County caseworker wins state award
Sep. 28—ASHTABULA TOWNSHIP — For the second year in a row, an employee of the Ashtabula County Children Services has received a state-wide award for their work.
Dana Tulino has been named the Public Children Services Association of Ohio's Child Protection Worker of the Year for her work with sobriety, treatment and reducing trauma (START).
The award was recently presented by the PCSAO's Fawn Gadel, to recognize Tulino's work as a frontline caseworker exhibiting excellent service to children and families.
Two of Tulino's clients have become START caseworkers, after going through the program themselves, Tulino said.
"I'm known as a tough caseworker, but it is for the good of the parents," she said.
Tulino has had 36 START cases since 2019 with a successful completion rate of 75 percent.
Tulino came to the field after getting a degree in criminal justice later in life. Thirteen years ago, she was finishing her degree at Kent State Ashtabula, and put in an application at ACCS.
"I was on my last semester at school so I got paid for my internship," she said.
"I knew I wanted to help people," Tulino said of her desire to work in the law enforcement or social work field.
She said she has always enjoyed her job, but the START program has escalated that even more. "I love my job," she said.
"The START program is very intense," she said.
Tulino said the program allows deeper connection with the family starting at once a week to start the program.
She said she now has about eight to 10 cases, compared to her former case load of 15-18 cases.
Gov. Mike DeWine initiated the program after seeing the success of a similar program in Kentucky, Tulino said. She said her cases all deal with families trying to gain sobriety to better serve their children.
The program uses a variety of strategies to create collaboration between child welfare agencies, mental health treatment providers, the judicial system and other agencies.
"It is focused on substance use," she said.
Tulino said she is thankful for the award, but feels there are people more deserving than her.
"Dana is very passionate about the START program, and is a strong advocate for her families," Tania Burnett, executive director of ACCSB, said.
