Issue 6 | April 2015
DD Advocate Magazine
Shared Services, Shared Success County boards of DD see fiscal, cultural gains from shared services model. PAGE 14
Discussing privatization? Factors to consider
Efficiency by the numbers at Wood DD
Join or Die: DD Advocacy in a Brave New World
PAGE 6
PAGE 8
PAGE 10
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Issue 6 | Spring 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DD Advocate Magazine
In This Issue
Dean Fadel PRESIDENT, BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Bridget Gargan PUBLISHER
Adam Herman EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
3 President’s Letter
Erich Hiner MANAGING EDITOR
Jeff Vanik
DD Technology
ART DIRECTOR, VANIK DESIGN LLC JEFF@VANIKDESIGN.COM
5 Introducing MemberConnect: A New Online Portal for OACB Member Services
8
DD Best Practices
Ad Sales ADSALES@DDADVOCATE.COM
Ohio Association of County Boards
6 Directing Divestiture: Considerations for boards privatizing direct services
Serving People with Developmental Disabilities Bridget Gargan EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BGARGAN@OACBDD.ORG
Efficiency Experts: Wood DD finds savings with help from OACB affiliate
Pete Moore CHIEF OF STAFF PMOORE@OACBDD.ORG
Adam Herman
DD Briefing
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR AHERMAN@OACBDD.ORG
Join, or Die: DD advocacy in a brave new world
Scott Marks COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES DIRECTOR SMARKS@OACBDD.ORG
DD Worldview
12 Russia: Neglect and abuse found in state-run institutions
Joe Russell POLICY AND ADVOCACY DIRECTOR JRUSSELL@OACBDD.ORG
10
Erich Hiner COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR EHINER@OACBDD.ORG
Willie Jones
14
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CULTURE SPECIALIST WJONES@OACBDD.ORG
Ann Neu
Shared Services, Shared Success County boards of DD see fiscal, cultural gains from shared services model
EVENTS COORDINATOR ANEU@OACBDD.ORG
Lori Stanfa MEDICAID SERVICES COORDINATOR LSTANFA@OACBDD.ORG
Lana Beddoes EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT LBEDDOES@OACBDD.ORG
Michael Brooks STAFF ASSISTANT MBROOKS@OACBDD.ORG
Betsy Galvin ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT BGALVIN@OACBDD.ORG
Randy Beach
DD Artists
CONSULTANT RBEACH@OACBDD.ORG
A dream realized: Former Pioneer School student becomes author, returns for reading
Susan Jones CHILDREN AND FAMILIES CONSULTANT SJONES@OACBDD.ORG
DD News
22 News in a Nutshell
20
DD Words of Wisdom
28 Bob Morgan Issue 6 | April 2015
DD Advoc ate Magazine
ON THE COVER:
BHN Alliance Superintendent Steve Williams, Coshocton/Knox DD Superintendent Steve Oster, Henry/Ottawa Superintendent Melinda Slusser, Fairfield/Vinton DD Superintendent John Pekar, and Champaign/Shelby DD Superintendent Laura Zureich were photographed by Erich Hiner for the cover of DD Advocate at Franklin DD.
Shared Services Shared , Success
County boa rds of DD see fiscal, cult gains from ural shar services mod ed el. PAGE 14
Discussing privatizati on? Factors to consider PAGE 6
Efficiency by the numbers at Wood DD PAGE 8
Join or Die: A New Advocacy World PAGE 10
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Issue 6 - April 2015
DD Advocate Magazine is the official publication and registered trademark (™) of the Ohio Association of County Boards – Serving People with Developmental Disabilities (OACB). All content is copyright ©2015 OACB unless otherwise noted. Written permission is necessary to reproduce any material for which OACB is the owner. Every effort is made to ensure accuracy of content prior to publication. OACB is not responsible for inaccuracy that arises after the magazine has published. OACB is not responsible for information contained within advertisements and does not endorse the products or services advertised. Inquiries regarding material contained within should be directed to feedback@ddadvocate.com or to: DD Advocate Magazine c/o Adam Herman, Managing Editor 73 E. Wilson Bridge Road, Suite B1 Worthington, OH 43085 For an up-to-date advertising rate card, visit www.ddadvocate.com. All other inquiries may be directed via e-mail to feedback@ddadvocate.com.
President’s Letter DEAR COLLEAGUES: It was another very cold night this past February when I received the phone call that every parent, sibling, or family member of a person with a developmental disability dreads – something troubling happened to my brother.
the ability of county boards of DD to do their jobs effectively with the flexibility to accommodate the unique dynamics in each county.
My brother, Jeff, a 48-year-old man with Down Syndrome, participates in several activities in the community. He does so with basic supports from his provider agency. Jeff takes great pride in the fact that he’s able to live semi-independently and as he chooses. However, he also recognizes that he sometimes needs assistance. That’s why he was so devastated when, on that cold night in February, his provider agency’s staff dropped him off at one of his regular meetings – and never came back. For what is generally a 15-minute Weight Watchers meeting, Jeff waited over two hours before someone from his meeting was able to get in touch with me at the office and I was able to pick him up. I learned that this wasn’t the first time this particular staff member had abandoned Jeff at a meeting. The provider agency terminated the employee the next day. While unsettling, Jeff was never in great danger. But the incident reminded me of why the work of OACB is so important – and why I volunteer as a board member in Franklin County.
It is not Jeff’s fault that he must partially rely on other people to help him do the things that most of us take for granted. What we might think is a daily challenge most often doesn’t compare to the daily challenges of those who are served by county DD boards and their families. I will never know what it is like to walk in Jeff’s shoes, but I do know his ability to forgive is remarkably uninhibited. He has helped teach me that “the attitude is gratitude,” and because of that, I feel so fortunate to have him in my life. I am grateful to be one of the 616 volunteer board of DD members and the thousands of passionate and committed professionals in Ohio’s DD service system, all working to help our state’s most vulnerable population live healthy, safe, and meaningful lives.
Dean Fadel President, OACB Board of Trustees Vice President, Franklin Co. Board of DD
Thank you for your continued service. Together, we can achieve great things for those who are served by our county boards. Sincerely,
Ohio’s DD system is at a critical juncture and is facing unprecedented changes. As we consider the options for what the future might look like under new state and federal regulations, we must protect
Contributors
Issue 6 | April 2015
JOHN TAYLOR
ERICH HINER
PATRICK MCFADDEN
BEST PRACTICES / PAGE 8
FEATURE / PAGE 14
ARTISTS / PAGE 20
John Taylor is president of Tryon Clear View Group, LLC. His firm specializes in cost-reduction analyses for telecom, utilities, waste, and workers’ compensation. He has held many executive-level positions throughout his career. He is a certified public accountant and a published writer whose byline has appeared in The Journal of Accountancy. In his first contribution to DD Advocate, he examines how his company helped Wood DD generate noticeable savings by reconfiguring the board’s existing contracts for natural gas, waste, and telecom services.
Erich Hiner is communications coordinator at OACB, where he oversees the association’s social media efforts, e-publications, and data analysis. A Cleveland-area native and a magazine reporter by trade, he filled several positions in trade and general press publications prior to joining OACB in 2014. In his first contribution to DD Advocate, he explores how more than a dozen of Ohio’s county boards of DD are increasing efficiency and reaping cultural benefits by sharing services and employees.
Patrick McFadden is director of communications at Ross DD, also known as the Pioneer Center. A Ross County native, he holds a bachelor’s in communication studies from Ohio University and a master’s from the University of Illinois. Prior to his role at Ross DD, he worked in corporate communications for a global telecommunications company in Colorado. In his latest contribution to DD Advocate, he tells the story of a former student of the Pioneer Center who has realized her dreams of becoming a published author.
DD Advocate Magazine
3
Transitions County boards of DD have seen a great deal of movement among management-level staff over the past several months. Many boards got new superintendents at the start of the new year, and there have been plenty of other staff transitions, promotions, retirements, and appointments as well. Have you recently made a big transition at your county board? Tell us at feedback@ddadvocate.com. We’ll be happy to share the news!
Promoted
Hired
Michael Boaz, former shared business manager at Putnam DD and Van Wert DD, to the position of superintendent at Putnam DD.
Nancy Banks, former superintendent of the Montgomery Developmental Center, began as superintendent of Montgomery DD.
Wendy Gorrell, former assistant superintendent at Morgan DD, to the position of superintendent.
Marie Barni began as the general manager of communications at Cuyahoga DD.
Jacquelyn E. Kasprisin, former director of children’s services and assistive technology at Cuyahoga DD, to the position of chief operations officer.
Joyce Barrowman began as the transportation director at Franklin DD.
Claude Kilpatrick, former interim SSA director at Wood DD, to the position of SSA director. Dan Ottke, former assistant superintendent at Clermont DD, to the position of superintendent. Jessica Petre, former program director at Clermont DD, to the position of program services director. Hope Schang, former assistant director of business operations at Lucas DD, to director of business operations. Kari Smith, former SSA director at Huron DD, to the position of superintendent. Shawn Thieman, former business manager at Mercer DD, to the position of superintendent.
Kathy Booth began as HR coordinator at Clermont DD. Michael Brooks began as staff assistant at OACB. Debra Buccilla began as shared superintendent of Fayette DD and Highland DD. Judy Carey began as director of operations at Union DD. Annette Davis-Kramp began as superintendent of Medina DD. Bob Gaston began as the adult services director at Franklin DD. He previously held a similar position at Fairfield DD. Jillian Harris began as a senior human resources representative at Lucas DD. Sandra Kernen began as pre-school director at Trumbull DD. Scott Marks began as community opportunities director at OACB.
Sarah Zimmerman, former assistant superintendent at Sandusky DD, to the position of superintendent.
Emily Martinez began as SSA director at Stark DD.
Retired
Jessica Miller-Blakely began as director of Wood Lane Residential Services.
Bill Clifford, as Putnam DD superintendent. Mary Ann Chamberlain, as Morgan DD superintendent. Michael Jacobs, as MIS Manager at Lucas DD. Monty Kerr, former superintendent of the BHN Alliance, as deputy director of the Office of Policy and Strategic Direction at DODD. Martin Kerscher, as Franklin DD legal counsel. Kim Linkinhoker, as OACB associate director. Patrick Macke, as Portage DD superintendent.
Brittany Meguire began as Medicaid service manager at Clermont DD.
Omar Nagi, former adult activities services manager at Cuyahoga DD, began as superintendent of Portage DD. Renee Place, former executive director at WestCON COG, began as superintendent of Auglaize DD. Liz Prather, current superintendent of Richland DD, began as interim shared superintendent of Crawford DD. Daren Rosenberger began as supported employment manager at Stark DD.
Rick Morris, as services manager at Union DD.
Leia Snyder, former Butler DD quality assurance director, began as assistant superintendent of Ross DD.
Mike Overman, as Mercer DD superintendent.
Melinda Trueblood began as a program nurse supervisor at Stark DD.
Fred Williams, as shared superintendent of Fayette DD and Highland DD.
Deb Yenrick, former superintendent of Sandusky DD, began as superintendent of Lucas DD.
Alvin Willis, as Auglaize DD superintendent.
Chris Yurick began as director of program operations at Tuscarawas DD.
Sharon Woodrow, as Clermont DD superintendent. Dr. Dee Zeffiro-Krenisky, as Huron DD superintendent.
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Issue 6 - April 2015
Bill Whitacre, former Portage DD adult services director, began as superintendent of Mahoning DD.
