1. Federal government makes free at-home COVID-19 tests available
The federal government is offering four free COVID-19 at-home rapid tests for every household in the U.S. You must place your order at COVIDtests.gov. The process is very easy and takes about two minutes to complete. Order your free tests now, so that you’ll have them if you need them. Those without internet access and those needing assistance may order by calling 1-800-232-0233.
2. March Forth to Employment Conference
Nationwide Children’s has scheduled its March Forth to Employment Conference for March 4 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There are two tracks for this virtual conference. The first track focuses on information valuable to individuals, families and providers who are working towards and gaining skills for employment. The second track highlights organizations that have successfully hired individuals with disabilities and the ways employers can increase their accessibility practices. Guests are welcome to attend presentations within both tracks.
For a complete schedule and to register, click here.
3. Register for the 2022 Disability Policy Seminar
The 2022 Disability Policy Seminar is scheduled for March 28-30 in Washington, D.C. Attendees can join in-person or virtually.
The Disability Policy Seminar offers the chance for advocates, self-advocates, experts and professionals in the field to come together and learn about key issues that affect them most. Attendees leave with the tools to bring strong advocacy to virtual meetings and other follow-up actions as efforts are made to raise awareness among members of Congress about issues important to the disability community.
For more information, including registration, click here.
4. Aetna Better Health of Ohio seeks input about OhioRISE
Aetna Better Health of Ohio has scheduled several listening sessions to gain opinions from its community partners about the OhioRISE program, “a specialized Medicaid managed care plan with tailored services to meet the needs of youth with complex needs” that launches July 1, 2022.
Participants will have opportunities to share their thoughts on topics such as access, services delivery, gaps in support systems, engagement with system staff, cultural competency, consumer knowledge of services and supports, and professional- and family-focused training needs.
OhioRISE listening sessions will be held from Feb. 15-24, 2022. They will be held virtually, and registration is required. For a complete schedule and registration information, click here.
5. Ohio Statewide Independent Living Council issues survey
The Ohio Statewide Independent Living Council is gathering information on what people in Ohio think about disability issues and independent living. The council would appreciate your participation in a brief survey, and your honest feedback will help in its future planning efforts and activities. The results from the survey can help shape services, advocacy efforts, and the understanding of needs in each community and across the state.
The survey closes Feb. 4 and can be accessed here.
6. OSU Nisonger Center seek advisory team members
The Ohio State University Nisonger Center seeks individuals to join its state advisory team. Specifically, the Center seeks:
- Adults with intellectual disabilities (ID)/developmental disabilities (DD) and mental health disabilities (MHD) who have experience with mental health services
- Caregivers of adults with ID/DD and MHD
Members of this state advisory team will attend meetings via Zoom, learn about mental health, share experiences and help the state team develop a survey. Member also can get paid up to $20 an hour.
Further information can be found here.
7. Monthly workshop to discuss the Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities
The Special Education Legal Clinic will present “OCECD: Who We Are and What We Do,” a virtual workshop and Q&A panel, on Feb. 14, 2022.
This workshop will cover the history of the Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children (OCECD) with Disabilities as well as the services and support it offers to parents and professionals. Available OCECD trainings, materials and publications also will be addressed.
The Clinic is a public-private collaboration between three independent organizations: Disability Rights Ohio, the OCECD and Albeit Weiker LLP.
In addition to monthly workshops, the Clinic offers individual guidance sessions to review specific situations with advocates or attorneys. For more information, to register for a monthly workshop or to schedule an individual guidance session, click here.
8. Wednesdays with Wade
The next meeting of Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz’s “Wednesdays with Wade” series will take place Feb. 2 at 4:30 p.m. Once the meeting starts, audience members are invited to post questions for the mayor or city staff on the event’s Facebook page. The meeting can be joined here.
9. Toledo Adult Autism Tabletop Group meets every Friday
The Toledo Adult Autism Tabletop Group meets every Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Toledo Game Room. This group is for individuals aged 18 and over. Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase. The group meets tonight to play Dungeons & Dragons.
The Toledo Game Room is located at 3001 W. Sylvania in Toledo. For more information about the Toledo Adult Autism Tabletop Group, please contact Margarette Webster at mrsmwebster@aol.com.
10. The next Sibshop is Feb. 19
Brothers and sisters of individuals with developmental disabilities are invited to attend the next Sibshop meeting on Saturday, Feb. 19, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
These free gatherings give kids the chance to meet other kids and talk about the good and not-so-good parts of having a sibling with a developmental disability. Sibshops also feature fun games, cooking activities and hands-on activities that will keep your kids engaged in an energetic way.
Sibshops are for 8- to 16-year-old brothers and sisters who have a sib with developmental disabilities. The events are run by a team whose members have a professional or personal understanding of the impact a child’s developmental disability can have on brothers and sisters. Equally important, they have great kid skills!
All Sibshops take place at the Alternate Learning Center at 3939 Wrenwood in Toledo, Ohio. CDC prevention guidelines will be followed. Sibshops are free!
For more information and to register, contact Wendy Smenner, Lucas County parent mentor, at 419-214-3066 or wsmenner@esclakeeriewest.org. Space is limited, so register today.
