Work progresses on the $2.7M Wilson Children’s Home dormitory—funded by ARPA, Children’s Home Trust, LATCF, and an Ohio Capital Grant. (Photo by Ryan Applegate)
By Ryan Applegate
People’s Defender
Adams County is taking a significant step forward in its efforts to care for children by building a new dormitory behind the current Wilson Children’s Home. County leaders want the public to understand exactly how this project is being funded and to make it clear that no money from the local children’s services levy is being used.
The total construction cost of the dormitory is approximately $2.7 million. The money for the project comes from a combination of federal, state, and local trust funds. American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds provided $2,237,035.59. The Children’s Home Trust, created from the sale of the old community building, added $447,041.94. The Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund (LATCF) contributed $100,000, and the project also received an Ohio Capital Grant of $250,000.
County commissioners explained that these were one-time funds that could only be used for very specific purposes, such as construction or housing-related projects. They could not legally be used for everyday operations like paying caseworkers, feeding children, or covering the cost of foster care.
Commissioner Barbara Moore Holt stressed that the upcoming levy on the ballot this fall has nothing to do with the dormitory construction. “There’s a misconception out there that this new building means we don’t need the levy,” she said. “That’s just not accurate. The building is being paid for by one-time funds. The levy is about operations—feeding, clothing, housing, and supporting children in our care every single day.” After that clarification, Commissioner Moore Holt added that the most important number to remember is not the price of bricks and mortar but the cost of caring for kids day in and day out.
Commissioner Kelly Jones agreed, adding that placement costs are rising rapidly. Without the levy, the county will not have the resources to keep up with those increases. He emphasized that one-time grants and restricted funds can build a facility, but only a reliable operational revenue stream can run it.
Adams County Children’s Services Executive Director Sonya Meyer explained how dramatic those costs have become. Last year, the county spent $3.4 million on placement expenses for children, with an average of 185 kids in care. The year before, the county had nearly the same number of children but spent about $1 million less. Inflation and higher placement rates at group homes and foster facilities are driving costs upward, and those increases have nothing to do with the construction project.
The highest rate the county has had to pay for a single child is $625 per day. That is why operating Adams County’s own Children’s Home, which costs about $1 million per year, is such a critical savings. Meyer explained that if children are placed out of the county, costs go up dramatically, and caseworkers must travel many hours to visit them each month. She gave the example of one child placed in Ashtabula, nearly five hours away. “Not only does it strain the budget in mileage and travel costs, but it makes it harder to keep close eyes on the children,” Meyer said.
When the levy failed last year, the agency lost around $500,000 in revenue. Meyer and the commissioners made it clear that without the levy this fall, children’s services cannot continue to provide the same level of care. To help fill gaps, every dollar Adams County has received from the opioid settlements has gone to children’s services. Commissioner Moore Holt said that is because substance abuse is the leading reason children are removed from homes. “We are committed to not wasting tax dollars,” she said, “and we are giving children’s services every dollar we can. But the levy is not optional. Without it, we cannot sustain operations.”
Even as officials emphasized the numbers, they also focused on the children themselves. Meyer reminded residents that the goal of children’s services is always reunification with families whenever it is safe to do so. Children’s services investigates abuse and neglect, works with parents on case plans, and strives to return children home if those plans are followed. “Children’s services isn’t popular,” Meyer admitted. “Nobody wants to see kids removed from their homes. Our goal is always reunification first, if the parents can meet their case plans and provide a safe environment. But when that’s not possible, we have to step in to protect the children.”
At the same time, Meyer made an especially heartfelt plea for more foster parents in Adams County. Right now, dozens of children are placed in group homes or with foster families hours away from their schools, their siblings, and their extended families. Some are even placed in other parts of the state. “Every child deserves a safe and loving home,” Meyer said. “Foster care is not about money; it’s about people who care enough to make a difference in a child’s life.”
The need is especially urgent for younger children. More than 50 Adams County children are currently in permanent custody without permanent homes, many of them under the age of 12. These are children who need stability, love, and the assurance of belonging to a family. Foster families often provide the bridge between crisis and permanency—whether that permanency means returning to their biological parents, being placed with relatives, or eventually finding an adoptive home.
Meyer explained that children thrive when they remain in their own community. Being able to continue in the same school, maintain friendships, and stay connected to familiar surroundings makes a huge difference in a child’s ability to heal from trauma. Foster families make this possible. Without them, children are uprooted not only from their parents but also from everything else they know.
Commissioner Moore Holt added that when children are placed locally, it saves the county money as well. Foster families in Adams County are reimbursed, but those costs are a fraction of what it takes to pay for distant group home placements. “It’s better for the children and it’s better for the taxpayers,” she said.
Meyer emphasized that people don’t need to be perfect to become foster parents. What matters is commitment, patience, and a willingness to open one’s heart and home. “Most people who do this aren’t doing it for money. They’re doing it because they love kids and want to make a difference,” she said. She urged anyone who has ever thought about fostering to take the first step and call the children’s services office. Training and support are provided, and foster parents are never left to manage on their own.
She also noted that fostering takes many forms. Some families are able to take in infants or toddlers and provide round-the-clock care. Others may be a great fit for school-aged children who need help with homework, structure, and encouragement after a difficult day. Still others may have the patience and calm needed to foster teenagers, who are often the hardest to place and the most likely to be sent far from home when local options are scarce. Whatever the capacity, there is a child who needs exactly what a willing family can offer.
The new dormitory will provide a modern, safer space for children who must stay at the Children’s Home. It will not dramatically increase capacity, since state law caps the number of children at 25, but it will give children a better environment than the aging facility currently provides. Meyer noted that the old building is beautiful from the outside but outdated and difficult to maintain. “It’s not a place I’d want my daughters to be,” Commissioner Moore Holt added, reiterating that replacing the facility with restricted funds was the responsible choice given the limitations on how those dollars could be spent.
The building is expected to be completed by early 2026, though crews are working to have much of the exterior done by the end of this year. Once open, the new dormitory will mean children can remain in Adams County, where staff see them daily and can ensure they are safe and supported. Staff offices for children’s services will remain in the existing building, while the new structure will be dedicated to residential care with spaces designed for safety, visibility, and comfort.
County officials hope residents keep two truths in mind as the fall election approaches. First, the construction of the new dormitory is being paid for entirely through ARPA funds, the Children’s Home Trust, LATCF funds, and an Ohio Capital Grant. No levy money is being used. Second, and even more important, the levy on the ballot is essential for the daily operations of children’s services. The building may provide walls and a roof, but the levy keeps the lights on, pays the staff, and provides food, clothing, and care for the children inside.
The children of Adams County need their community. They need voters to pass the levy. And they need families willing to step forward and say yes to fostering. The new dormitory is an investment in infrastructure, but it is foster parents who will provide the love, stability, and hope that every child deserves.