DD Technology
Introducing MemberConnect: A new online portal for OACB member services BY ADAM HERMAN / OACB For years, county boards of DD have been using sophisticated data management systems to help them make better decisions on behalf of the people they serve. That is why, when the Board of Trustees approved OACB’s current strategic plan, they committed to a first-of-its-kind effort to gather, store, and analyze meaningful information about county boards and the services they receive from the association. Their goal? To ensure county board members, board staff, and affiliates are getting the most out of their annual membership dues. After two years of continuous development and testing, OACB is proud to announce that the first feature of this new online service portal – MemberConnect – is now active. The new OACB Member Directory was launched on April 1, and it contains several new features that are guaranteed to improve how members communicate with their colleagues across the state.
What is different about the new OACB Member Directory? Searchable Staff Listings: MemberConnect allows any staff member of a county board of DD (including non-management staff members) to be listed in their organization’s online directory – making it far easier for colleagues to search through Ohio’s county board system to find their counterparts and collaborate with one another. Profile Photos: With the advent of social media, everyone is now used to having a profile photo associated with his or her online presence. We added this feature to the Member Directory so you can now not
just find a colleague’s e-mail address or phone number, but also be able to put a face with a name. The profile photo is user-controlled, so members are free to use their preferred photos.
affiliated with their MemberConnect accounts. When this feature is complete, all that will be necessary to sign up for an event is for the user to check a few boxes and click “register.” OACB will take care of the rest.
Easy-to-Update Contact Information: The process OACB was previously using to maintain accurate and up-to-date member contact information was too complicated and frequently resulted in updates being “lost in cyberspace.” With MemberConnect, users will have the ability to update their own member profile and contact information 24 hours a day, seven days a week. An added benefit of this update feature is that updates will take place immediately – ensuring that others can get in touch with you using your updated contact information at a moment’s notice.
PHASE 4: JOB BANK (Late Fall 2015) The ability of county boards to post open positions as well as the ability of users to search for their next career opportunity in Ohio’s DD system will be streamlined in an updated version of the existing OACB job bank.
New Features Coming in 2015 When fully operational, MemberConnect will allow users to access a wide variety of services at any time from any internetconnected device. OACB staff are already developing the next phases of MemberConnect, which include the following services: PHASE 2: ONLINE DOCUMENT CENTER (Final Testing/Available for Limited Use) This feature will allow users to access important documents related to their county board roles from one cloud-based location – no more calls to colleagues or emails to the listserv to find a lost form or misplaced memo. PHASE 3: EVENT REGISTRATION (Late Summer/Early Fall 2015) This feature will allow users to register for OACB events using a seamless process
Your Feedback We hope MemberConnect will be as much of a benefit to OACB members as it has already been for OACB staff. In addition to the areas outlined above, new MemberConnect features will be developed over time in response to member requests and suggestions. Keep an eye out for additional articles in DD Advocate Magazine as new MemberConnect features are released. If you have any questions or other feedback about MemberConnect, please contact Adam Herman (aherman@oacbdd.org) at 614-431-0616 to share your ideas.
Explore MemberConnect To visit MemberConnect and register or activate your OACB member account today, visit www.members.oacbdd.org.
DD Advocate Magazine
5
DD Best Practices
Directing Divestiture: Considerations for boards privatizing direct services BY STEPHEN P. POSTALAKIS / BLAUGRUND KESSLER MYERS & POSTALAKIS Regardless of the reason for divesting itself of direct service programs (Olmstead, conflict-free case management, the creation of an additional local provider, timing, or other considerations), a county board of DD has a host of issues to consider when transitioning services to a private entity. Depending upon the services involved, some or all the items identified below will need to be addressed.
General considerations The first issue is whether there is an existing entity or a new entity that must be formed. For those boards still providing adult services, a non-profit corporation is already waiting in the wings. For other services, such as ICF services, a new company will likely have to be formed. In either event, the private corporation must be placed in a position to be successful. The plan for success begins with the recruitment and creation of a board of directors for the private company. Because the private company will be on its own in the future, competent management staff must be hired. The private company must adopt a business plan and create a budget and funding stream to carry out that plan.
For example, will the board contract with the private company for services? In addition, the private company will need to obtain the following: a Medicaid Provider Agreement from the Ohio Department of Medicaid, licensure or certification from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, insurance coverage, a payroll processing system, and accounts with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (unemployment) and the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. Depending on the liability insurance carrier, the private company may be able to transfer coverage or obtain additional coverage from the carrier following the transition.
Infrastructure Another appropriate question is how the private company is going to carry out its mission. While an existing corporation may already have a location, equipment, supplies, vehicles, and personnel, some of those may be owned or provided by the board. Upon transition of the services, the private company will be responsible for its building(s), equipment, supplies, vehicles, and employees. With respect to the building(s) used for the services, it is important to know who owns
Service Privatization at County Boards of DD
ADULT DAY SUPPORTS
HAVE NOT DISCUSSED PRIVATIZATION
Source: 2014 Future Systems Transformation Survey. Based on 73 responding county boards.
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Issue 6 - April 2015
Client information and technology must also be considered. If the board and the existing non-profit workshop share email addresses or a computer server, that should change with the transition. The same holds true for websites. For workplace software used by the board, the private company will
VOCATIONAL HABILITATION
23%
PRIVATIZED DISCUSSING OR CONSIDERING PRIVATIZING
it/them. If the board owns the building(s), it can lease them to the private company. If the board of county commissioners owns the building(s), the board of DD will need to seek approval of a lease from the commissioners. The lease will need to address, among other things, the consideration to be paid, the space to be leased, whether the board of DD will also continue to use the space, and, if so, a division of utility costs. As part of the lease of the building, the board can also lease the private company furniture, office equipment, and remaining supplies. Alternatively, the board of DD could ask the commissioners to convey the property to the board of DD. If the board acquired the property with funds from the Department, it may have to obtain approval from the Department before leasing to the private company. Vehicles should be covered by a separate lease. Vehicle storage, inspections, maintenance, and replacement must also be addressed.
45%
26% 47%
32%
27%
have to determine whether it can purchase additional licenses through the board or on its own. If individuals served choose the private company as their provider following the transition, the board can share information and records of the individuals with the private company so long as the board has authorization to do so.
Personnel Of course, neither the board nor the private company could accomplish its purpose without the appropriate staff. An existing corporation might have a full complement of direct care workers, but it may need competent management employees. A new corporation would likely need both. The board will have qualified staff that can be hired by the private entity. As part of transitioning staff from public to private employment, the board and the private entity have a host of obligations and issues to consider. Since the board will eventually cease providing services, it will no longer need its employees for that service. The board can certainly retain some or all of its employees to fill other roles, but it is likely that the board could be separating a majority of the employees involved in that service. To do so, it must properly lay off the employees in question. The layoff requirements differ for classified civil servants and unclassified management employees. Layoff procedures for employees whose employment is governed by a collective bargaining agreement would be subject to the provisions of that agreement. The cost of cashing out accrued benefits and unemployment compensation for these employees should also be considered. The private company will have to consider what wages and benefits it wants and
EMPLOYMENT - ENCLAVE
32%
30% 38%
can afford to provide to its employees. For boards that are members of CBA Benefit Services (www.cbaben.com), it might be possible for transitioning employees to be put in a separate group so that benefits may continue. If former county employees are hired by the entity, consideration should be given to how former employees will deal with being “new” employees for purposes of vacation and sick leave accrual. Furthermore, the private company will have to decide the number of full-time and part-time employees to hire. The board and the private company can come to an agreement on which board employees will be hired by the private company, or the private company can decide on its own. If the board has a collective bargaining agreement with the employees in question, the board is obligated by Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4117 to bargain with the employees’ exclusive representative regarding the impact of the transition of the work to a new entity. Depending upon the number (percentage) of former board employees that are initially employed by the private entity, it is possible that the private company will be considered a successor entity and will inherit the obligation to collectively bargain with the employees’ exclusive representative. Employees that continue to perform the same or similar duties under the direction of a company contracting with the board will remain members of the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS). The board will still be considered the employer for purposes of paying employer contributions for all employees that transition to the private entity and continue to perform the same or similar duties under the direction of the private entity. The current employer contribution rate is 14% of the employee’s wages/salary. These costs must be considered by the board as part of the transition. If requested, representatives from
EMPLOYMENT - COMMUNITY
36%
OPERS and Ohio Deferred Compensation will meet with board employees individually and in a group setting to address employees’ rights and obligations with respect to retirement benefits.
Communication is key Transition of services can happen in a number of ways. Communications from the board regarding the transition process are important. The board should communicate its intentions regarding the transition to local government officials, such as county commissioners, the probate judge, the county auditor, and the prosecuting attorney. The board should also be prepared to answer their questions. Moreover, the board should communicate with individuals, families and guardians regarding the planned transition and why the changes are occurring. Finally, communicating with employees is critical. This includes not only meeting with employees regarding the board’s intentions but also assisting the employees in making decisions about their future. This can include steps such as scheduling meetings or appointments with OPERS and Ohio Deferred Compensation. The more employees understand what is going on, the easier the process can be. Letters to and meetings with employees, individuals, families, and guardians can go a long way toward making the transition a public relations success. Additionally, communications with all parties involved can help ensure the board makes well-informed decisions, understands the consequences of particular courses of action, and complies with all applicable laws. For legal advice about the privatization process at your county board, consult with your county prosecutor. Additional questions can be directed to the author of this article at spp@bkmplaw.com. (Note: Legal fees may apply.)
TRANSPORTATION
20%
20% 40%
44%
40%
DD Advocate Magazine
7
PHOTO BY PENNY O’CONNELL, WOOD DD
DD Best Practices
Efficiency Experts: Wood DD finds savings with help from OACB affiliate BY JOHN TAYLOR Managers at Ohio’s county boards of DD have precious little time to spare, and few people understand that better than Steve Foster. As the director of fiscal services at Wood DD, he is responsible for overseeing the $29 million annual budget of the board (known locally as Wood Lane) and keeping financial tabs on the board’s many programs, including early intervention, community employment, and an adult workshop just to name a few. Unsurprisingly, Foster has little time for sales calls. He said it is often impractical or impossible to meet with any of the many companies that call each month hoping to do business with Wood Lane. “Getting sales calls turns me off in general because you get bombarded by them,” Foster said. “We like to keep our eyes open to new possibilities, but the day-to-day demands on our time mean sales calls often don’t make the priority list.” As a business manager, however, Foster also knows how to spot a good deal. When a company approached Wood Lane in 2009 offering to help the board review its expenditures with the goal of finding efficiencies and savings, Foster was initially uninterested. Wood Lane had received several similar solicitations before.
