2006 Ohio Revised Code - 5101.24. Actions against responsible entity.

§ 5101.24. Actions against responsible entity.
 

(A)  As used in this section, "responsible entity" means a board of county commissioners or a county family services agency, whichever the director of job and family services determines is appropriate to take action against under division (C) of this section. 

(B)  Regardless of whether a family services duty is performed by a county family services agency, private or government entity pursuant to a contract entered into under section 307.982 [307.98.2] of the Revised Code or division (C)(2) of section 5153.16 of the Revised Code, or private or government provider of a family service duty, the department of job and family services may take action under division (C) of this section against the responsible entity if the department determines any of the following are the case: 

(1) A requirement of a fiscal agreement entered into under section 5101.21 of the Revised Code that includes the family services duty, including a requirement for fiscal agreements established by rules adopted under that section, is not complied with; 

(2) A county family services agency fails to develop, submit to the department, or comply with a corrective action plan under division (B) of section 5101.221 of the Revised Code, or the department disapproves the agency's corrective action plan developed under division (B) of section 5101.221 [5101.22.1] of the Revised Code; 

(3) A requirement for the family services duty established by the department or any of the following is not complied with: a federal or state law, state plan for receipt of federal financial participation, grant agreement between the department and a federal agency, or executive order issued by the governor; 

(4) The responsible entity is solely or partially responsible, as determined by the director of job and family services, for an adverse audit finding, adverse quality control finding, final disallowance of federal financial participation, or other sanction or penalty regarding the family services duty. 

(C)  The department may take one or more of the following actions against the responsible entity when authorized by division (B)(1), (2), (3), or (4) of this section: 

(1) Require the responsible entity to comply with a corrective action plan pursuant to a time schedule specified by the department. The corrective action plan shall be established or approved by the department and shall not require a county family services agency to commit resources to the plan. 

(2) Require the responsible entity to comply with a corrective action plan pursuant to a time schedule specified by the department. The corrective action plan shall be established or approved by the department and require a county family services agency to commit to the plan existing resources identified by the agency. 

(3) Require the responsible entity to do one of the following: 

(a) Share with the department a final disallowance of federal financial participation or other sanction or penalty; 

(b) Reimburse the department the final amount the department pays to the federal government or another entity that represents the amount the responsible entity is responsible for of an adverse audit finding, adverse quality control finding, final disallowance of federal financial participation, or other sanction or penalty issued by the federal government, auditor of state, or other entity; 

(c) Pay the federal government or another entity the final amount that represents the amount the responsible entity is responsible for of an adverse audit finding, adverse quality control finding, final disallowance of federal financial participation, or other sanction or penalty issued by the federal government, auditor of state, or other entity; 

(d) Pay the department the final amount that represents the amount the responsible entity is responsible for of an adverse audit finding or adverse quality control finding. 

(4) Impose an administrative sanction issued by the department against the responsible entity. A sanction may be increased if the department has previously taken action against the responsible entity under this division. 

(5) Perform, or contract with a government or private entity for the entity to perform, the family services duty until the department is satisfied that the responsible entity ensures that the duty will be performed satisfactorily. If the department performs or contracts with an entity to perform a family services duty under division (C)(5) of this section, the department may do either or both of the following: 

(a) Spend funds in the county treasury appropriated by the board of county commissioners for the duty; 

(b) Withhold funds allocated or reimbursements due to the responsible entity for the duty and spend the funds for the duty. 

(6) Request that the attorney general bring mandamus proceedings to compel the responsible entity to take or cease the action that causes division (B)(1), (2), (3), or (4) of this section to apply. The attorney general shall bring mandamus proceedings in the Franklin county court of appeals at the department's request. 

(7) If the department takes action under this division because of division (B)(3) of this section, temporarily withhold funds allocated or reimbursement due to the responsible entity until the department determines that the responsible entity is in compliance with the requirement. The department shall release the funds when the department determines that compliance has been achieved. 

(D)  If the department proposes to take action against the responsible entity under division (C) of this section, the department shall notify the responsible entity and county auditor. The notice shall be in writing and specify the action the department proposes to take. The department shall send the notice by regular United States mail. 
 

Except as provided by division (E) of this section, the responsible entity may request an administrative review of a proposed action in accordance with administrative review procedures the department shall establish. The administrative review procedures shall comply with all of the following: 

(1) A request for an administrative review shall state specifically all of the following: 

(a) The proposed action specified in the notice from the department for which the review is requested; 

(b) The reason why the responsible entity believes the proposed action is inappropriate; 

(c) All facts and legal arguments that the responsible entity wants the department to consider; 

(d) The name of the person who will serve as the responsible entity's representative in the review. 

