Local Police, Courts Overwhelmed with Youth Group Homes as Kids from Across Ohio Sent Here

More than a third of group homes where kids from across Ohio are sent by the state because of delinquency or they are victims of abuse or neglect are now located in Montgomery County, putting a strain on local courts and emergency services and raising concerns about the health and safety of children housed there, a Dayton Daily News investigation found.

The city of Dayton has more than twice as many group homes as Hamilton County, which has the second most group homes in the state, behind Montgomery County. These are group homes licensed by the Ohio Department of Children & Youth where kids and teens are placed, usually by children services agencies, according to state data and officials.

Dayton officials say the city is looking at zoning changes to try to better regulate these kinds of residential facilities and try to avoid further concentration and oversaturation. The city also may impose some new requirements on them.

Some group home providers and staff say they are struggling to deal with kids who reside in their facilities who have complex problems and significant trauma. Providers say by law they have to call police when their kids run away or go missing or they risk losing their licenses.