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Issue 6 - April 2015
When that company explained that its service would cost nothing up front, however, Foster was intrigued. He agreed to a face-to-face meeting – one of the few he has believed to be worth exploring in his 23 years as Wood Lane’s fiscal director. The company, North Carolina-based Tryon Clear View Group (TCVG), was offering a service that was completely new to Ohio’s developmental disabilities support system at the time: the contingency-based performance audit. In normal performance audits, clients pay an outside consultant or firm a fee to review the client’s operations and give advice on how to save money. A consultant might see a chance for savings, for example, by switching the client to a power supply company that offers lower rates. The consultant would be paid the agreed-to fee for the advice no matter how much money the client managed to save. With a contingency-based performance audit, however, there is no upfront fee. The consultant and client instead sign a contract that entitles the consultant to a negotiated percentage of any savings that are generated from changes suggested by the audit. If no savings can be generated (or if the client is operating so efficiently that no advice was necessary), then the auditing firm is not paid
at all. In this way, contingency-based audits encourage the auditors to be thorough, knowing they will not be paid unless they generate savings for the client. To Foster, this sounded almost too good to be true. “I challenged them multiple times,” Foster said. “At the start of our talks, I had to keep hearing the fact that they weren’t going to charge me unless they found savings. How better can you incentivize a company to come in and dig deep?” Foster sat down with TCVG representatives in late 2009. Wood Lane negotiated a three-year contract with the company starting in 2010. The company would review years’ worth of utility bills and financial statements, recommend changes, help the board implement those changes, and collect 35% of any savings Wood Lane achieved by following TCVG’s advice. It took Foster’s staff roughly two weeks to gather the historical paperwork for TCVG, and it took TCVG another two weeks to conduct the analysis. TCVG’s employees pulled stacks of old paper bills, compared Wood Lane’s past expenditures to a national utility service price database, and shopped around for better or more efficient contracts. TCVG’s initial audit led to noticeable savings for Wood Lane in several areas. For natural gas, the company noticed that Wood Lane
TCVG’s Past Clients Before approaching Wood Lane, Tryon Clear View Group had conducted similar audits with several major clients. TCVG’s model is scalable to organizations of all sizes. Past clients include: U.S. Department of Homeland Security U.S. Coast Guard Cleveland Clinic City of Atlanta, GA City of Maumee, OH
Left: TCVG’s Tad Dickerson (right) inspects Wood Lane’s telecom equipment with Wood DD Fiscal Services Director Steve Foster.
was using several different natural gas companies for its facilities, which include an administrative building, a school, an adult service building, and 30 residential facilities. After switching many of those locations to a single supplier and negotiating a new contract, TCVG managed to trim 17.4% off Wood Lane’s yearly natural gas bill. The audit showed that Wood Lane was already getting the best prices it could for electricity and cell phone service. TCVG managed to optimize the board’s local and long-distance landline service, however, resulting in annual telecom savings of 7%. TCVG’s audit also revealed that the board could find significant savings for trash pickup. The firm identified an equipment fee error that saved Wood Lane approximately $4,000 on its annual trash collection bill – a savings of roughly 50% over the previous fiscal year. Foster said his initial skepticism in the model waned quickly as he saw how much of his staff’s time was being saved. While Wood Lane regularly assesses its operations and looks for efficiencies, it is often hard to dedicate board resources to internal performance audits given the demands on Wood Lane’s staff, Foster said. Handing off this function to a private company freed up staff to tackle other issues. Foster also noted that TCVG’s staffers were more specialized in certain target areas than his employees could ever be. Foster stressed that Wood Lane’s business office employs top-notch employees, but he said they are naturally focused on the DD services industry. They must dabble in utility pricing
as part of their much broader range of responsibilities. The consulting firm’s natural gas expert, however, had 35 years of natural gas experience in the private sector. “There is expertise your people just don’t have. There is time you just don’t have. Doing this has freed up my staff tremendously,” Foster said. “You’ve got an outside entity that is doing the dirty work for you, and they have expertise in everything they’re doing.” TCVG’s Marty Kokotaylo said his company’s expertise in utility pricing and markets has allowed it to assemble a national database of utility prices, and that can be a powerful tool when bargaining for lower utility costs. TCVG’s Tad Dickerson compared the company to a skilled treasure hunter who can help recover savings that are difficult for clients to achieve on their own. “Let’s say a boat loaded with gold sank in a storm, but you have no idea where it is or how to retrieve it. We have the knowledge and equipment to find the ship and bring the gold to the surface,” Dickerson said. “If and when we do, we divide the treasure to everyone’s benefit.” Looking back, Foster said he wished he had learned about contingency-based audit sooner, adding that the model has few drawbacks. If the contingency-based audits turns up nothing, then the board has spent no money while gaining confidence in its operating efficiency. If the audit reveals cost-saving options, then the board can take steps to spend taxpayer money more wisely. Furthermore, the lack of an upfront fee makes the concept an easy sell to board members and managers. Foster noted that the model also carries some less obvious benefits in addition to the potential for savings. Simply undertaking an audit can show taxpayers that a board is serious about spending levy dollars as efficiently as possible, Foster said. “In this economic environment, you’ve got to look for every dollar you can find,” Kokotaylo
Wood Lane Audit Results Trash Pickup
50%
Natural Gas
17%
Telecom
SAVINGS
SAVINGS
7% SAVINGS
said. “People are more hesitant these days to open their pocketbooks, so it behooves public agencies to make sure they’re operating as efficiently as they can.” Foster said he thinks the model could work for county boards of all sizes. Though Wood Lane’s savings were relatively modest compared to the board’s annual budget, Foster said a similar level of savings at a smaller board could make a big difference. He also noted that percentage savings will naturally vary from one board to another based on geography, utility needs, facility characteristics, and available suppliers. Wood Lane’s biggest endorsement of the model, however, is the board’s continued commitment to it. Wood Lane signed on for another three-year contract with TCVG in 2012 for continued help with cost comparisons and supplier selections. TCVG has also joined OACB as an affiliate member organization. “No matter the outcome of the audit, it gives you the satisfaction of knowing that you’re doing things well,” Foster said. “You’re efficient, and taxpayers are happy to hear that. It’s a win-win.”
Boosting Efficiency at OACB OACB recently became one of Tryon Clear View Group’s newest customers. In 2014, OACB contracted with TCVG to review the association’s telecommunications expenses with the goal of achieving savings for the association and its members. TCVG is in the process of reviewing several months’ worth of bills, and OACB looks forward to sharing the results of the audit with members when it is complete. OACB is pleased to show its dedication to operating efficiency while supporting an affiliate member organization.
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PHOTO COURTESY BUTLER DD
DD Briefing
Join, or Die: DD Advocacy in a Brave New World
From left: State Rep. Timothy Derickson, State Rep. Margy Conditt, Butler DD Advocacy Chair Connie Sullivan, and State Rep. Wes Rutherford conduct a meeting on DD-related issues in March 2015.
BY JOE RUSSELL / OACB
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When I think about the future of advocacy for Ohio’s county boards of developmental disabilities, I am reminded of a famous political cartoon by Benjamin Franklin. The cartoon depicts a snake cut into eight pieces, each labeled with the initials of one of Great Britain’s North American colonies. It was based on a popular superstition at the time that a snake cut into pieces could live again if its segments were reconnected. The image’s message was captured in its three-word caption: “Join, or die.”
The image was Franklin’s plea to the politically isolated colonies to stand united with Great Britain against the French during the French and Indian War, and it quickly became a symbol for the need for organized action. Patriots also used the cartoon and its message during the American Revolution. While the lesson seems painfully obvious in historical hindsight, it was truly revolutionary thinking at the time. The colonies were locally governed, culturally diverse, and fiercely independent. They feared losing their individuality and 10
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self-governance. Franklin, however, saw the need for coordination against an outside force. In his mind, isolation was no longer a luxury they could afford. More than two centuries later, the core of his message remains widely applicable. Consider, for example, the challenges faced by Ohio’s county boards of developmental disabilities. Changes on the state and federal level are beginning raise questions about how services are provided by county boards in the status quo. The federal government appears to be forcing county boards of DD to stop providing
direct services to people with developmental disabilities – though the “how” and the “when” of that decree have yet to be settled. On the state level, budget provisions could affect how people with developmental disabilities receive care and from whom they are able to receive it. How will county boards respond to these and other uncertainties? County boards of DD – politically independent and culturally diverse just like the colonies – have many different approaches and priorities based on the wishes of the families they serve and the
expectations of the communities in which they operate. Boards reflect the diversity of Ohio’s 88 counties; they have had the freedom and flexibility since their inception to develop unique solutions to local challenges. This is one of the fundamental strengths of the county board model. It also can make it difficult to agree on methods for advocating on state and national issues. But with major changes on the horizon, county boards of DD must speak with one voice. If we can’t, we risk handing our system’s future over to parties that do not understand or appreciate the lifelong impact that county boards of DD have in the lives of the people we serve.
needs of Ohio’s DD system evolve, several aspects of the model will remain consistent:
Something must be done, but what will that “something” be? First, county boards should consider taking a more global approach to their thinking. Boards might be county-level agencies, but today’s challenges demand a solution that addresses a wide variety of issues at the local, state, and national level.
3. Electronic advocacy and communication tools will play a large role in the overall advocacy strategy to ensure that our statewide efforts are coordinated and effective.
The program seeks to grow the political influence of county boards of DD by establishing and enhancing relationships between local, state, and national policymakers and experts in their districts. Instead of engaging decision makers on an academic or strictly policy-focused basis, our goal is to ground policy discussions in the real-world experiences of our advocacy chairs, and, by extension, the community the policymakers are obligated to represent. While the exact shape of the program will change naturally over time as the advocacy
From left: Clermont County Commissioner Ed Humphrey, Clermont DD Superintendent Dan Ottke, Clermont DD Advocacy Chair Emily Chesnut (pictured with her three children), and Clermont County Commissioner David Uible take part in a ceremony proclaiming March DD Awareness Month in Clermont County.
Regarding this last point – the advocacy chair program is unlike any previous advocacy effort from OACB because it combines classic advocacy tools (such as lawmaker visits, letter-writing campaigns, and phone calls) with dynamic, data-driven marketing strategies and electronic communication tools. In January, advocacy chairs took part in their first training session, which was a live presentation and Q&A session conducted remotely via webinar. In addition to our state efforts, OACB has also stepped up county boards’ advocacy presence in Washington, D.C. In February, the Board of Trustees voted to retain the lobbying services of Squire Patton Boggs – a highly respected and very influential national lobbying firm – to develop and lead a comprehensive advocacy campaign with the federal government, Congress, and national DD stakeholder organizations under the direction of OACB members and staff. While these are just the first steps in what must be a constant shift in our strategic thinking, I am excited by the responses we have received thus far. Dozens of professionals across the state have stepped up to lead their counties’ advocacy efforts in a new way, and they have displayed a willingness to engage, inform, and advocate that is incredible to see. OACB will continue to build new channels to make state and federal advocacy easier for county boards, and we will rely on the many passionate professionals in our system to guide these efforts. Though the future is uncertain, Ohio’s county boards of DD have proven in the past that they can come
PHOTO BY SUSAN MUNDAY, DELAWARE DD
In late 2014 and early 2015, OACB established an Advocacy Chair program so counties can designate one person to serve as a local advocacy team leader on state and federal issues. The chairs are the backbone of the program, and they will become their counties’ local experts on advocacy-related topics. The positions are filled by volunteers, many of whom are board members or employees of county boards. As of now, the program has 82 volunteers representing 75 of Ohio’s 88 counties. Many counties chose to designate more than one advocacy chair based on volunteers’ backgrounds and expertise.
2. Advocacy chairs will receive support from OACB in the form of talking points, advocacy coaching, draft letters, and advice on how and when to approach decision makers at the district and state level;
PHOTO BY LISA DAVIS, CLERMONT DD
Secondly, county boards must work more closely together than ever before. By adopting a wider perspective and working closely with one another, county boards can better facilitate information sharing and harness the strength of a united system. To assist this, OACB has created new channels and tools for cooperation and advocacy that are the first of their kind for our system.
1. The OACB Board of Trustees will develop policy priorities and advocacy strategies at the onset of every budget biennium (i.e. each odd-numbered year) to set objectives for advocacy chairs;
From left: Delaware DD board member Rita Seese, State Rep. Andrew Brenner, Adriana Lyons, State Rep. Margaret Ann Ruhl, and Delaware DD board member Patty Lyons attend a meeting at Delaware DD about systems change issues in March 2015.
together to tackle new challenges. We may not always agree, but we are united by our common mission. Like the colonies in Franklin’s time, we will find strength in our unity. We will join together, we will survive, and we will continue our mission to better the lives of people served in this brave new world.