11. Arc of Ohio to present trust-planning webinar
The Arc of Ohio will present “Special Needs Trusts and STABLE Accounts” on Tuesday, Feb. 15, at 6:30 p.m. This webinar will feature Logan Philipps, attorney with Resch, Root, Philipps & Graham LLC, and Doug Jackson, deputy director of STABLE Accounts with the Office of the Ohio Treasurer. To register, click here.
12. The OCDBE schedules several training and information events
The Ohio Center for Deafblind Education has scheduled many events and trainings, resources, and professional development opportunities that may be of interest to parents, educators and those individuals who serve children with combined vision and hearing loss. To explore the full schedule, click here.
13. Save the Date! Annual Inclusion Resource Fair
The Board has scheduled its annual Inclusion Resource Fair for Wednesday, March 16, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Bowsher High School in Toledo. More details will be available soon.
14. Board issues urgent call for DSPs via new landing page
The Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities has called for more direct service professionals (DSPs) to assist individuals with developmental disabilities throughout Lucas County. The Board created a new webpage to help community members learn more and find open DSP jobs within the Board’s provider network.
According to the Board, DSPs are essential to the developmental disabilities service delivery system; they are the front line of assistance for individuals in need of support to live, work and participate in the community at their full potentials.
“We are facing a critical shortage of DSPs in Lucas County and throughout Ohio. The recruitment and retention of DSPs are top priorities. We’re hoping our new landing page will assist community members to find and apply for these much-needed DSP positions,” said Lisa Poiry, provider and development coordinator for the LCBDD.
“The mission of the Board is to improve life so individuals with developmental disabilities can reach their full potential,” Poiry continued. “In order for individuals with disabilities to live their lives in the same manner as we do, they require support services and the assistance of DSPs.”
15. January Board meeting recognitions
During the January 2022 Board meeting, the Lucas County Board of Development Disabilities recognized several groups and individuals.
Lynn Allen retires after 30 years of service
Lynn Allen retired in December 2021 after two stints with the Board, the first of which began in August 1980. During this time, she held several positions, including habilitation technician, work evaluation and habilitation specialist. In 1987, she left Lucas County to work at the Sandusky County Board of Development Disabilities after marrying her husband, Harvey. While her three children were young, Allen chose to be a stay-at-home mother for several years.
Once her children were of school age, she decided to return to the workforce. Allen worked for two local providers: Luther Home of Mercy and Sunshine. In January 1997, she returned to the Board as a habilitation specialist at Hill, followed by a quality assurance specialist in 2002 and a provider specialist in 2013. In March 2016, Allen changed departments to become an accounting specialist, a position she held until her retirement.
During her tenure, Allen was a very valued employee. She was selected as the Employee of the Month twice and was the recipient of the prestigious Josina Lott Award on two separate occasions.
In retirement, Allen looks forward to spending time with her children (who all live outside of the area), attending her son’s upcoming wedding, and getting back to her passion of crafting and sewing.
The Board would like to thank Allen for her years of dedicated service.
Sgt. Robert Boggs receives Special Recognition Award
The Board recognized Sgt. Robert “Bob” Boggs from the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office with the January 2022 Special Recognition Award.
Boggs has been a long-standing supporter of people with developmental disabilities in Lucas County and the initiatives of the Board. He participated in Pathways to Justice, a program to help law enforcement and other criminal justice professionals learn more about supporting people with developmental disabilities during times of crisis.
Boggs was also instrumental in carrying out Project Lifesaver, a program designed to help law enforcement quickly find individuals who tend to wander, especially those with autism. Over the past six years, he has been responsible for enrolling people into the program as well as completing the necessary monthly battery checks. This monthly contact with the participants of the program has allowed him and the individuals and their families to get to know each other and truly develop relationships.
One relationship allowed Boggs to help an autistic teen get his COVID-19 vaccine. Boggs was willing, on his own time, to go to the vaccine clinic to help support the young man to receive his vaccine. The father of the young man was so grateful, and so were the members of the Board.
The Board was honored to recognize Boggs with a Special Recognition Award for January 2022.
Nichole Longeway recognized as Staff Person of the Month
The Board was pleased to recognize Nichole Longeway as the January 2022 Staff Person of the Month.
Longeway exemplifies the mission and values of the Board in everything she does. She strives to ensure that the people she serves, and the providers who serve them, are supported and have their needs met. Longeway goes above and beyond to make this happen. She is a very dedicated employee who always has a positive attitude and looks to get the job done for the betterment of people with developmental disabilities.
This past winter, Longeway was instrumental in helping a family receive and install a new furnace—at no charge to the family!
Longeway also participated in the Emerging Leaders program, where she was an exemplary participant. In the group project, she took the lead with getting the other participants together and the project organized. She followed up and worked to ensure that the project kept moving forward. Longeway also participates as an on-call SSA and is a trainer for SSA Orientation sessions.
Longeway provides excellent customer service. She follows up with people in a timely manner, and always gets her ISPs done well in advance of the span end dates. This promptness and attention to detail ensures people have the services and support they need to be successful and reach their full potential. The Board was pleased to recognize her as the January 2022 Staff Person of the Month.