Ohio Works First drug testing program

Also yesterday, Ohio Senator Tim Schaffer introduced a bill that in part would:

• (B). …..Direct the Director of Job and Family Services to establish an Ohio Works First drug testing pilot program, to be operated for two years in three counties selected by that Director. Counties selected may only be done so if the county's board of county commissioners volunteers to have that county included in the program, and in selecting said counties, the Director shall strive to have one rural, one suburban, and one urban county included in the program.

• The county department of job and family services of each county included in the program shall conduct an assessment of each adult member of an assistance group that applies to participate in Ohio Works First to determine whether there is reasonable cause to suspect that any of the adults have a chemical dependency. The assessment shall be conducted in accordance with rules adoptedunder this section and as part of the process of determining under section 5107.12 of the Revised Code whether the assistance group is initially eligible to participate in Ohio Works First. The assessment shall not be conducted as part of an eligibility redetermination. If pursuant to an assessment conducted under the pilot program there is reasonable cause to suspect that an adult has a chemical dependency, the e county department shall require the adult to undergo a drug test.

• (D). …..The county department of job and family services of each county included in the pilot program shall refer an adult who fails a drug test conducted pursuant to division (B) of this section to the board of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services that serves the same county as the county department. If the adult, acting on the referral, requests services from the board to which the adult is referred, the board shall refer the adult to an alcohol and drug addiction program certified by the Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services under section 3793.06 of the Revised Code.

Text of Introduced SB 182

Ohio Works First