OACB Policy and Advocacy Director Joe Russell can be reached at jrussell@oacbdd.org. OACB Communications Coordinator Erich Hiner contributed to this report.
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Russia: Neglect and abuse found in state-run institutions BY HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
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Editors Note: Ohio is far from the only place in which advocates are pursuing the greater integration of people with developmental disabilities into the community. In this edition of Worldview, we take a look at the DD system (or lack thereof) in the Russian Federation, which is struggling to integrate children with developmental disabilities into everyday Russian life. With no watershed national law or high court decision like Olmstead v. L.C. to compel Russian institutions to change, Human Rights Watch reports people with developmental disabilities will continue to suffer if systemic changes are not made.
In its 93-page report, “Abandoned by the State: Violence, Neglect, and Isolation for Children with Disabilities in Russian Orphanages,” Human Rights Watch found that many children and young people with disabilities who have lived in state orphanages suffered serious abuse and neglect on the part of institution staff that impedes their development. According to Human Rights Watch, some children interviewed by Human Rights Watch said that orphanage staff beat them, injected them with sedatives, and sent them to psychiatric hospitals for days or weeks at a time to control or punish them. Nearly 30% of all children with disabilities in Russia live in state orphanages where they may face violence and neglect. Russia should stop abuse of children with disabilities in state care, and make it a priority to provide support for children with disabilities to live with their 12
Issue 6 - April 2015
families or in other family settings, rather than in institutions. “Violence and neglect of children with disabilities in orphanages is heartbreaking and completely deplorable,” said Andrea Mazzarino, a Europe and Central Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch and author of the report. “The Russian government should establish a zero-tolerance policy for violence against children in institutions and immediately strengthen programs to keep children in their families.” These children have a range of impairments, including physical disabilities such as limited mobility, blindness, and deafness; developmental disabilities such as Down Syndrome; and psychosocial disabilities such as depression. Research by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and others has demonstrated that institutionalization has
serious consequences for children’s physical, cognitive, and emotional development, and that the violence children may experience in institutions can lead to severe developmental delays, various disabilities, irreversible psychological harm, and increased rates of suicide and criminal activity. The report is based on more than 200 interviews with children, family members, advocates, and orphanage staff, and visits to 10 state orphanages across Russia where children with disabilities live. Most of the children in these institutions have families. But staff in institutions Human Rights Watch visited sometimes discouraged visits with families or other contact with family members, claiming that such contact “spoiled” children by getting them accustomed to too much attention. Children and children’s rights activists reported that in orphanages children often lack access to needed health care, adequate nutrition, attention, and opportunities for play, and that many children receive little to no formal education. Lack of adequate support and training for orphanage staff, as well as understaffing, is a central factor in staff treatment of children. Children had few if any meaningful opportunities to seek help or report abuse.
PHOTO COURTESY HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
DD Worldview
Left: An 18-year-old (left) and a 15-year-old in a “lying-down” ward of an orphanage for children with disabilities in northwestern Russia.
In cases Human Rights Watch documented, many children with disabilities ended up in orphanages because health care workers pressured their parents to give them up, claiming that children lacked developmental potential or that parents would be unable to care for them. The lack of adequate and appropriate education, access to rehabilitation and health care, and financial and other state support in many communities in Russia also affected parents’ decisions to place or keep their children in institutions. Within orphanages, Human Rights Watch documented the segregation of children whom staff deemed to have the most “severe” disabilities into so-called “lying-down” rooms, where they are confined to cribs and often tied to furniture with rags. Many of these children received little attention except for feeding and diaper changing. Many children in these settings are rarely if ever given the chance to leave their cribs, interact with other children, or go outside. One pediatrician at a Sverdlovsk region orphanage for children with developmental disabilities stated that not all children in the orphanage go to school, including 150 children in lying-down rooms who she claimed were “uneducable” (neobuchaemy) – an outdated diagnosis that state doctors and institution staff continue to assign to some children. “Many children with disabilities confined to ‘lying down’ rooms suffer stunning delays in their physical, emotional, and intellectual development,” Mazzarino said. “This is an avoidable tragedy if only all children with disabilities are given the proper nutrition, health care, and education that they have a right to.” Human Rights Watch spoke with many orphanage staff who expressed a desire to help children develop their potential. However, staff often treat children in unacceptable ways
Nineteen-year-old Nastia Y., a young woman with a developmental disability, lived in a Pskov region specialized state institution from 1998 to 2011. Nastia told Human Rights Watch that she experienced beatings by institution staff on several occasions, including by institution staff who were drunk. “The staff used to hit me and drag me by the hair. They gave me pills to calm me down. They hit me when they came to work and found me roughhousing with the other kids,” Nastia told Human Rights Watch. “When they got drunk, they would hit the other children and me often. I remember one incident when a staff member was drunk. She asked me where the key to her office was. When I told her I did not know, she dragged me into a room and beat me up.” The report also found widespread use of restraints and binding in children’s institutions. In April 2013, a 7-year-old boy with a developmental disability died after a health worker in a Nizhny Novgorod region specialized state children’s institution used cloth diapers to tie him to his bed. A preliminary account stated that the boy may have choked on his own vomit and that being tied down stopped him from rolling over to breathe. Under international law, Russia has a commitment to protect children from all forms of violence and neglect. It must also ensure that children with disabilities are not separated from their parents against their will and to protect children with disabilities from all forms of discrimination. Among the steps the Russian government has taken to address high rates of institutionalization of children is development of the National Action Strategy on the Rights of Children for 2012-2017. The document includes a commitment to prevent abandonment of children to institutions and decrease institutional care. However, this and other policies devote insufficient attention to the particular needs of children with disabilities and lack concrete plans for implementation and monitoring, Human Rights Watch found.
PHOTO COURTESY HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
At least 95% of children living in Russian orphanages and foster care have at least one living parent. The Russian government has made a public commitment to move away from the overuse of institutionalization of children, including children with disabilities. But government officials have not focused sufficient attention on the particular circumstances of institutionalized children with disabilities.
because they lack adequate support, including training in nonviolent disciplinary methods or in the nutritional and physical needs of children with various types of disabilities. A pediatrician from the Sverdlovsk orphanage stated that rather than select food appropriate for children’s ages and health needs, staff “grind up whatever we have and use tubes to feed the ones who can’t feed themselves.”
A 10-year-old boy sits in his crib in a Sverdlovsk region orphanage for children with developmental disabilities.
Now that the government has recognized the need to reduce institutionalization of children, it needs clear, achievable plans to reach this goal. The government should provide support to children living with their birth families or, where this is not possible, expand foster care and adoption programs. Russia lacks a federal system to place children with disabilities in foster or adoptive families. And parents in these families reported obstacles to raising children with disabilities in their communities, including lack of support and opportunities for education and other services. They also described negative attitudes by government officials. The Russian government should create a time-bound plan to end institutionalization of children. Placing children in state care should be only for the short-term and in very limited circumstances that serve the best interest of the child and comply with international human rights law. The government should also provide social support and services to families to help them raise children with disabilities at home. “Until the Russian government and donors act, tens of thousands of Russian children may spend their lives between four walls, isolated from their families, communities, and peers, and denied the range of opportunities available to other children,” Mazzarino said. “The Russian government can be doing much more to support parents raising a child with a disability, rather than pushing children into institutions.” DD Advocate Magazine
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Feature
Shared Services, Shared Success County boards of DD see fiscal, cultural gains from shared services model
PHOTO BY ERICH HINER
Above: Fairfield/Vinton DD Superintendent John Pekar (center) meets with shared IT Manager Jay Mattlin (left) and shared CFO Beth Seifert (right).
BY ERICH HINER / OACB
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When Monty Kerr agreed to become the shared superintendent of the Belmont and Noble County Boards of Developmental Disabilities in 1993, he had no idea that more than a dozen other counties would eventually follow in his organizations’ footsteps.
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At the time, the arrangement was simply an unorthodox solution to a local staffing dilemma. Noble DD was in need of a new superintendent, and Kerr, who was superintendent of Belmont DD at the time, worked just over the county line. Noble DD asked Kerr to become its superintendent without stepping away from his job in Belmont. Both entities would contribute part of Kerr’s salary (resulting in lower administrative costs for both), and he would answer to both boards. With Belmont DD’s blessing, Kerr agreed. Thinking back, he said the change felt like a natural step.
“There was no push from state or local leaders to do something different. We just saw a chance to make an even better use of the assets we already had,” Kerr said. “The pieces just fit together. It made sense.” Harrison DD joined Belmont and Noble in 2003 to form what is known today as the BHN Alliance, and the spread of the shared services model did not stop there. More than 20 years after Belmont and Noble’s initial agreement, the simple but effective concept of sharing employees and services has evolved into a statewide trend.
it offers, and he added that a growing list of success stories has encouraged more county boards to consider sharing. “It increases efficiency, saves money, and – best of all – improves the quality of board services by encouraging the exchange of ideas. The difference we saw at BHN was substantial,” Kerr said. “We were able to put the money we saved back into services for the public, and we learned from each other as well.”
A Localized Model
The shared services model begins with a basic concept: By working together and sharing staff, county boards of DD can improve services while operating more efficiently. While the model is not unique to Ohio’s county boards of DD (some school districts and other government organizations have adopted it to varying degrees), the adoption rate of the model within Ohio’s DD service delivery system has been impressively quick.
As the shared services model has been adopted at an increasing rate among Ohio’s county boards of DD, it has also become more varied. County boards of DD are deeply in touch with their communities, and they understand the attitudes, needs, and concerns of the various publics they serve. For that reason, the decision of whether to share is a highly local one, and no two sharing arrangements look exactly alike.
Fifteen county boards of DD now directly share full-time superintendents, and two additional counties are sharing one on an interim basis. Boards have also begun to share other management-level employees such as business managers, Medicaid managers, adult services directors, SSA directors, and communications directors. County boards share more than employees as well. According to data gathered in 2014 by OACB, 93% of county boards share at least one major function, and 49% share at least five major functions.
Sharing agreements can be struck between county boards of similar or different sizes depending on the boards’ goals. Boards might only share a superintendent or a handful of administrative positions. In other cases, such as the BHN Alliance, they might share major board functions in addition to staff.
