OSU Nisonger Center needs recruiting help with Building Bridges project
The Ohio State University Nisonger Center is asking for help in recruiting adults with ID/DD and Mental Health Disability for their Building Bridges project. The purpose of this project is to make services and supports better for adults with disabilities by gaining their perspectives on which services are working well for them or may need improvement. Each 30-minute interview will take place on Zoom, and participants will receive a $25 Amazon gift card.
For more information or to sign up, contact Andrew Buck at Andrew.Buck@osumc.edu or 614.688.7717.
Board Special Recognition for May 2022
Congratulations to those who were recognized by the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities at its monthly meeting on May 23.
Staff Person of the Month: Becky McCreery, Employment Navigator in the Community Inclusion Department
Retirement from the Board: Linda Ritchie, Community Inclusion Department
Special Recognition: Shalonda Ezell, of Mary Ella Homes and Providers Services, and Theressie Tilman, Carolyn Thomas, and Peggy Miller of Unique Health Care Solutions
Read more about the achievements of these individuals and organizations here.
The Ability Center to host Assistance Dog Volunteer Open House June 15
The Ability Center will host a Volunteer Open House designed to educate community members who may be interested in fostering an assistance dog in training.
5606 Monroe St.
Wednesday, June 15, 2022
4:30–6:30 p.m.
Assistance dogs support individuals with physical and developmental disabilities. Volunteers are required to attend weekly training covering basic obedience and manners, which lay the foundation for assistance dog work. Food, vet care, and puppy essentials are covered by The Ability Center. Service, therapy, and school facility dogs are trained by expert training staff with the support of a volunteer network. Volunteers can reside anywhere in The Ability Center’s seven-county service area: Lucas, Ottawa, Wood, Fulton, Henry, Defiance, and Williams. Find more details here.
The Epilepsy Center to hold Practically Golf event June 17–18
The Epilepsy Center of Northwest Ohio has announced that its Practically Golf event is taking place June 17–18 in downtown Toledo. In partnership with The Blarney, they will be closing Huron St. for an 18-hole mini golf course to take over Washington and Monroe streets for the weekend. Open play is welcomed, and participation will help fund Purple Day®, Family Camp (since 1989), the prescription assistance program, and many others.
A special event just for sponsors takes place June 16 for participants to play the course and enjoy music, food stations, and a cash bar.
Find more information, register to play, or sign up to become a sponsor of the event here.
Save the date! Board to host Employment Fair June 7
The Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities will host an Employment Fair on June 7 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at its Larc Lane Training Center at 1155 Larc Lane in Toledo. The event will focus on filling vacancies at the Board as well as direct support professional and other employment vacancies with providers that support people with developmental disabilities.
Many positions are available, including those in personal care, health care/medical, social services, business/finance, human resources, case management, personal transportation and group transportation.
This Employment Fair is ideal for those who want to gain experience working with people with disabilities. For more information about participating as an employer or as a prospective employee, contact Melissa Merritt at mmerritt@lucasdd.org.
Participants needed for accessible news focus groups
A group of researchers, including a professor in the University of Toledo Disability Studies program, is recruiting for focus groups to talk about accessible news for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The project focuses on how people with disabilities get their news, where they get it, what stories they are interested in, problems they have getting the news, and ideas for making it easier to read the news. These focus groups will be held virtually or in person at the University of Toledo, and each participant will receive a $25 gift card. To participate, complete the sign-up form here. Please direct any questions to 623-696-0104 or plainlanguagenews@gmail.com.
‘Let’s Glow’ prom night is June 18
Adults who receive services from the the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities (and their guests) are invited to iDance APAC’s Let’s Glow prom night on Saturday, June 18, at 6:30 p.m. The event, which will include dinner and dancing, will take place at the Stranahan Theater and Great Hall at 4645 Heatherdowns in Toledo. The cost is $25 per person.
For more information about Let’s Glow, click here.
Next Sight Center Blind Ambition employment class is June 9
The Sight Center of Northwest Ohio is accepting applications for the next class of its Blind Ambition Project, which begins Thursday, June 9.
This project empowers people who live with vision loss to gain, advance or transition to meaningful competitive employment that utilizes their skills, knowledge, interests and experience. This is accomplished through a series of intensive workshops, personal mentoring and ongoing group job club activities.
To learn more and to register, click here.
DODD to provide free provider training
The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities’ Office of System Support and Standards is offering free online provider training on the last Thursday of the month from 10 to 11 a.m.
All training will be recorded and available to view any time after the event via the same registration link. For more information and to register, click the title below.
June 30, 2022 – Maintaining Compliance
July 28, 2022 – Medication Administration
Aug. 25, 2022 – Billing & Claims Process and Cycle
Sept. 29, 2022 – Behavioral Supports
Oct. 27, 2022 – Unusual Incidents and Major Unusual Incidents
Please address any questions to OSSAS@dodd.ohio.gov.
Wood County Board of DD and BGSU Football Clinic is June 30
The Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities and Bowling Green State University (BGSU) will team up to present a football clinic on Thursday, June 30, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Any individual age 8 and above who is served by any board in northwest Ohio is invited to learn about football from current BGSU players, coaches and staff.
This clinic will take place on the BGSU practice fields near Doyt L. Perry Stadium in Bowling Green. For more information, contact the Wood County Board of DD at 419-352-5115. To register for this clinic, click here.
Affordable Connectivity Program provides internet access discounts to SSI recipients
The Federal Communications Commission’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) gives Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients access to reasonably priced internet services. The ACP provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households. Eligible households also can receive a one-time discount of up to $100 toward purchasing a laptop, desktop computer or tablet from participating providers. To qualify for this one-time discount, households must contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price. Any household with an individual who receives SSI is eligible to receive discounted internet service through the ACP. To learn more, click here.
DODD offers OhioISP information session for families
The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities has developed an Ohio Individual Service Plan (OhioISP) that Ohioans with developmental disabilities can use to outline the services and support they receive. To learn more about the OhioISP, join a free virtual information session June 22 from 6 to 7 p.m. To register, click here.