1. A wish for the best in 2021
This will be our final Friday Update for this year. We want to wish you and yours the very best for this holiday season and the coming new year. Yes, we know it will continue to be challenging, but with the roll out of the coronavirus vaccine we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel.
For however long this pandemic lasts, please know that the Lucas County Board of DD will be here for you and your family. And though we will continue to work remotely our focus will continue to be on providing the information, support and services you need. Throughout the holiday period we will have staff on call to respond to urgent needs requests from individuals served, families and providers.
Celebrate the holidays, but please also adhere to the social distancing guidelines and continue to wear a mask. We'll get through this together.
2. Check the Board of DD Library for information about services and supports
Click on the Library tab on the Board of DD website to scroll through the catalog of current brochures published by the Board as well as other information from sources such as the Ohio DD Council. For example, you'll find a brochure outlining your appeal rights if you do not like decisions made by the Board. Thee is also an archive of past editions of the Friday Update.
3. Lifestyle classes resume next month
Courageous Community Services will begin a series of lifestyle classes next month. To learn more follow this link. You may register by clicking here.
4. State releases updates on the vaccination plan
The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, in partnership with other state agencies, is working on Ohio's Pandemic Vaccination Plan. Click here to read the latest news.
5. Autism Society is making contact with Santa
The Autism Society has made arrangement for a special Zoom connection with the North Pole for contact with Santa! Sunday, December 20, from 2:00 to 5:00 pm.
This event is FREE and it is first come first serve. Email if you are interested!
6. Special Olympics/Recreation updates
Click here to read or download the virtual calendar for the week of December 21.
Follow this link for information about the upcoming virtual talent show.
7. STABLE accounts number over 20,000
Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague announced that the STABLE Account program has now exceeded 20,000 total active accounts.
“The Arc of Ohio applauds Treasurer Sprague for hitting the 20,000-account milestone and continuing to advocate for Ohio’s families,” said Arc of Ohio CEO Gary Tonks. “Since day one, his administration has worked ardently to broaden the reach of the STABLE Account program, and these accounts are providing a new level of independence and financial security to Ohioans living with disabilities.”
Ohio's STABLE Account program was launched in 2016 following the passage of the federal Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act. STABLE accounts are 529-like specialized savings and investment accounts for people with disabilities.
Previously, people with disabilities could only save $2,000 before losing means-tested benefits such as Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Disability-related expenses can pose a financial burden to many people and their families, and the old rules discouraged saving and investing. In addition, asset limits made joining the workforce more difficult, pushing them further into the financial margins.
Accountholders can save up to $15,000 each year without jeopardizing federal assistance programs. Earnings on STABLE accounts grow tax-free, as long as funds are spent on qualified expenses, such as housing, transportation, healthcare, assistive technology, living expenses, and many others. Through the STABLE Account program, people with disabilities are now more easily able to join the workforce and save what they earn.
For more information, or to sign up for a STABLE account, visit www.stableaccount.com.
8. Board of DD Meeting on December 21 will again be virtual
During the pandemic period the Lucas County Board of DD will continue to hold its monthly meetings via Zoom. The meeting on December 21 will begin at 6:00 following a training session for the Board that begins at 5:00. The Zoom link will be published on the Board website.
9. Worth Repeating
“The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.” -Isaac Asimov
We will be taking our annual holiday break, so the next Friday Update newsletter will be January 8.