County boards’ commitment to the model has been well received in Columbus. Several major steps have been taken on the state level to further encourage county boards of DD to consider the shared approach. In October 2011, Governor John Kasich requested a meeting with officials from 15 county boards of DD to discuss shared services, and he lauded boards for their fiscal responsibility and innovation. In 2012, boards of DD were spotlighted in the State of Ohio’s “Beyond Boundaries” shared services action plan as leaders of the cost-saving model. Last spring, board-to-board shared services were a major point of discussion during Ohio’s Mid-Biennium Review, and a provision was added to the Ohio Revised Code requiring all county boards of DD to at least consider sharing a superintendent or management employee if such a position becomes vacant. Kerr said the model’s growing popularity is natural given the long list of benefits that
contracts from scratch as we worked out our original agreement.” Determining how money will flow under a shared arrangement is central to setting expectations for the long term, said Steve Williams, the current shared superintendent of the BHN Alliance who succeeded Kerr in 2011. The BHN Alliance decided that Belmont DD should directly employ Williams and invoice the other two boards for time he spends with them. However, all three boards jointly negotiate shared contracts. Williams said the arrangement works for BHN, but it is far from the only method of sharing. For Champaign DD and Shelby DD, which have been led jointly by Superintendent Laura Zureich since 2011, it is important that shared employees be directly employed by both boards. Fayette DD and Highland DD took it one step farther by conducting a joint search for a new, shared leader – a position that was filled by Superintendent Debra Buccilla in 2014. The boards had been sharing services for several years before the joint search. The percentage of a shared employee’s salary for which each board is responsible can also vary widely depending on the arrangement and the needs of the boards taking part. While some boards prefer to split shared
“It’s an opportunity to be fiscally responsible without impacting services for people with developmental disabilities. We would rather save money at the administrative level than do anything to affect the services and supports for the people we serve.” — LAURA ZUREICH, CHAMPAIGN/SHELBY DD SUPERINTENDENT
A central question that all boards must ask before sharing is how the agencies will split the responsibility of paying shared employees, Kerr said. While compensation negotiations are usually straightforward, sharing an employee creates new variables. “Which county’s name will be on your shared employees’ pay stubs?” Kerr said. “We had to come up with formulas and
salaries equally, that does not make sense in every case. Fairfield DD and Vinton DD have been led jointly by Superintendent John Pekar since 2008. Vinton DD, a much smaller board by budget and number of people served, contributed roughly 15% of Pekar’s salary in 2014 with Fairfield contributing the rest. In this way, each board can negotiate to pay for only what it thinks it will need under a shared agreement.
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Measurable Results While the exact nature of each shared arrangement depends on the counties in question, the reasoning behind and goals of the shared services model are consistent throughout the state. “It’s an opportunity to be fiscally responsible without impacting services for people with developmental disabilities,” Zureich (Champaign/Shelby) said. “We would rather save money at the administrative level than do anything to affect the services and supports for the people we serve.” Zureich said money saved from sharing has been put back into services for the
community. Sharing a superintendent and business manager has saved Champaign DD and Shelby DD a combined $175,000 per year that has been put back into board programs. Coshocton DD and Knox DD, meanwhile, saw savings of $400,000 between the 2013 and 2014 fiscal years after they began sharing several major positions. Superintendent Steve Oster said cutting overhead costs not only helps boards run more efficiently, it also builds goodwill in the community. This is especially important given that boards rely on taxpayer support, he added. “By sharing, you can cut your management-level salary expenses in half. Instead of spending that money on
administration costs, you’re helping more people.” Oster said. “It’s good for everyone, and it demonstrates that boards are being responsible and putting services first.” Pekar (Fairfield/Vinton) said the financial gains of sharing are especially apparent for boards in rural counties that have small programs and budgets. For Vinton DD, which has fewer than 10 staff and approximately 150 people enrolled in its programs, sharing with Fairfield DD was a financial windfall. Roughly one seventh of Vinton DD’s budget was going solely to the salary and benefits of the superintendent before the boards started sharing, Pekar said. What might have been small savings to a larger board was a financial boon to Vinton.
Soft Benefits While the shared services model has obvious fiscal advantages, many boards have found that its biggest benefit is the improvement in services that the model promotes. The simple act of seeing how another board operates encourages employees to consider new ways of doing things, and that can lead to better services. PHOTO BY ERICH HINER
“When you live in a small pond, all you know is what you see in the small pond,” said Fayette DD Board President Mitchell Kirby, who served on his board during Fayette and Highland DD’s shared superintendent search. “Even if your partner county is another small pond, they might do things quite differently. You can create a cross-pollination of ideas.” That cross-pollination can manifest itself in several ways. Kerr noted that the model is especially helpful for service and support administrators (SSAs) given that they are often the ones interacting most directly with people and families served. When the Belmont, Harrison, and Noble County Boards of DD came together, they appointed a joint SSA director. That gave SSAs from all
Above: Hocking/Perry DD Superintendent David Couch (left) meets with shared Adult Services Director Ron Sprung.
PHOTO COURTESY CHAMPAIGN DD
Left: The shared employees of Champaign DD and Shelby DD. From left to right, front row: Administration Coordinator Ashley Shefbuch, SSA Waiver Contact Kathy Cartwright, Director of Support Services Krista Oldiges, and Community Employment Manager Jeff Coaty. Left to right, back row: Superintendent Laura Zureich, Business Director Elizabeth Wagner, Provider Services Coordinator Amy Berger, and P.L.A.Y. Project Home Consultant Karen Simpson. 16
Issue 6 - April 2015
PHOTO BY ERICH HINER
Shared employees of Coshocton DD and Knox DD. From left to right: Facilities Director Steve Miller, Physical Therapy Assistant Beth Tumblin, Community Employment Services Director Angela Richcreek, Help Me Grow Director Shana Snow, Federal Funds Manager Eileen Hill, Superintendent Steve Oster, Fiscal Director Robert Mahle, Compliance and Outreach Director Andrea McKay, Human Resource Director Jill Lahna, SSA Andrew Taylor, and Director of Therapy Services Deb Croft.
Kerr also noted that clustering the SSA departments under one leader increased all the departments’ flexibility. Rural county boards of DD often do not employ more than a handful of SSAs given their boards’ budgets and small enrollment. If an SSA must leave a position, her departure can dramatically affect services to families, Kerr said. By sharing with another board, however, employees can fill in temporary staffing gaps left by colleagues at partner organizations. “We now have built-in backup capacity – especially for Noble and Harrison Counties,” BHN Alliance Superintendent Steve Williams said. “We used to have one SSA for each of those counties. Now, we have a dozen shared among them.” Zureich (Champaign/Shelby) said sharing services also has the effect of shaking employees out of conventional modes of thinking. When the boards’ shared service and support administration (SSA) director resigned, Zureich’s first impulse was to refill the position immediately with no changes to the job duties. After meeting with her joint-county team, however, a new solution was proposed. The boards decided to merge their community first and SSA departments and put their shared community first director in charge. Zureich said the new arrangement will be more efficient for people served and their families. “Having access to each other’s ideas and experience allowed it to became a brand new concept instead of a reflection of the status quo,” Zureich said. “It got us out of the
PHOTO COURTESY RICHLAND DD
three boards a forum at which to meet with one another, share news, trade ideas, and brainstorm new solutions to problems.
mindset of automatically defaulting to how we had always done it.” Pekar (Fairfield/Vinton) said sharing has given his boards the benefit of perspective. Fairfield DD is much larger than Vinton DD, and Pekar said he initially thought the sharing arrangement would mainly benefit the smaller partner for purely financial reasons. As the years have gone by, however, both boards have realized that the partnership is a “two-way street,” Pekar said. Vinton is a rural county, and its board of DD does not have many resources at its disposal. For that reason, Vinton’s employees have become experts at getting creative with solutions, partnering with community organizations, and wearing many hats in the workplace. “In a small county like Vinton, people are generalists. They can do one thing and turn 180 degrees and do something completely different,” Pekar said. “If you bring that concept back to a larger county, it can improve the structure of your organization there.” Pekar also noted that leading both boards has given him a strong appreciation for detail-oriented management. Fairfield DD has an annual budget of $20 million, and Pekar is mostly focused on the board’s big picture. Vinton’s budget is much smaller, and Pekar said he often finds himself “grilling $50 expenses” due to Vinton DD’s financial constraints. “It’s given me a greater appreciation for the finer points of things – the ground-level view,” he said. Kerr pointed out that sharing administratorlevel positions also allows the boards involved to attract highly qualified candidates when leadership positions open up. A small county board might want to attract or retain a top-tier
Richland DD Superintendent and Interim Crawford DD Superintendent Liz Prather (right) with Jim Baker, a person served by Richland DD.
superintendent, but it might not have the budget to make such a person a competitive offer. By pooling resources, however, smalland medium-sized boards can offer salary and benefit packages more in line with larger county boards and the private sector. “Our offering was certainly more attractive for some of the candidates we had,” said Highland DD Board President Sam Snyder, who worked with Fayette County DD board president Mitchell Kirby during the boards’ joint superintendent search in 2014. “Leading two boards was new and a challenge. Some people were attracted to that challenge, and we were able to make competitive salary offers.” Sharing services can also grant county boards wider access to the services of councils of government (COGs), which are regional organizations to which multiple county boards belong. COGs help boards by allowing them to share administrative functions and programs. By sharing services, one county board can have access to the ideas and best practices of two COGs – its own and that of its partner board. Liz Prather is the interim shared superintendent of Richland DD, which belongs to the Northeast DD Advocate Magazine
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Feature Ohio Network COG, and Crawford DD, which belongs to the Clearwater COG. She said having access to both COGs has given her ideas for improvements.
Oster (Coshocton/Knox) noted that shared services arrangements can be very flexible. Boards can share staff with more than one partner board, he said, as well as share services with other government agencies. Oster noted that he shares staff with nearby public schools as well as the Family and Children First Council, an inter-governmental organization. Sharing with non-board entities increases the flow of ideas and boosts outcomes for everyone involved, Oster said.
“You never want to take away the individuality of each county. For shared services to work, you need to be willing to meet counties where they are – not where you want them to be.” — MONTY KERR, FORMER SUPERINTENDENT, BHN ALLIANCE
Steps for Success Sharing services is a big step for the county boards that choose to take it, and the highly localized nature of sharing means there are many variables to consider. One of the first questions boards must ask is whether they truly need to share employees or services. As Pekar (Fairfield/Vinton) puts it, “it’s not as simple as sharing for sharing’s sake.” If a given board decides it makes sense to share services, that board must decide the
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When a board is certain about its desire to share and the extent of that desire, a partner board must be found. Kerr said size is an important factor to consider. Larger boards are less likely to benefit from sharing because they tend to have plenty of resources and require undivided attention from their executives. Small and medium boards are likely to have the most to gain. Kerr said location can play a part in board compatibility, but he added that it should not be viewed as the sole deciding factor. Equating geographic proximity with cultural or financial compatibility is a mistake, he said. In some cases, it makes more sense to look farther afield. Several boards have established successful sharing arrangements with counties that are not contiguous. Doing so, however, has unique challenges. Fairfield and Vinton Counties are separated by Hocking County, and Pekar must drive for an hour to go from one board headquarters to the other. For Melinda Slusser, the shared superintendent of the Henry DD and Ottawa DD, the separation is even greater. Wood County lies between Slusser’s board offices, and it is a 60-mile trip from one to the other. Slusser said leading two non-contiguous county boards is doable, but she said her time must be carefully managed. “There’s only so much one person can do,” Slusser said. “Know your limitations, and plan where you’re going to be, when, and for what reasons.” But even when partnering boards neighbor one another, certain misgivings are common among boards and the public. David Couch, the shared superintendent of the Hocking DD and Perry DD, said he had to address early apprehension from both his boards. The Perry board worried he would be too distracted with Hocking County, and the Hocking board was anxious because he was an unknown to them at the time. Couch said only time and hard work can assuage
PHOTO COURTESY BHN ALLIANCE
“I felt it was a great opportunity because the two counties belong to two different COGs, and those COGs are very different. It lets me take information and ideas from one to the other,” Prather said. “The Clearwater COG is looking at doing a shared behavior support team, and that’s an idea that I brought back to Richland County.”
extent to which sharing should occur. Will the board only share a superintendent with another board, or is deeper integration the goal? Kerr advised starting with shared superintendents and managers. Starting with shared leadership can bring boards and communities together and provide a guide for future integration, he said. Starting with shared managers also presents a more obvious and immediate financial incentive because managers command higher salaries than lower-ranking employees. BHN Alliance Superintendent Steve Williams (right) celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Belmont County Chapter of People First with Yvette Gray, a People First member and a person served by Belmont DD.
those doubts. Boards and the public need to see that shared employees – especially superintendents – are working full-time for both boards and putting outcomes first, he said. Buccilla (Fayette/Highland) said a good way to assure people that their superintendent is truly a joint employee is by conducting a joint search. “It helped to come into this position with sharing being the plan. Both boards consider me their superintendent because they both hired me,” Buccilla said. “There is a sense of joint ownership. No one feels ignored.” Oster (Coshocton/Knox) advised being frank with board members early on in order to establish expectations for working hours, sharing benefits, and other matters. Oster said his boards do not require him to split his time down the middle, instead wanting him to focus on long-term outcomes and improvements. Other boards prefer a more rigid structure in which a shared employee’s time is cut exactly in half. Setting guidelines ahead of time for all personnel matters is a must. “If a shared employee resigns from one board, do they get to continue working for another board?” Prather (Crawford/Richland) said. “Getting things like that spelled out between the boards early on is important.” Whatever approach partnering counties take, early communication is key both inside and outside the partnering boards. Zureich (Champaign/Shelby) said it is important to communicate clearly with staff and explain what sharing services will mean for them. It is also valuable to communicate with the public directly and early in the process, she said.
