ST. CLAIRSVILLE – Belmont County Board of Commissioners voted Wednesday to authorize Belmont County Department of Job and Family Services director Jeff Felton to establish and maintain bank accounts for children in the custody of the agency.

Felton said that, nationwide, there has been a focus on conserving benefits that go directly to kids, rather than using them to offset the cost of the children in foster care.

“We can still use them to offset the cost of care, but anything that exceeds the cost of care, has to be set up in a separate bank account,” Felton said. “In the past, we have done that through the treasurer’s office and the auditor’s office. Given recent discussion, our treasurer prefers that we set up separate bank accounts. We had the option of either looking locally, and we met with Belmont Savings Bank, and they’ve been very, very cooperative, and willing to work with us.”

He added that the stable accounts being set up are state accounts that don’t count as assets for the children.

“If somebody receives Supplemental Security Income, there’s a $2,000 resource number that they can have. If they exceed that, then they lose the eligibility for SSI. So withdrawing money from a stable account was a more complicated process. So we decided to go through Belmont Savings Bank and set up those accounts,” Felton said. “We have a couple of children, about six kids who receive benefits right now, and at least a couple young ladies receive a death benefit. Their parents pass away, and that exceeds the cost of care, so any excessive loans will be set aside in the bank account.”

He added that If a child returns home, the money will follow them.

Commissioner Jerry Echemann then approved the Memorandum of Understanding between JFS and Belmont County Family First Council, the Harrison County Department of Job and Family Services, and Harrison County Family First Council with regards to the joint full-time FCFC coordinator position and funding its salary and benefits.

“We have recently become the fiscal agent and administrative agent for Harrison County Family Children First Council. So we split the cost of the full time coordinator,” Felton said. “We’re still trying to figure it out in terms of the County Finance Information System and how these accounts need to be set up. There’s a separate agreement that I signed on behalf of Belmont County’s FCFC, and there’d be one forthcoming for me to sign for Harrison County.”

He added that It’s not a regional Family and Children’s first council, so the two will still be operating separately.

Felton said that this is not a new position and it will be a 75/25 split with his department paying 75% of the salary which is $31.15 an hour.