Infant and Child Services

The program, through a collaborative system of services, helps children grow and develop in the best way possible.  Once a child is determined eligible for services, a team of early intervention professionals support the child and family.  Early Intervention services are centered on what families want and expect. We work with families to meet their needs in a variety of settings, such as the child’s home, the library, childcare center, or the park.

Services vary for each family depending on what is needed to help the child grow and develop. Our goal is to coach parents and caregivers on strategies that will help their child’s development.

Services provided:

• Provides service coordination for multi-need youth ages 0-18 (up to age 21 if physically or mentally handicapped) who are abused, neglected, dependent, unruly, delinquent, or voluntarily seeking services.

• Provides coordination of services for youth with county agencies, organizations and parents

• Mediation services available to families to resolve conflicts

• Resources available for respite care for qualifying families

• Parenting Education opportunities for parents of children from birth to 18 years of age 

Services provided:

The office will also provide baby goods to parents going through Heartbeat programs.  The goods are donated and parents earn points to purchase what they need for their children, up to age 3 years.

A Home Visitor can provide support on preparing for the birth of your first child, what to expect in bringing home a newborn, infant care skills such as; feeding, colic; and other infant care questions.  Parents are provided with support on how to develop their child's skills such as rolling over, crawling, walking, talking and thinking to prepare them for preschool.  Parents are their child's first teacher.  First time moms may enroll in the Home Visiting program prenatally or up to their child reaching six months of age.  Children can stay in the program until they turn three years of age. 

Eligibility: First time pregnant moms and moms with infants under 6 months of age who meet Help Me Grow guidelines.  Please call for more information. 

Infant Swimming Resource goes beyond traditional swimming instructions, by teaching children ages 6 months -6 years old ISR Self-Rescue techniques designed to help them survive should they find themselves in the water alone.  

Your Northwest Ohio CERTIFIED ISR instructor: Annette Lazenby                                                                   Email for availability: a.lazenby@infantswim.com

What to expect:

1. We talk directly with you to understand your situation and needs.

2. If we decide together that OhioKAN can help your family, we will walk through our 30-45 minute assessment to make sure we understand your situation and start making a plan together. 

3. You and your navigator will review statewide and local resources to identify what's available and helpful to you.

4. Your navigator will send you a complete Personalize Resource Plan, which you can use to navigate and access all of the local and statewide resources you deserve.

5. We will follow up with you and, if you are having any challenges, we will continue to work with you.

To schedule a call with a Navigator, please visit ohiokan.jfs.ohio.gov/schedule-a-call 

Children in the community-based program are referred by parents or guardians.  Children in the school-based programs are referred by their schools and often meet their Big Brothers/Big Sisters at their schools, either during the school day or after school.  Bigs and Littles spend time together each week.  Each child has a match plan which sets one or two goals.  BB/BS professional staff train our mentors and provide on-going support to our mentors and children.

Branch locations:

Columbus Grove Branch: 317 North Main Street, Columbus Grove, Ohio 45830       419-659-2355

Continental Branch: 301 South Sixth Street, Continental, Ohio 45831   419-596-3727

Fort Jennings Branch: 655 North Water Street, Fort Jennings, Ohio 45844   419-286-2351

Kalida Branch: 301 Third Street, Kalida, Ohio 45853   419-532-2129

Leipsic Branch: 305 West Main Street, Leipsic, Ohio 45856   419-943-2604

Ottawa Branch: 136 Putnam Parkway, Ottawa, Ohio 45875   419-523-3477

Ottoville Branch: 349 Wayne Street, Ottoville, Ohio 45876   419-453-2111

Pandora Branch: 118 East Main Street, Pandora, Ohio 45877   419-384-3232

Services offered include:

• • • • Immunizations:  The Putnam County Health Department is an insurance provider for most major medical insurances.  Check with your insurance company to verify coverage.  Reduced pricing vaccine is available for those with Medicaid, are uninsured or underinsured through 18 years of age. Adult Immunizations also available.  Call 419-523-5608 for details and to schedule an appointment

        • Clinic Hours: 

          • Tuesdays 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

          • Extended hours on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month until 6:00 p.m.

          • Fourth Wednesday of each month: 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (Bilingual translators available)

      • School Nursing: Trained Public Health Nurses perform screenings for vision at all Putnam County Schools.  Vision testing is completed in grades Kindergarten, 1,3,5,7,9 and 11. Screening does not replace an examination by a doctor.  When the screening is not passed, a referral letter is sent home to parents recommending their child be seen by a physician or health care professional.

      • Birth/death records: The Putnam County Health Department can provide a birth record (certificate) for anyone born anywhere in Ohio, regardless of the county in which he/she was born. Certified death certificates are available for any person who died in Putnam County beginning in 1909.  At this time, we are unable to access death certificates if the death occurred outside of Putnam County.  Certified copies of Birth and Death are $27.00 each.

