Ohio Preschool Expulsion Prevention Partnership

Do you have a child with challenging behavior at your early childhood program? Are you unsure how to help him or her?

Now there’s support for you.

The Ohio Preschool Expulsion Prevention Partnership is a free, statewide program that aims to reduce the rate of expulsions in preschool age children.

This FREE resource is available for:

  • Any licensed preschool or family child care provider licensed by Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) or Ohio Department of Education (ODE)
  • Head Start programs
  • Private preschools

The Ohio Preschool Expulsion Prevention Partnership will:

  • Come to your program site to provide support within 48 hours of your request
  • Provide tools and resources for providers on ways to manage challenging behaviors through observation, modeling specific strategies and information on specific topics
  • Link you to helpful, free Ohio Approved Trainings

Notice: The Ohio Preschool Expulsion Prevention Partnership is still available to help early childhood programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Call (844) 678-2227.

If you're a parent or provider wanting to learn more about this service, please see the FAQs below.

Request an On-Site Consultation
Request an Ohio Preschool Expulsion Prevention Partnership Consultation
Request a Training
Request an Early Childhood Training

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I request free support through OPEPP?
  • Call (844) 678-2227 or complete our online request form.
  • The call line is available from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday.
  • Calls made after hours will be returned by 10 a.m. the next business day.
  • Your free on-site consultation will be scheduled within two business days of speaking with a program representative.
How does an on-site consultation work?

Consultants work with you to:

  • Observe the child in your early learning setting
  • Provide strategies shown to have immediate results and reduce problem behaviors
  • Offer suggestions for potential services for your students and families (including referrals to mental health providers if necessary)
  • Connect you with free early childhood trainings

Please note the consultation is not an assessment, therapy or treatment.

Request a Consultation

 

What kind of on-site trainings are available?
  • Trainings are FREE to early childhood programs
  • Topics include working with children with challenging behaviors and other topics related to early childhood development and mental health topics
  • Ohio Approved/Step Up To Quality credits are available. Learn more about Ohio’s Quality Rating System, Step Up to Quality. 

Request Onsite Training

How is the Ohio Preschool Expulsion Prevention Partnership funded?

The Ohio Preschool Expulsion Prevention Partnership is a collaboration among the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS), Big Lots Behavioral Health Services at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and local early childhood mental health providers.

The partnership is funded by OhioMHAS as part of the Whole Child Matters initiative. This initiative allows early childhood mental health professionals to prevent the expulsion of young children and work with teachers and staff in preschools and early learning programs. 

What additional resources are available for my early learning center?
  • Positive Early Childhood Education Online Course (PECE): The online PECE course for early childhood educators and care providers is a professional learning program designed to promote positive self-regulation and social competencies in children while fostering strong educator/child relationships as well as those with colleagues and parents.
  • Ongoing consultation may be available. Learn more.
I'm a parent and am concerned about my child's behavior at their early learning program. How can I use this resource?

Download this flyer and take it to your early learning program so they can access the hotline.

Download Now

I'm a provider and want to use this resource for my patients. How can I help connect them to it?

Download this flyer and encourage your patient families to take it to their early learning program so they can access the hotline.

Download Now

Testimonials

“Through the OPEPP, our consultant has become a huge asset to us, our children, and our families. In addition to the targeted advice she has offered for specific children/situations, she has provided frameworks for thinking about challenging behavior, knowledge that helps us understand children better, and interventions that can be applied in many situations. Her advice feels very personalized - that she has considered who we are as a program, who the child is, and the family situation. Best of all, her suggestions feel like true suggestions, not dictates, allowing us to decide if and how to implement them in a way that makes sense in our context. We are very grateful for the services.”

     –Co-director, part-time preschool program

"Thank you for spending time with (classroom teacher) and I.  It is good to have someone with fresh eyes and voice to offer sound advice.  I have taken your guidance to heart and will be more intent to being more positive with staff.  I have also thought about the non-negotiables that I want to tackle in the near future.  Maintaining proper balance can be difficult."

     -Director of small community based preschool program in Columbus, OH

"This afternoon I sang his bed time song, “10 Little Ducks,” to him and another teacher chimed in with me. He stared right at me like I was finally speaking his language, then he started singing with me. I felt like crying, what a break through. I know we have a long way to go, but I feel with your help, already we are starting that break though!

We appreciate all your time and help."

     -Child Care Center, Northwest Ohio