eligible for PASSPORT?
Care Coordination provides services such as case management, personal care aides, adult day services, adult day service transportation, home-delivered meals, emergency response systems and more for those who are financially ineligible for PASSPORT.
For more information and to determine your eligibility, call our Northern Counties office at (937) 498-4593 or (833) 289-0227 and request a free assessment.
Eligibility
You must be age 60 or older to be eligible for PASSPORT or Care Coordination services. If you are Medicaid-eligible, you will qualify for PASSPORT services. If not, you may still qualify for PASSPORT or Care Coordination, so call us for a free assessment.
PASSPORT and Care Coordination are available to eligible residents in Champaign, Darke, Logan, Miami, Preble and Shelby Counties.
Contact
For a free assessment to determine your program eligibility, call (937) 498-4593 or call our toll-free number, (833) 289-0227.
Location
Program staff are based in our Northern Counties office, at 100 S. Main Avenue, Suite 101, in Sidney, Ohio.
Program services are provided to clients at their homes.
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.

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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- PASSPORT and Assisted Living Medicaid Waiver AmendmentsSeptember 6, 2023 - 8:11 pm
Proposed amendments to Ohio’s PASSPORT Medicaid Waiver and Assisted Living Medicaid Waiver, which will be submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for review, have been posted for public comment. The period for public comment on the proposed PASSPORT and Assisted Living Medicaid Waiver Amendments began on August 29, 2023, and is […]