      • Car Seat Program: Children who qualify for WIC or Medicaid are eligible to receive one car seat per child provided by the Ohio Buckles Buckeyes program.  Funding also provided by Baby Needs for families referred by that program.  Through an injury prevention grant in 2019, if a citation is given by law enforcement for not having a child properly restrained in the car, the person can come to the Putnam County Health Department , participate in an education program and receive an appropriate car seat for their child and learn how to properly install it.  After completion of the program the ticket cost may be reduced or eliminated. 

      • Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps (BCMH): 

Services provided:

• Diagnostic program provides a comprehensive medical assessment to rule out or verify a suspected medically handicapping condition; to diagnose the handicap; or to develop a plan of treatment

• Treatment program provides definitive medical or surgical treatment for an eligible medically handicapping condition, based on recognized standards.

• Financial eligibility required

• Service Coordination program is available on a limited basis.  Contact nursing consultant for information.

Social Services:  This unit is made up of a Prevention Unit as well as Protection Unit.  

• The Protection unit includes social workers who receive reports of possible child abuse or neglect. Anyone who knows or suspects that a child under 18 years of age, or a physically or mentally handicapped child under 21 years of age, is at risk of child abuse, or has suffered child abuse/neglect can report to this department at 567-376-3777 or after hours and on the weekend to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office at 419-523-3208. This unit is responsible for investigation of the reports as well as on-going services to families found to be in need.  The unit also supervises and monitors the placement of abuse/neglected children while working with the family for reunification.  Both the Protection and Prevention units can provide community education in a formal or informal setting upon request.  

• The Prevention unit services include Child Care assistance, Prevention, Retention and Contingency (PRC) which is a program designed to assist low-income families with nonrecurring urgent needs, and the Child Safe Program which is presented in the local schools for first, third and fifth grades regarding good/bad/secret touches.  Prevention Services also offers information and referral services and case management services to families in need on a voluntary basis.

Public Assistance: assesses individuals and adults with financial as well as medical assistance through a variety of programs.  

• Prevention, Retention and Contingency (PRC) which can assist low-income families in a crisis situation with nonrecurring urgent needs.

• Ohio Works First (OWF) is part of Ohio's Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) to provide time-limited cash assistance to eligible families.  The OWF program provides case benefits to eligible needy families for up to 36 months if they fulfill all of the requirements in the Self-Sufficiency Plan and Contract. 

• Snap Program helps people with low income obtain nutritious food.  Eligibility is based on federal guidelines including income, resources and household size. 

• Medicaid is a state and federally funded health care coverage plan for low-income and medically vulnerable people of all ages. Medicaid provides health coverage to a number of different groups of people who meet financial requirements, including the two major groups of Family and Children, and people who are Aged, Blind or Disabled.  Contact the agency at 567-376-3777 to inquire about eligibility. Medicaid coverage includes; The Basic Health Plan, The Long-Term Care Health Plan, Medicaid Premium Assistance, The Hospital Care Assurance Program and The Disability Assistance Program. 

Child Support Enforcement: 567-376-3780

• Services provided:  Paternity and Support Establishment; Support Modification; Child Support Enforcement.

Program description:

• WIC helps income eligible pregnant and breastfeeding women, women who recently had a baby, infants, and children up to five years of age who are at health risk due to inadequate nutrition.

• The program improves pregnancy outcomes by providing or referring to support services necessary for full-term pregnancies; reduces infant mortality by reducing the incidence of low birth weight (infants under 5 ½ pounds are at greater risk of breathing problems, brain injuries and physical abnormalities), and provides infants and children with a healthy start in life by improving poor or inadequate diets.

WIC provides

• nutrition education,

• breastfeeding education and support;

• supplemental,

• highly nutritious foods such as cereal, eggs, milk, whole grain foods, fruits and vegetables, and iron-fortified infant formula; and referral to prenatal and pediatric health care and other maternal and child health and human service programs.

Programs include:

• After-school Child Care: State Licensed, homework assistance, creative activities, music, after-school snacks and much more.        Contact Amanda Schroeder

• On-line Schooling Program: Available IF the schools go on-line

• Christmas Camp: Kindergarten through 6th grade.

• Summer Camp: Ages 5-12 including reading and math to curve summer learning loss.  Program now includes a begindergarten room.  Students should bring a packed lunch, swimsuit, towel and water bottle.  

• Child Watch: Child Watch is available for your children ages 1 year to age 8 years while you are attending classes or working out at the Putnam County YMCA.  This services is FREE for members only and parent MUST stay in the facility.

• Contact the YMCA for their full listing of youth sports options!

All services are available to both YMCA members and non-members