Darke County Republican Women
Juvenile Probate’s biggest challenge is placement
By Lyn Bliss 

“The biggest challenge is placement… taking a kid and putting them somewhere.” said Juvenile Probate Judge Jason Aslinger. “Funding effects just about everything. Every juvenile sent somewhere has some impact on the budget.” 

Aslinger spoke recently at the Darke County Republican Women’s Club regular monthly meeting. 

During his presentation, he described the job of the Juvenile/Probate Division of the Darke County Court of Common Pleas, over which he presides.  The probate division handles adoptions, estates, guardianships and conservatorships. The juvenile division handles delinquency, paternity, and custody (in abuse, neglect, dependency) cases. 

Michael’s House is part of the responsibilities the Juvenile division supervises. Michael’s House is a Darke County housing facility to house up to ten troubled teen boys between ages 12 and 18. It provides a mid-point between inadequate homes and jail. 

Juveniles who are sent out of the county are sent to either the West Central Detention facility in Miami County or to Ohio Department of Youth Services juvenile jail. According to Aslinger, some of the funding from the state is impacted by the number of youth sent to state juvenile jail. 

Aslinger responded to a question regarding whether boys from outside of Darke County were ever housed at Michel’s House he said that is not the case. Michael’s House has employees who supervise the boys at all times. The number of supervisors is dependent mainly upon the number in residence. 

The budget of the Juvenile/Probate Division of the Darke County Court of Common Pleas is roughly $2 million. Approximately $1.6 million comes though the Darke County Commissioners and the remaining funds come through Ohio State Youth Services. Of that income, Aslinger identified that roughly $500,000 goes to fund Michael’s House, $300,000 goes to fund the Probate activities of the court, and the remainder funds the juvenile portion. 

Aslinger remarked that there seems to be a significant drug problem among the adult population in Darke County, but that it is not reflected in the juvenile level. Most drug problems encountered by the juvenile court are lower level drugs. 

Having a mentoring program for troubled youth is a goal Aslinger identified for the court. Troubled boys need to have a role model that shows them what it means to be a man, explained Aslinger. 

The next meeting of the DCRWC will be held at 6:30 p.m., July 8 at the Chestnut Village Center of the Brethren Home Retirement Community. If you would like to dine with the group, the cost of the meal is $7.50, and reservations are due by July 4. Reservations that are placed, are expected to be paid in full. Reservations may be placed by calling Wavelene Denniston at (937) 547-6477 or emailing her at dcrwreservations@darkegop.org. If you would like to attend the meeting, but not dine, you may do so by arriving prior to 7 p.m. 

The DCRW club is a group of Republican Women who meet monthly and work at the grass-roots level to elect republican candidates, provide political and legislative knowledge and provide community service. For further information, contact President Sally Zeiter at (937) 4213-2391 or email her at DCRWPresident@darkegop.org.