(2) If the department's notice specifies more than one proposed action and the responsible entity does not specify all of the proposed actions in its request pursuant to division (D)(1)(a) of this section, the proposed actions not specified in the request shall not be subject to administrative review and the parts of the notice regarding those proposed actions shall be final and binding on the responsible entity. 

(3) In the case of a proposed action under division (C)(1) of this section, the responsible entity shall have fifteen calendar days after the department mails the notice to the responsible entity to send a written request to the department for an administrative review. If it receives such a request within the required time, the department shall postpone taking action under division (C)(1) of this section for fifteen calendar days following the day it receives the request or extended period of time provided for in division (D)(5) of this section to allow a representative of the department and a representative of the responsible entity an informal opportunity to resolve any dispute during that fifteen-day or extended period. 

(4) In the case of a proposed action under division (C)(2), (3), (4), (5), or (7) of this section, the responsible entity shall have thirty calendar days after the department mails the notice to the responsible entity to send a written request to the department for an administrative review. If it receives such a request within the required time, the department shall postpone taking action under division (C)(2), (3), (4), (5), or (7) of this section for thirty calendar days following the day it receives the request or extended period of time provided for in division (D)(5) of this section to allow a representative of the department and a representative of the responsible entity an informal opportunity to resolve any dispute during that thirty-day or extended period. 

(5) If the informal opportunity provided in division (D)(3) or (4) of this section does not result in a written resolution to the dispute within the fifteen- or thirty-day period, the director of job and family services and representative of the responsible entity may enter into a written agreement extending the time period for attempting an informal resolution of the dispute under division (D)(3) or (4) of this section. 

(6) In the case of a proposed action under division (C)(3) of this section, the responsible entity may not include in its request disputes over a finding, final disallowance of federal financial participation, or other sanction or penalty issued by the federal government, auditor of state, or entity other than the department. 

(7) If the responsible entity fails to request an administrative review within the required time, the responsible entity loses the right to request an administrative review of the proposed actions specified in the notice and the notice becomes final and binding on the responsible entity. 

(8) If the informal opportunity provided in division (D)(3) or (4) of this section does not result in a written resolution to the dispute within the time provided by division (D)(3), (4), or (5) of this section, the director shall appoint an administrative review panel to conduct the administrative review. The review panel shall consist of department employees and one director or other representative of the type of county family services agency that is responsible for the kind of family services duty that is the subject of the dispute and serves a different county than the county served by the responsible entity. No individual involved in the department's proposal to take action against the responsible entity may serve on the review panel. The review panel shall review the responsible entity's request. The review panel may require that the department or responsible entity submit additional information and schedule and conduct an informal hearing to obtain testimony or additional evidence. A review of a proposal to take action under division (C)(3) of this section shall be limited solely to the issue of the amount the responsible entity shall share with the department, reimburse the department, or pay to the federal government, department, or other entity under division (C)(3) of this section. The review panel is not required to make a stenographic record of its hearing or other proceedings. 

(9) After finishing an administrative review, an administrative review panel appointed under division (D)(8) of this section shall submit a written report to the director setting forth its findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommendations for action. The director may approve, modify, or disapprove the recommendations. If the director modifies or disapproves the recommendations, the director shall state the reasons for the modification or disapproval and the actions to be taken against the responsible entity. 

(10) The director's approval, modification, or disapproval under division (D)(9) of this section shall be final and binding on the responsible entity and shall not be subject to further departmental review. 

(E)  The responsible entity is not entitled to an administrative review under division (D) of this section for any of the following: 

(1) An action taken under division (C)(6) of this section; 

(2) An action taken under section 5101.242 [5101.24.2] of the Revised Code; 

(3) An action taken under division (C)(3) of this section if the federal government, auditor of state, or entity other than the department has identified the county family services agency as being solely or partially responsible for an adverse audit finding, adverse quality control finding, final disallowance of federal financial participation, or other sanction or penalty; 

(4) An adjustment to an allocation, cash draw, advance, or reimbursement to a county family services agency that the department determines necessary for budgetary reasons; 

(5) Withholding of a cash draw or reimbursement due to noncompliance with a reporting requirement established in rules adopted under section 5101.243 [5101.24.3] of the Revised Code. 

(F)  This section does not apply to other actions the department takes against the responsible entity pursuant to authority granted by another state law unless the other state law requires the department to take the action in accordance with this section. 

(G)  The director of job and family services may adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code as necessary to implement this section. 
 

HISTORY: 147 v H 408 (Eff 10-1-97); 148 v H 470. Eff 3-14-2000; 150 v H 95, § 1, eff. 9-26-03.
 

The effective date is set by section 179 of H.B. 95 (150 v  - ). 

Not analogous to former RC § 5101.24 (GC § 1847; 102 v 211, § 15; 107 v 422, 427; Bureau of Code Revision, 10-1-53), repealed 125 v 823(892), § 2, eff 7-1-54.