Delaware County Board of Developmental Disabilities
PERSPECTIVES SPRING 2016
DCBDD presents Lifetime of Giving Awards at annual ceremony What’s Inside From the superintendent Racers place third in state PAGE 2
Spotlight on success Boy Scouts learn DD Awareness PAGE 4
Staff member gives back PAGE 5
Employment stories PAGE 6
New faces at DCBDD PAGE 8
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CBDD proudly presented its annual Lifetime of Giving Awards in early March at All Shepherds Church as part of its March Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month celebration. The agency handed out awards in nine categories and recognized 18 nominees including self-advocates, providers, and community partners.
“It is so important that we take the time to recognize those individuals and community members who make a difference in the lives of others. We are incredibly lucky to live in a community that is so inclusive to those with disabilities, and we are excited to continue to recognize self-advocates and community members with these awards,” said Kristine Hodge, superintendent of DCBDD. The 2015 Lifetime of Giving Award recipients include:
Jessi Russell – Nancy Richards Self-Advocate of the Year Award Jessi is an active member of Self-Advocates of Delaware County, currently serving as President, and is a Project STIR trainer. Due to these roles, Jessi travels all over Ohio for training and speaking engagements where she advocates for herself and others and provides other individuals with tools to advocate for themselves.
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It has been a busy start to 2016 for DCBDD, and when reflecting, the word “grateful” comes to mind. Not only did we celebrate Developmental Disability Awareness Month in March with our Lifetime of Giving Awards, but we were also on the March 15th ballot to renew our 2.1 mill levy. This levy represented two-thirds of our organization’s budget and allows us to serve more than 2,500 individuals in Delaware County. Thanks to the hard work of the individuals we serve, their families, community providers, DCBDD staff, and the residents of Delaware County, we passed the levy at an astonishing rate. We are so thankful for the support we have continued to receive from the community. Our staff members are incredibly passionate about the work we do – supporting individuals with developmental disabilities so that they can achieve full inclusion to live, learn play, work, and participate in their communities. It is inspiring to know that Delaware County residents support our mission as well.
To kick off Developmental Disability Awareness Month, DCBDD hosted its annual Lifetime of Giving Awards. During this ceremony, we recognize those who make a difference in the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities. It is a way for us to say thank you and to share some of the amazing stories we hear every day. This year, DCBDD was honored to have State Representative Andrew Brenner speak at the awards. His message of service above self is one that we strive to practice in our organization, and one that we see embodied by self-advocates and providers daily. It really put into perspective the strong community that we have in Delaware County. We are so lucky to live in a community that truly cares about each other, and is willing to help others. This feeling of immense gratitude will stay with us as we continue with the rest of the year. There are a lot of great things coming up for our community, and we are excited to see what the rest of 2016 holds. As we look ahead, it’s important to remember that change is constant in life. So it’s no surprise that the field of developmental disabilities is seeing significant change across the state in multiple areas of the field, including adult day service programs, community inclusion, integrated services, and Early Intervention. Those of us advocating on behalf of and alongside those with developmental disabilities may have varying beliefs about what is best for the field, but it’s important that we continue to support each other as we adapt to new rule and law changes. At the end of the day, we all want the same thing – to do what is best for the individuals and families of those with developmental disabilities. Thank you for your continued passion to support the individuals we serve.
Racers place third in state at basketball tournament The Racers school age basketball team placed third in the Special Olympics Ohio State Basketball Tournament on March 19, in Hilliard at Heritage and Memorial Middle Schools. More than 600 athletes from all over Ohio participated. The Racers competed against seven teams in the tournament to make it to the quarterfinals.
The team included Jarrod House, Manuel Hurley, Chris Maguire, Zachary Pugh, