PERSPECTIVES WINTER 2016
Wyrick family works to build new home with help from Habitat for Humanity What’s Inside From the Superintendent PAGE 2
DCBDD hosts Business Before Hours STABLE accounts PAGE 3
DCBDD unveils strategic plan PAGE 4
DCBDD updates
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Spotlight on success PAGE 6
Employment First PAGE 7
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his past September, the Wyrick family and their friends worked to build the walls of the Wyricks’ new home through Habitat for Humanity.
Karianne currently lives in a small three bedroom apartment with her two active sons—Robbie, who is thirteen and Ryan, who is eleven. Both boys are served by DCBDD. Michael, Karianne’s oldest son, graduated from high school in 2015 and no longer lives at home. Expenses in Karianne’s apartment are very high, and cause the family to be cost-burdened. Karianne is looking forward to an affordable Habitat mortgage payment that allows her to be in the same neighborhood as her son Michael. She is thankful that the Habitat home is energy efficient and should lower her utility bills. Karianne is employed in the Delaware community and works as a crew trainer in the fast food industry. Robbie and Ryan attend school in Delaware. Ryan looks forward to setting up his dinosaur habitat in his own room. Robbie looks forward to being able to have quiet time in his own room to focus on his favorite hobby, solving puzzles. Karianne has promised the boys a kitten, and that is what they are most looking forward to!
continued on page two
2 FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT
As 2016 quickly comes to an end, we reflect on the year and the look toward changes 2017 will bring.
On December 31st, two beloved board members’ terms will expire. Patty Lyons and Stephen Finney have served our board with dedication for many years. Their exemplary commitment to advocating for the people we serve has been evident in all that they have done. Their work as board members has had a positive and direct impact on our community, and our appreciation cannot be captured in words. While we are sad to see them go, their legacy will be honored as we move forward.
As we bid farewell to Patty and Stephen, we welcome our two new board members, Tracie Davies Toot and Howard Heffelfinger, and are excited about partnering with them to support the people we serve. Tracie is a Genoa Township resident, and the Director of the Public Utilities Department for the City of Columbus. She is a member of the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission’s executive committee and the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio Board. Howard is a Sunbury resident and a retired human resources management executive. He worked extensively with county and municipal governments during his career. He also serves as a current member of the Northstar New Community Authority. We are thrilled to have them join our board and help us achieve great outcomes for our community. In this edition of Perspectives, you will read about our 2017-2019 agency strategic plan. We are very excited to share with you our goals and the work that went into developing them. Creating this document required a lot of reflection on where we are as an agency and where we want to be in the future. We received invaluable feedback through surveys and focus groups with key stakeholders such as individuals and families we serve, staff members, community leaders, and community members. I am so appreciative and overwhelmed by the continued support that we receive from Delaware County – not only in passing levies, but truly being involved in building a better, more inclusive community. We look forward, with a renewed focus, on how we can impact the Delaware County community positively for people of all abilities.
Those who know me, know that late fall is my favorite time of the year. I truly look forward to time spent with family, friends, and coworkers discussing what we are thankful for. This year has been no exception. I am so thankful to the people we serve, who bring so much to our community; to my wonderful, hardworking staff members that dedicate themselves to bettering our community; to Delaware County residents for continuously providing support to our organization and making our county the best place to live, work, and play in the state; and to our legislators for their commitment to advocating for people with developmental disabilities. I look forward to continuing our partnership and seeing the innovative and great things we will do for Delaware County. continued from page one
Habitat for Humanity homes are sold to approved applicants at fair market value with zero-interest mortgages. Applicants must put in 300 “sweat equity” hours by attending home buyer education classes, volunteering on the construction of their home or other Habitat homes, and participating in other Habitat program activities. With the support of many members of the Liberty Presbyterian Church, friends, and eight DCBDD staff members and their families the Wyrick family earned 100 hours of “sweat equity” toward their new home in September. Karianne stated that the Habitat homeownership opportunity will allow her to provide so much more for her boys. Habitat homeownership is her dream come true!
Habitat for Humanity has been serving Delaware County families since 1989 and has helped more than 49 families into homeownership. We are so happy for the Wyrick family and wish them the best as they move into their new home.
3 DCBDD UPDATES
DCBDD hosts “Business Before Hours” DCBDD hosted the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce’s Business Before Hours event in October to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month. More than 20 area businesspeople came to DCBDD’s building to learn about hiring people with developmental disabilities and why full inclusion is vital to Delaware County. Attendees were able to network with DCBDD employees and hear successful employment stories about our community members. DCBDD Superintendent Kristine Hodge also gave a presentation about Disability Employment Awareness Month and the benefits to hiring people with DD.
“Many employers in our county are finding great success in hiring people with developmental disabilities. Employees with disabilities bring unique skills, perspectives, and work ethics to the workforce and enhance products and services. DCBDD is committed to working with community businesses to increase the number of employees with disabilities in competitive, integrated employment in our county,” said Hodge. Thank you to everyone who attended the Business Before Hours event! We look forward to speaking with you again soon.
STABLE accounts made available in Ohio Since June 1, 2016, Ohioans have been able to open STABLE investment accounts, which allow participants to save and invest money to pay for disability-related expenses. These expenses include basic living expenses, housing, transportation, assistive technology, employment training, education, health and wellness, financial management, and legal fees.
Ohio is one of the first states to offer a program like STABLE accounts. STABLE Accounts have some similar features to normal bank accounts, but they are not checking or savings accounts. STABLE Accounts are investment accounts, similar to 529 college savings accounts or 401(k) retirement accounts. When participants deposit money into their STABLE Account, their money will be invested. While participants can still withdraw and spend money
whenever it’s needed, a STABLE Account also allows participants to grow their money and to save long-term for disability expenses.
Participants can choose from five investment options, including four mutual fund based options and a FDIC-insured saving option, and can contribute up to $14,000 a year to the accounts, which are limited to balances of $426,000. Investment earnings are tax-free when used to pay for qualified expenses, and STABLE funds do not count as an asset to determine eligibility for benefits programs such as Medicaid. To learn more about STABLE accounts, or to sign up, visit www.stableaccount.com.
4 DCBDD UPDATES
DCBDD unveils 2017-2019 agency strategic plan
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n early 2016, DCBDD began working on the agency’s next strategic plan, a three year guide to the organization’s future. We are excited to announce that the plan passed board approval at the November board meeting and that DCBDD will begin implementation in January 2017.
Mel Marsh, founder and principal of Acorn Consulting Group, assisted in creating a thorough assessment by leading focus groups and surveys. DCBDD received feedback from nearly 450 stakeholders, including people we serve, their families, staff members, providers, and community members, to identify the needs of the organization and priorities for the future. This feedback steered the creation of the strategic plan.
After receiving the information gathered during the assessment, we realigned our organization’s focus with our priorities for the future. As such, we are excited to announce
our new mission, vision, and values.
We also drafted six strategic goals providing clear focus areas then defined objectives that would enable the organization to achieve the outcomes in the strategic plan.
We will work to achieve these goals over the next three years and update the community of our progress annually. We are so appreciative of the community input we received and take very seriously our responsibilities to the people we serve. At the beginning of 2017, we will host a community gathering to introduce our strategic plan further. More information will be forthcoming on DCBDD’s website. To see DCBDD’s strategic plan in its entirety, visit www.dcbdd.org.
Mission: To inspire, empower, and support people to achieve their full potential. Vision: All people lead personally fulfilling lives. Values: Equality • Self-determination • Collaboration • Accountability
STRATEGIC GOALS Strengthen community inclusion opportunities, supports, and success.
1 Strengthen providers' ability to meet the needs of persons with DD.
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Increase community employment success.
Educate and support individuals and family members.
2 Strengthen person-centered thinking throughout the agency.
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3 Continuously improve internal operations.
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Mattt Bale recognized by Village of Sunbury Congratulations to Matthew Bale, a 38-year-old, Sunbury resident, for being recognized by the Village of Sunbury at the community’s bicentennial celebration. Matt was honored for his service as the football equipment manager and overall enthusiasm for Big Walnut Schools and the Sunbury community.
Matt switched to Big Walnut Middle School after expressing a desire to be with his friends from church and little league baseball. From his first day in school, the entire Big Walnut Middle School community embraced him and provided him with endless support and encouragement.
In eighth grade, a meeting was announced for all students who wanted to join the football team. Matt attended the meeting and asked if he could be the equipment manager. He has been the equipment manager ever since – through 24 seasons! In addition to working as the equipment manager for the football team, Matt has worked for 16 years part-time in the kitchen at Otterbein University Campus Center. He loves the Ohio State Buckeyes and attending car shows with his dad. Congratulations for the well-deserved honor Matt! We are so proud of you!
5 DCBDD UPDATES
DCBDD DCBDD requests staff member nominations for inducted Lifetime of Giving into DCS Hall of Fame DCBDD is requesting nominations to DCBDD proudly celebrates Deborah Schooley, DCBDD Service and Support Administrator, for being inducted into the Delaware City Schools Hall of Fame this year for her school accomplishments and her work with individuals with developmental disabilities.
In high school, Deb received 11 varsity letters and awards for sports and was MVP and OCC All Conference several times. In addition to sports, Deb was in marching band, jazz band, and pep band. She was also the first female at Delaware Hayes to complete four years of FFA, a student organization that is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of young people. After high school, Deb attended The Ohio State University, where she played basketball and earned a degree in education. She was a job coach supervisor to 60 job coaches in 11 counties who provided opportunities to individuals with disabilities. She was also an adjunct faculty member at Columbus State Community College. For the past 19 years, Deb has been a support administrator for DCBDD, assisting children and their families to increase independence and remove barriers in the home and community. She is a passionate and dedicated advocate for people with disabilities and DCBDD is lucky to have her. Congratulations to Deb for the honor – she deserves it!
recognize outstanding community members and service professionals who support people with developmental disabilities for its annual Lifetime of Giving Awards. Nominations can be submitted in three categories: 1. Kathy VanBuskirk Outstanding Direct Support Professional Service Award 2. The Nancy Richards Self-Advocate Award 3. Other Community members can fill out the nomination form by going to www.dcbdd. org and submitting the completed form to lifetimeofgiving@dcbdd.org, or by calling Lisa Fowler at 740.201.5886. Nominations are due by January 13, 2017. The Lifetime of Giving Award ceremony will take place on Wednesday, March 1, 2017, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Willow Brook (100 Delaware Crossing W., Delaware, OH). There will be a Disability Awareness Month kick-off event immediately following the awards.
6 SPOTLIGHT ON SUCCESS
Gestin finds success with horseback riding Gestin Delelles started riding horses when he was only five-years-old! By nine, he was participating in shows including the Delaware County Fair and winning many awards. Now, at almost 13 years-old, Gestin still enjoys showing his horses and participating in competitions. Starting with simple classes, Gestin has progressed into challenging classes and jumping classes. The memorization required for the classes helps Gestin in his home life by teaching him how to process his thoughts quickly. The jumping that he does with the horses is great for his cognitive needs because he has to memorize the different patterns. His favorite part of riding is riding on the long trails through the woods. He loves running the trails and just having fun. He has no fear with the horses! In addition to his accomplishments at shows, Gestin was featured as dude of the issue in Young Rider Magazine. He also volunteers at a stable in the summer, helping with a camp they have for younger children. We are so happy that Gestin found his passion for horseback riding and that he continues to find success!
Brian achieves longtime goal of purchasing camper Brian Elzinga is one happy camper! He recently achieved a longtime goal of purchasing a camper with money he had saved up from working. The Elzinga family spends every weekend camping between spring and summer at Berkshire Lake Campground, so Brian’s camper will get a lot of use. “Brian has been working as a janitor at Oakstone Academy for the last couple years and saved $6,000 for a camper,” said Janice Elzinga, Brian’s mom. Brian started working at Oakstone as an unpaid intern when he was a junior in high school there. He really enjoyed the work, so he approached the principal and asked to become a paid employee. After the principal spoke with the school’s superintendent, Brian filled out an application and interviewed for the job. He was hired on the spot. Brian loves his job and is very proud to be a staff member of the school. While saving for the camper, Brian resisted the urge to spend his money on video games and DVDs – which was really hard for him, but worth it in the end. Brian’s dad, Tony, helped Brian look at different types of campers to find the right one. In addition to purchasing the camper, Brian paid for a year’s worth of rent to have a piece of land to himself. It is next to his parent’s spot, so it is safe, but still his own. “Tony and I think Brian is amazing,” Janice said. “He has worked so hard for this.” Congratulations to Brian on his purchase! We are happy that he will get to enjoy his independence while still spending time with his family doing something they love!
7 EMPLOYMENT FIRST
Jordan finds joy working at local eatery Jordan Higgins has enjoyed working at Local Roots, a locally-sourced eatery in Powell, for the past year. He has a variety of tasks there including washing dishes, filling the condiment containers, and prepping food. “I like doing the dishes and filling the salt and pepper,” Jordan said.
Jordan gets along well with his co-workers and can name each person and their job at the restaurant. He works there five days a week.
Embracing Autism, a provider agency that works with individuals with disabilities, helped Jordan set up a work trial at Local Roots in May of 2015. He did a great job, and a month later he was hired as an employee.
Jessi Iams, the owner of Local Roots, said, “Jordan brings us great joy and pleasure. He has reminded the Local Roots team to laugh, be patient, and to be kind to each other. Everyone who enters the kitchen is greeted with a big smile and hello from Jordan.”
Outside of work, Jordan enjoys playing Angry Birds and Candy Crush on his iPad, watching Disney shows and listening and singing along to music. If you ever get stuck on a level in Candy Crush, Jordan is always willing to help out! We are proud that Jordan has found employment that is meaningful to him and brings him joy!
8 DCBDD UPDATES
New faces around DCBDD
Betty Belczak started full time with DCBDD in July as the HMG Central Intake Coordinator. She has over 30 years of direct service and administrative experience in the DD field. Betty received her bachelor’s degree in child development and master’s degree in educational administration from The Ohio State University.
Jessica Chapman started with DCBDD in August as a Transition Support Administrator. She has six years of experience as a Support Administrator with many years of experience in the mental health and DD field. She graduated from Heidelberg College with a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus on mental health.
Elicia Dumolt joined DCBDD as an Adult Support Administrator in June. Elicia interned with DCBDD for about a year in 2013 while getting her master’s degree in social work from The Ohio State University. Elicia previously worked for Delaware County for more than six years in the social service field.
Nikki Hoffman joined the Fiscal Support Team in August. She has more than 12 years of experience working in a fiscal support role. Nikki attended The Ohio State University where she majored in social work. In her spare time, Nikki is an active volunteer with many local organizations in Delaware County. Jessi Hope came to DCBDD in June as an Adult Support Administrator. She has more than three years of experience, including work with a provider agency and county board. Jessi received her undergraduate degree from Ohio University and a master’s degree in education from Wright State University.
Mindy Mauk joined DCBDD in August as a Family Support Administrator. She has over nine years of experience working in the administrative, clinical healthcare and human services fields. Her previous working with children is helpful in her current role. Mindy recieved her bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration from Kent State University. Stacey Robinson started with DCBDD in August as a Family Support Administrator. She has two years of experience working in the developmental disability field in Franklin County. Stacey attended Shawnee State University for her undergraduate degree and is currently working on her master’s degree from Grand Canyon University.
Delaware County Board of Developmental Disabilities 7991 Columbus Pike Lewis Center, OH 43035 (740) 201-3600 www.dcbdd.org
If you have employment or success stories about the individuals we serve that you’d like to feature in an upcoming DCBDD newsletter, please email them to Brittany.McClaskey@dcbdd.org.