“It has moved beyond the initial focus of cost-savings. It’s much more than that now. Sharing gives you an ally that can help to find the PHOTO BY ERICH HINER
best way forward. When you share services, you have a chance to walk into the future together.” — JOHN PEKAR, FAIRFIELD/VINTON DD SUPERINTENDENT
Cultural Considerations Perhaps the largest consideration that must be made when considering sharing is anticipating how the cultures of the counties in question will interact or clash. Kerr repeatedly emphasized that respecting local culture is a must for any agreement to work. Boards must never feel as though another county’s culture is being imposed upon them, and shared managers must have respect for how things are done locally. “That’s what will make an agreement successful or cause it to fail,” Kerr said. “You never want to take away the individuality of each county. For shared services to work you need to be willing to meet counties where they are – not where you want them to be.” Kerr said that should not suggest, however, that counties must be cultural clones to mesh well as partners. Compatibility can be built over time by a shared leader. Couch (Hocking/ Perry) said respect makes the difference. Hocking County (home to the Hocking Hills) thrives on outdoor tourism while Perry County is reliant on farming and natural resources. Couch said it is his job to understand, embrace, and appreciate those differences. “The challenge is getting to know each county’s culture, working within that, and understanding what gets things moving within each community,” Couch said.
Respecting county cultures also helps soothe fears that might arise over the loss of local control. Several shared superintendents noted that some board members were initially skeptical of sharing because they felt their board’s future might be controlled by another entity that did not share their culture and values. This was especially true for Pekar (Fairfield/Vinton) due to differences of size and culture between Fairfield and Vinton DD. While the perception that one board is controlling the other is false, Pekar said it is a genuine concern of many people that must be addressed by any counties hoping to share services. To calm fears about loss of control, Slusser (Henry/Ottawa) recommended jumping into a shared arrangement with both feet. Seeing a shared superintendent making the effort to learn the local culture and take part in board events builds trust with employees and the public, she said.
Partnering for the Future As quickly as the shared services model has spread in the past several years, current practitioners foresee it becoming even more commonplace. Kerr said the sharing agreements now in place prove that the model can work under diverse circumstances, and he anticipates the practice will gain steam over time. He also suspects that establishing future shared arrangements will be made easier by the number and diversity of agreements already struck. “I think county boards are beginning to consider it a viable option. More people in more counties are having this discussion,” he said. “It’s being discussed by DD professionals across the state.” Current shared leaders said more boards should consider the model. Slusser (Henry/ Ottawa) said boards should not be afraid to try sharing. She said the practice can
PHOTO BY ERICH HINER
Kerr said a basic but essential rule for success in shared services is patience. If a board is serious about trying the model, that board should seek out a leader such as a superintendent or board member that can bring it together with a partner board slowly over time. Kerr said it also helps to reach out to county officials early in the process. He also stressed that a perfect arrangement cannot be forced into existence or built overnight. Kerr said it has to be tended to gently and slowly.
Fayette/Highland DD Superintendent Debra Buccilla (right) and Fayette DD Board President Mitchell Kirby attend a board meeting in 2015.
be difficult at first, but she added that the long-term rewards are worth it for boards that are up to the task. “I think more boards and superintendents should consider sharing as appropriate positions open up,” Slusser said. “It can be hard to do things in a new way, but don’t short-change yourselves. It’s possible for both partner boards to do a great job, save money, and operate more efficiently.” For the model’s true believers, however, sharing services has become more than the sum of its parts. Pekar (Fairfield/Vinton) said that the model is not just about saving money or improving services. What started for Fairfield DD and Vinton DD as a way to save money has become a way for the boards to jointly tackle an uncertain future. “It has moved beyond the initial focus of cost-savings. It’s much more than that now,” Pekar said. “Sharing gives you an ally that can help to find the best way forward. When you share services, you have a chance to walk into the future together.”
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A dream realized: Former Pioneer School student becomes author, returns for reading BY BRANDI THOMPSON & PATRICK MCFADDEN
A
Allison Shoemaker is certainly busy these days. Her life has changed from that of an ordinary young woman to one of a local celebrity, and the overnight fame has finally set in. Shoemaker, who has autism, has been on tour promoting her first book. In December, she paid a visit to the Pioneer Center, a school she attended as a child, to read to students and sign autographs. She also took part in a book-signing event at a bookstore in Chillicothe, conducted interviews with local media outlets, and took part in multiple readings and signings at local businesses. All the attention and fame has this young author feeling like the local literary star she has become.
About the Book In the 32-page paperback children’s book “Mr. Rooster and his Magic Hammer,” the eponymous Mr. Rooster takes care of all the hens at Sunny Hills Coops. He fixes things and keeps everyone safe with his magic hammer. He wakes up one day to find his magic hammer gone. Where is it? Who has it? What will Mr. Rooster have to do to get it back? 20
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The story and setting teach young readers about farms and different kinds of animals. The book also tackles a number of tougher topics such as bullying and responsibility. Shoemaker hopes the book will give parents and educators a way to start talking to kids about these and other issues. “Mr. Rooster and his Magic Hammer” was published electronically and in paperback in October 2014 by an independent electronic publishing company.
Early Years Shoemaker’s family moved to Chillicothe, Ohio, in 1994 while she was still an infant. She has spent her entire life overcoming challenges that are the result of her developmental disability. Autism was suspected as a potential diagnosis for her from an early age, but she did not receive an official diagnosis for several years. Shoemaker started attending the Pioneer School, a school for special-needs students operated by Ross DD (also known as the Pioneer Center), when she was 5. She transferred to the Chillicothe City School system two years later. Shoemaker was non-verbal prior to age 7, which made many things difficult. Through consistent hard work and dedication, however, she began reading just one year later. In middle school, Shoemaker was a victim of bullying. Instead of letting it weigh
PHOTO COURTESY ROSS DD
DD Artists
Allison Shoemaker, author of “Mr. Rooster and his Magic Hammer,” meets with a guest during a recent book signing and reads to students at the Pioneer Center in late 2014.
Shoemaker under a contract with the Pioneer Center. Dottie has continuously encouraged Shoemaker and is a huge fan of her work and of her as a person. “Allison inspires me, seeing how she overcomes obstacles,” Dottie said. “She just needed a little extra encouragement or validation that her book was indeed good enough. She is so intelligent.”
PHOTO COURTESY ROSS DD
her down, she learned from her experience and, eventually, included the topic of bullying in her book in the hope that doing so could give kids a chance to talk about the issue with their parents and teachers. In Shoemaker’s high school years, she again utilized the services of the Pioneer Center, working with a service and support administrator. Shoemaker graduated from Chillicothe High School in 2013 with honors and was in the top 20 graduates in a class of 250 students. She worked at the Chillicothe Library as a clerk during her senior year, and she is currently studying media arts and cinematography/television at Southern State Community College in Washington Court House, Ohio.
Path to Publication Allison explained that she knew at a very young age that she wanted to write. By the time she was in second grade, she wanted to write a book. Along with writing, she enjoys drawing, which she has practiced from a very young age. Allison not only authored “Mr. Rooster and his Magic Hammer,” she created the illustrations as well. She said her love of drawing and writing come from a passionate desire to express herself. But as certain as Shoemaker has been about writing, she did not always know that “Mr. Rooster” would eventually become a book. In fact, it started as a homework assignment she did while attending Ohio University. Although the assignment was cancelled and
never graded, Shoemaker finished it. The final product was far more than the original assignment called for. “We had to write a short, silly, simple narrative using certain props: a rooster, a hammer, a hook, fireworks, a question mark, and a padlock. I got so into writing it that it turned into a book where I added a lot more stuff and additional characters and settings,” Shoemaker said. “But the professor, right after I got done writing it, cancelled the assignment and I had this story. Good thing the assignment was never graded as I would’ve gotten a low grade on it for breaking the rubric and it would not have become a book.” There are a couple people that stand out in Shoemaker’s mind as mentors and influences throughout the years. These people have helped her not only in her writing but along life’s journey as well. She mentioned a service provider, Dottie Congrove, who helps
Another major influence in Shoemaker’s life is Dr. Temple Grandin, an author, advocate, and animal behavior consultant to the livestock industry who also has autism. Shoemaker had the chance to meet Dr. Grandin on two occasions, and the advocate continues to be a source of encouragement in Shoemaker’s life. Shoemaker has embraced her developmental disability and continues to work through the challenges that is presents in her life. She said that writing can teach a person how to keep going despite life’s obstacles and problems. “Writing a book is like the Earth, it’s always changing and never stops, [it] keeps going,” Shoemaker said. “Keep trying to reach your goals – even if it seems impossible, even if everybody laughs at you, and even if everything seems to be dark. Because when you reach your goals and turn your dreams into reality, you will feel great. If you believe, it can be achieved.” Shoemaker said she is working on several other books, but her main focus now is on finishing her education.
Support the Author “Mr. Rooster and his Magic Hammer” is now available for purchase online at Amazon.com in paper and digital formats. To find a paper copy in Chillicothe, visit Book World at 16 W. Water Steer or check it out at the Ross County Public Library. If you would like to reach author Allison Shoemaker, you can send her an email at Allison@woolyswagon.com.
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News in a Nutshell Auglaize Auglaize DD has hired a new superintendent during one of its regular board meetings last fall. On January 1, Renee Place took the up the position that former Superintendent Al Willis had filled for 15 years. She has returned after serving nine years as an SSA for Auglaize County and two years working at WestCON COG.
Carroll Carroll DD has taken great steps with the Employment First initiative. Employment Specialist Sabrina Seal was successful with four job placements last year. The last time the board was able to place someone in a community job was 2004. Samantha Bennett started her new job as a bus aide for Harcatus Head Start at the Carrollton location in August. Gene Fankhauser was hired as a janitor for Harcatus Head Start in Malvern in September. Becky Easterday and Kendra VanBartheld were hired by Wendy’s at the Carrollton location in November.
Clearwater COG The Clearwater Council of Governments is in its second year of the Community Connections Project facilitated by Pat Carver of Brighton, Michigan (Community Drive, Inc.). The purpose of the project is to create opportunities for people to connect with other people within their communities and form natural bonds and relationships. It stresses that being out in the community is not the same as being in or being a part of the community. This project is important because committed relationships, like friends, are the key to a healthy and safe life. An example of one of the community connections that has been made is a woman in Morrow County who was interested in working with animals. She was given the opportunity to volunteer at a local grooming business and is now assisting the owner. This connection has formed a friendship between the woman and the owner, and she is often called upon to help at the business.
