Hamilton County is about to spend $1.2 million to get the attention of prospective foster parents.

County commissioners are expected on Wednesday to approve a contract with a public relations firm to advertise for more parents.

More than $900,000 will be spent on developing and producing the ads, along with buying space on billboards, busses, radio, television and newspapers.

The rest of the money will be spent on public relations, print production and training county staff who work with foster parents.

Officials say there is a lack of volunteers to become foster parents, both in the county and nationwide.

Commissioners think because advertising influences people to buy products, it also will influence them to volunteer their time with troubled kids.

"This clearly is a different approach," said Tom Neyer, commission president. "But the old approach (mainly public service announcements) no longer works in today's competitive marketplace.

"It seems to me that a new approach is in order."

Decline of interest

Joyce Johnson, a spokeswoman for the Child Welfare League of Americain Washington, D.C., said the pool of foster parents has been steadily evaporating over the past 20 years.

Ms. Johnson said advertising has been used in other major cities.

"People's lifestyles have changed over the years," Ms. Johnson said in explaining the dwindling number of foster parents. "There's a new generation of (married) folks out there now where both people are working.

"And the people who have traditionally been welfare parents are getting older and retiring."

Hamilton County has about 400 foster parents, but 525 children need of a home.

Those without foster parents go to out-of-county agency homes - run by private companies - which cost the county about twice as much, according to Paul Cohen, Children Services section chief for the county's Department of Human Services.

Mr. Cohen said sending those 125 children out of county costs about $6,500 per day more than if they stayed here. That translates to about $2.3 million per year, he said.

"The ad campaign is something that is new to us," Mr. Cohen said. "We've never had a sustained, professional outreach to educate the community as to what our needs are and what the needs of the children are."

Expense questions

Commissioner John Dowlin, while not necessarily a critic, was concerned enough the program's effectiveness to ask for a delay on the vote so staff from the Department of Human Services could explain the program in last week's staff meeting.

The county currently certifies between 75 and 100 families to become foster parents every year. Mr. Cohen said he hopes that number will jump to about 150 with the advertising program.

But it will be impossible, he said, for an advertising program to guarantee the delivery of qualified foster parents. "It will raise awareness and get our phones to ring," Mr. Cohen said. "Then we can let our social workers do their jobs."

Regardless of Mr. Dowlin's position on the contract, it likely will be approved on Wednesday. Mr. Neyer and Commissioner Bob Bedinghaus both are in favor of the program.

"I'm absolutely satisfied that this is a good idea and will be money well spent," Mr. Bedinghaus said. "It will be a cost savings to the county, plus it will allow us to keep these children in our own community."

The Cincinnati company being contracted with is Loren, Allan, Odioso Advertising, Inc.

She expects the first ad will run Jan. 1.

Copyright 1999 The Cincinnati Enquirer