Clinton Clinton DD welcomes Employment First Manager Jan Ferris, who was hired in 2014 to support the Employment First initiative. She has made a positive impact in the county 22
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COMPILED AND EDITED BY ERICH HINER / OACB
thus far by coordinating a presentation to community stakeholders regarding the Employment First initiative, which included the development of a local interagency agreement. Jan has been very busy organizing a two-week job skills camp; presenting to the county commissioners and the mayor of Wilmington; taking part in a proclamation recognizing National Disability Employment Awareness Month; creating the Provider Assistance Network (a collaborative group of local providers who share information with local businesses); coordinating services with OOD; and providing support to school districts, students, and families with transition planning and Employment First updates. This year, Jan will assist in the development of work training sites, continue the recruitment of businesses and other local services, organize summer camps, and assist with student employment.
Coshocton LaTasha Fralin, right, was the first person served by a county board ever to attend an OACB Delegate Assembly at the 31st Annual Convention. She attended as a delegate from Coshocton DD along with Coshocton/Knox DD Superintendent Steve Oster, left.
and their families, and the event was sponsored by Fayette DD. Services included employment opportunities, residential options, habilitation, volunteering, day care, recreation, and many others. Those exhibitors were available throughout the evening to answer questions and present options for available services. Congratulations to all of the people who submitted art for the contest with the majority of those coming from Miami Trace Middle School and Fayette Progressive Industries. Everyone present at the fair had the opportunity to vote for his or her favorite piece, with many talented pieces on display. Pictured is Eddie, the winner of a Kindle Fire, along with his artwork.
Franklin Franklin DD recently sponsored a provider fair with more than 200 providers and 1,000 participants. The fair was held at the Ohio State Fairgrounds. The board also recently hosted a workshop titled “Go Baby Go,� where parents and therapists learned how to inexpensively modify toy cars with battery power and supports to give mobility to young children with disabilities. With mobility, children show gains in cognition, motor and social development, and language.
Gallia
Fayette The Fayette County Provider Fair was held at Fayette Progressive Industries in Washington Court House. The provider fair showcased services available for adults and children with developmental disabilities
Gallia DD is committed to participation in the Good Life training. Two staff members graduated from the project in December. Sharon Jones and Sarah Edwards are excited to share what they are learning with all staff members as they strive to implement the shift in thinking to a more positive and person-centered approach based on respect and personal strengths.
Geauga Geauga DD and Geauga County’s commissioners welcomed DODD Director John Martin for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of four fully renovated homes for individuals with developmental disabilities. The homes, each with six bedrooms, will enable individuals served by the board’s residential program to live more independently. The project to renovate the four houses began in September 2013, and its total cost was $1.5 million. The entire cost will be reimbursed through Medicaid over time due to depreciation. During the ceremony, Martin spoke about his vision for the future of county boards of developmental disabilities in Ohio. This is the first time that a DODD director has visited Geauga DD.
Hamilton Candidates for local and state offices flooded the offices of Hamilton DDS for a chance to speak during the agency’s annual public election forum. The forum was hosted by The Advocacy Leadership Network (ALN) of Hamilton County and featured 18 candidates and 75 audience members. It was the best-attended annual election forum ever for ALN. Candidates included State Rep. Denise Driehaus, Hamilton County Commissioner incumbent Chris Monzel, incumbent Hamilton County Auditor Dusty Rhodes and opponent Mike Mehzer. Representatives for ballot issues and the League of Women Voters also spoke.
Hancock The Findlay Country Club partnered with Blanchard Valley Industries Greenhouse to grow and plant half the flowers at the Country Club. This was a great opportunity for individuals with developmental disabilities to get involved in their community while doing something they love. The Findlay Country Club hosted a lunch celebration at the end of the planting season for the individuals that helped grow and plant the flowers.
The Findlay Country Club also hired Corey Jones, who is served by Hancock DD, to work in the food service department as a dishwasher. The staff at FCC has been very supportive in working to train Corey on his new job. All the staff have made him feel very welcome, and it has been a great transition for Corey. He works three or four evenings a week, and he is still able to play Special Olympics Basketball, which is very important to him. Corey has gained more than a job at the Findlay Country Club. He also has gained some new friends and more confidence in himself. Corey is very proud to drive himself to and from work and to be able to pay for his new car. Hancock DD had more than 100 individuals placed in employment in our community in 2014.
relationships in the community. We plan to announce our new superintendent sometime in 2015.
Huron
Helping Value Individuals Together (HVIT) is a support and advocacy group that is made up of parents, providers, family, and friends of those served at Hocking Valley Industries (HVI). The group plans at least three major events each year. This month, HVIT will host Ashley DeRamus, who is a nationally recognized motivational speaker, clothing designer, singer, athlete, and advocate for individuals who have Down syndrome and other disabilities. She will be coming to Logan for a two-day event. For information, email kcook@hockingdd.org.
Christie Lane Industries in Huron County was recently awarded a $36,000 grant by the Ohio EPA as part of a state-wide glass recycling initiative. Christie Lane has pledged to recycle at least 100 tons of glass in a 12-month period. To reach the goal, Christie Lane Industries waived the $20 fee it usually charges for pickup and offered free glass recycling through February 2015. John Schwartz, director of adult services and facilities at Christie Lane Industries, said part of the grant will be used to purchase a new truck for the recycling effort, and create marketing and educational programs to support glass recycling. Also, Schwartz said he has rented trash bins so citizens can bring glass to be recycled. “This is a great opportunity for us to raise awareness of Christie Lane’s recycling program, but it also benefits our environment,” Schwartz said. Terrie Termeer, assistant chief of the Ohio EPA Red Division, said 90% of the glass used by Ohio consumers goes to landfills. The grant is part of an effort to get recycled glass into the hands of Ohio companies that need it for manufacturing.
Holmes
Lake
All are welcome at the Spring Festival on May 9 at the Holmes County Training Center. The festival is a great place to find a Mother’s Day gift (see our video at www. holmesdd.org). Holmes DD is thankful that our community renewed our five-year levy and their investment in services to people with developmental disabilities. In other news, Holmes DD will be hiring a new superintendent in 2015. We are looking for someone who wants to be a leader and appreciates rural Ohio. Candidates should also want to learn about Amish culture, be part of Imagine, and help take a leading role in making Holmes DD a even more person-centered agency with interagency
The Special Olympics (SO) Training Center located at Broadmoor School held an open house for everyone to see the great facility. The training center was funded by the
Hocking
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News in a Nutshell Mentor Rotary, which also remodeled the rooms. During the dedication ceremony, SO coordinator Chris Bundy was so thankful for the room because now they will never have to cancel a practice. Regardless of the weather, athletes can train all year for their chosen events. Individuals from the board’s residential program, meanwhile, have been volunteering with the Lake County Council on Aging to provide lawn care services at homes of county seniors who are home-bound.
Licking Licking DD joined forces with OhioMeansJobs to host a breakfast for local employers. Licking DD Superintendent Nancy Neely spoke during the event, saying that having fulfilling work is part of the dreams of all people – including those with developmental disabilities. Cheri Hottinger, president and CEO of the Licking County Chamber of Commerce, spoke about Grow Licking County, an organization focused on attracting companies and helping current companies expand. Jon Hackathorn, business relations manager from Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, spoke of the benefits to employers of hiring people who have disabilities. Windy Murphy, business services supervisor for OhioMeansJobs, concluded the event by talking about resources available for employers, including connecting qualified applicants with available jobs and offering employer incentives available through her agency.
highlighted a need for additional work-related programs, community-based employment, and more opportunities in sheltered employment. A team of leaders has now developed a new strategic plan that balances the needs revealed in the survey and emerging trends in our field. The plan is centered on the belief that every person adds value to the community. Logan DD is exploring ways to implement the community’s suggestions for the future.
Madison Madison DD is pleased to announce the successful placement of John Zeeck, a person served, in his first job in the community. A 2014 graduate of London High School, John is now part of the janitorial staff at the Madison County Courthouse. John is also a participant in Bridges to Transition and Madison DD’s Pathways to Employment program. According to MCBDD Community Inclusion Manager Jennifer Coleman, the board was approached by people at the courthouse with the employment opportunity. Coleman contacted Capabilities, Inc. to find a good job match. Capabilities worked with Madison DD to set up the job opportunity for John. “This is a complete win-win situation,” Madison County Municipal Court Judge Eric Schooley said. “The county wins, but, most of all, John benefits.” In other news, Madison DD has been awarded a four-year accreditation by the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities.
Mahoning Logan Logan DD is pleased to report an overwhelmingly positive response to the board’s community survey that was conducted last year. Logan DD received many positive comments and expressions of support for the services provided by the board, the Discovery Center, and RTC. The surveys showed interest in community employment, sheltered employment, and autism-related services. The responses
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Mahoning DD has become part of a program to help needy kids from going hungry at home. The Big Reach Center for Hope’s Food for Thought program in Greenford is assisting 15 at-risk students at Mahoning DD’s Leonard Kirtz School to achieve a healthier lifestyle. Participating students were identified by teachers and staff to receive a backpack filled with easily prepared foods every Friday for weekends away from the school’s meal programs. Research has suggested that students who receive
better nutrition over the weekend are more prepared for school on Monday and feel better throughout the week. The backpacks are filled with granola bars, instant oatmeal packages, soup, apple sauce cups, juice boxes, crackers, and fruit cups to provide a little extra help over the weekend. The Big Reach Center prepares bags of food for nearly 125 children throughout the Mahoning Valley and surrounding area and delivers them to local schools. Each bag contains nearly $10 worth of nutritional foods for healthier minds and bodies.
Marion Marion DD dedicated the gymnasium at its Harding Highway East facility to the memory of Ruth Ebersole, one of Marion County’s earliest and staunchest supporters of individuals with developmental disabilities. When the first school for children with developmental disabilities was started in Marion County in 1953, Ebersole’s 1941 Packard served as the “school bus.” Each morning, Ebersole drove the Packard through the streets of Marion to round up the teacher and nine of the children in the class, which was located in the county children’s home. Ebersole was a volunteer at the school and, at various times, served as president, treasurer, and secretary of the MARCA Council, a parents’ organization that held fundraisers and supported the school. “Marion County was fortunate to have had Ruth as an advocate for people with developmental disabilities,” said Marion DD Superintendent Cheryl Plaster. “Naming the gymnasium in her honor is a fitting tribute to her years of dedicated service.”
Medina Medina DD – along with more than twenty-two area school district officials, agencies representatives, and state and local officials – recently gathered at the Medina DD Achievement Center to sign a local interagency agreement for the transitioning of Medina County students with disabilities into the workforce. The goal of the county-wide interagency agreement is to have school districts, agencies, and organizations work together so students
Morgan
leaving school have an education plan or community employment plan in place so they can enjoy the positive benefits of future employment. “This day, we will be well on our way to taking a huge step toward our goal of employment first — making employment the preferred outcome of all individuals, whether they have a disability or not,” said Medina DD Superintendent Annette Davis-Kramp. The agreement is the result of the a multi-agency team in Medina County that first met in January 2014. The team quickly found the need for improved coordination and communication among agencies and organizations.
Miami Miami DD, better known in its community as Riverside, recently coordinated a very special opportunity for a person served by the organization. Megan Nicholl, 27, who enjoys taking pictures, was the event photographer for the Miami County Harvest Moon and Balloon Festival. Armed with her trusty camera and a press pass, Megan snapped dozens of photos throughout the three-day event. Megan was featured in the Piqua Daily Call and Troy Daily News for her work, which will be used for promotional purposes by the Miami County Visitors and Convention Bureau. In other news, Miami DD changed its name in January to better reflect its mission to the public. The board will henceforth be known as Riverside Developmental Disabilities.
Morgan DD would like to congratulate Chad Wise on the six-month anniversary of his career at Boondocks Restaurant. Boondocks owner Maria Burdette said Chad is very devoted and shows pride in his work. Chad has made a great impact on their team, and Maria reports that his work ethic is contagious. Chad’s co-workers routinely check their work against his because he never leaves any task incomplete. Chad received this opportunity with assistance from Employment First of Morgan County. In other board news, Wendy Gorrell, Morgan DD’s new superintendent, started on January 1. She took the spot vacated by Mary Ann Chamberlain, who retired in December.
Ottawa Andy Wells, a person served by Ottawa DD, and Sean Allison, a person served by Seneca DD, have perfected their presentation skills and joined the Project STIR effort to educate others about the Employment First initiative. Andy, Sean, and their support coaches Amy Cantu and Heather Geary (from Ottawa DD and Seneca DD, respectively) have presented in Seneca, Geauga, and Stark counties. The presentations focused on various topics, including the importance of knowing your likes and dislikes when looking for a job, understanding your rights and responsibilities on the job, and learning how attendees should concentrate on their strengths and be aware of their weaknesses. Andy and Sean also demonstrated the Project STIR Spiral model so attendees could learn how they can solve problems they may encounter on the job.
The service and support administrators at Paulding DD work diligently to assist individuals in their quest for community employment, which ultimately supports their social, communication, and time-management skills. Each individual has reported how excited they are to be earning their own money, making new friends, learning new skills, and experiencing a new level of independence. There are more jobs being explored around the county, and the Paulding DD staffers hope to fill these jobs with eager individuals as soon as possible.
Perry Perry DD held its second annual “Together We Can” appreciation dinner to recognize individuals, businesses, and organizations that promote the concept of community inclusion for people with developmental disabilities. More than 230 guests attended. Perry DD Superintendent David Couch thanked the community for its support of people with developmental disabilities. Five awards were presented to members of the community who in one way or another have played an important role in the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities. The awards were given for advocacy, commitment, collaboration, volunteerism, and business partnership.
Pike Pike DD honored Dr. Roger Kemper with a plaque for his dedication to the program. Dr. Kemper has spent 42 years making a difference in the lives of the individuals served by Pike DD. He was and continues to be instrumental in all aspects of programming. In 1976, he was a key player in the opening of Pike DD’s first classroom. He and others recognized the deficit in Pike County to provide much-needed services to school-age students. Pike DD’s preschool programming began in 1997, and the board’s early intervention program was expanded that same year. Dr. Kemper facilitated the development. He never lost sight of his long-term vision to provide high-quality services to the adults and children in the
Paulding Paulding DD has recently experienced spectacular results with the utilization of the State of Ohio’s Employment First program. As of last fall, 9% of individuals served in Paulding County have been assisted with obtaining employment in the community. DD Advocate Magazine
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News in a Nutshell program. During his decades of service, Dr. Kemper was more than a leader and advocate – he was a friend. He continues to be an inspiration and guiding force in the improvement of programs.
Richland Richland Newhope Industries, Inc. (RNI) saluted 133 area employers during Disability Employment Awareness Month. Businesses that employ individuals from Richland Newhope’s adult services program and companies that contract with RNI were recognized during a breakfast that was attended by almost 300 people. The Waterford, a Capital Senior Living community that employs three people served by Richland Newhope, was honored as the 2014 community employer of the year. Galion, LLC was recognized as the 2014 industrial employer of the year. It has contracted with RNI for various work since 1985. The community-based 2014 employee of the year is Mark Majors of Mansfield. Majors works at Wal-Mart. Since he began in 2010, he has advanced from stocking shelves to his current position of cashier. Richland Newhope Industries’ facility-based 2014 employees of the year are Dan Davies and Justin Rose, both of Mansfield. Richland Newhope also wishes to announce that Richland DD Superintendent Elizabeth “Liz” Prather has been named the interim superintendent for Crawford DD. Prather will lead both agencies for six months.
Ross Ross DD took Noah Hiles, a student from an auxiliary class at Chillicothe High School, down to Chillicothe’s radio station to tour the building after learning of his interest in working for a radio 26
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station. Noah’s big morning finished with his first-ever radio interview. He was accompanied by his classroom aide and Ross DD’s Communications Director Patrick McFadden, who took the opportunity to speak about Disability Employment Awareness Month and local efforts surrounding community employment and vocational training.
Sandusky In 2014, Sandco Industries celebrated its 50th anniversary. Sandco was incorporated in 1964 as a business and has had the privilege of serving the community and especially individuals served by Sandusky DD. Sandco celebrated these great years with a week full of fun activities. The four days of celebration included T-shirts with Sandco’s new logo, years-of-service certificates, a slideshow of pictures from then and now, visits from vendors, a balloon launch, and a cookout with foods grilled by our staff. Sandco went from a small school to a production facility that parents and advocates decided to build on to for the adults to experience a work environment. The Whirlpool Corporation has partnered with Sandco longer than any other company, having first partnered with the organization in the 1960s. Whirlpool has provided people served with many manufacturing opportunities throughout the years. Sandco continues to grow by supporting local businesses as well as enhancing services to improve the lives of people served.
Scioto Scioto DD held its third annual Falloween Carnival in October. The event has been held to provide another means for the community to learn more about the services provided as well as serve as fundraiser for Vern Riffe School’s annual prom and graduation ceremonies. Community members also volunteer and donate their time and amenities such as inflatables, refreshments, and games. What started as a small idea to fund school activities has grown into a successful community event
with more than 500 in attendance at last fall’s event. More than $1,500 was raised in less than two hours.
Seneca Seneca Re-Ads celebrated the 30th anniversary of its partnership with the Roppe Corporation with a luncheon and tour of the facility. In attendance were representatives from the Ohio governor’s office and lieutenant governor’s office, a recently elected state representative, the mayor of Fostoria, the head of Fostoria’s economic development committee, and, of course, Re-Ad employees and Seneca County staff. Roppe/Re-Ad is the single-source of all sales samples used by Roppe sales representatives nationwide, and they distribute over 24 million samples per year. This partnership is a win-win for both partners.
Shelby The Community First Department of Shelby DD began holding a citizenship class last fall. The classes focused on how to be a good citizen by learning how to vote, where to vote, and how to find local government resources. During one class, Officer Matt Dembski of the Sidney City Police Department showed off his cruiser and talked to the individuals of the Community First Citizenship class about his job. That week’s lesson dealt with citizenship and involved a discussion about 911, how and when to report a crime, and important cell phone and computer safety rules. Shelby DD also ran a series of classes on local advocacy that started in mid-November, and those classes focused on learning about rights and responsibilities, setting and expressing personal goals, and developing leadership skills.
Summit Summit DD recently launched its new website, which is filled with resources for families and the community, including an interactive Quick Start Guide, success stories, an interactive timeline of the
agency’s history, and a dynamic events calendar. The new site can be viewed by visiting at www.summitdd.org. Summit DD would also like to congratulate employees LaRae Caul, Tamika Green, Patty Nixon, Peggy Gates, Diamon Perry, Emily Martinez and Brooke Wisniewski – all of whom completed their 20-week Good Life Network training. The training will allow them to provide even better service to those supported by the board. The team, who calls themselves “Bringing Happy Back x2,” has also had the opportunity to present to staff on several occasions and plans to continue the Good Life training at Summit DD.
scheduled out of the office. She assists by answering phones, greeting visitors, filing paperwork, and typing documents. Ali is very helpful and is truly a valued part of the Support Services office.
Trumbull
Warren
The Trumbull DD adult services program recently started a local chapter of the Next Chapter Book Club (NCBC). Trumbull DD board member Larry Connelly heard about the book club and urged the board to get involved. The book club is a program through the Ohio State University Nisonger Center. Four people went to the Nisonger Center for training to become an official Next Chapter Book Club affiliate in Trumbull County. NCBC members improve literacy skills, make friends, take part in the community, and have a lot of fun doing it! The local book club has nine members and two facilitators who gather at Panera Bread in Niles once a week. One story that was read, “Road Trip,” inspired the club members to start planning an actual road trip to meet another book club in a neighboring county.
Members of Voices Speaking Out, Warren DD’s self-advocacy group, enjoyed attending a public transit forum to provide their input on transportation needs of those with disabilities. The forum, held in Lebanon by the Ohio Department of Transportation, was one of five regional stakeholders’ meetings to gather public input on statewide transportation needs. Rachel Rice, a member of Voices Speaking Out, expressed her concerns about the lack of service or options available to those with disabilities. Woody White, another member of Voices Speaking Out, also attended the forum and listened intently to the discussions. Woody, who is blind, seeks to live as independently as possible and would utilize a system that allowed him to travel alone.
“We made the
right decision. With support,
our lives are better.”
Tuscarawas A new program from Tuscarawas DD - PACE U (Personal Achievement and Community Employment) - is designed to serve young adults who have graduated from high school in the past few years and are ready to work in the community. The first PACE U program began in September 2014 and will continue for three 10-week-long worksite rotations at three stores in the New Town Mall – Elder Beerman, JoAnne Fabrics, and Marshall’s.
Union Originally served through WorkNet, the community employment division of Union DD, Ali Greenbaum now works for Support Services as a substitute receptionist. Since beginning her employment in the spring of 2014, she has been increasing her hours on a monthly basis. She has become a huge asset to the service consultants as she covers the front office while support services staffers are in meetings or
Andrew moved back home to care for his brother. He relies on the professional and financial support of Caregiver Homes to make caregiving at home in his community possible.
Caregiver Homes helps individuals with disabilities and elders enjoy a high quality of life at home and in the community. • Pays & trains a full-time, live-in caregiver • Provides professional support from a care team including a registered nurse • Helps you find & access all necessary services
Wyandot Wyandot County is pleased to announce that our Special Olympics Flag Football team captured second place in the Mid-Ohio Flag Football League Tournament in London, Ohio. Madison County Special Olympics was an excellent host of the tournament.
For more information, call
866.797.2333 or visit our website. www.caregiverhomes.com 1567_BrothersAd_2.5x9.5_4C.indd 1
DD Advocate Magazine
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3/20/15 5:03 PM
Words of Wisdom Bob Morgan will retire in May after serving
Bob Morgan
more than 30 years as the superintendent of
SUPERINTENDENT
here in his signature red suit.
the Delaware County Board of DD. We recently asked him to reflect on his many years in the DD support services field and the lessons he has learned along the way. Ten of his responses are below. Bob has been known for years in Delaware County for playing Santa Claus at the board’s holiday functions, and he is pictured
DELAWARE COUNTY BOARD OF DD
PHOTO BY ADAM HERMAN
We can all make an impact in the lives of people by raising expectations and encouraging ambition.
I have no career regrets so far. I hope that retirement is not my first. Success is helping others exceed their own expectations.
MODESTY IS OVERRATED. THE BEST WAY TO CHANGE OPINIONS IS WITH DATA… AND PERSISTENCE. We are failing people if we attempt to regulate a good life.
28
Issue 6 - April 2015
Being a superintendent is like being Santa Claus. Everyone else does all the work and you get all the credit! There are no failures if you or others learn from your mistakes.
The worst fault of a leader is not delegating. DISHONESTY MAKES ME ANGRY.
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DD Advocate Magazine
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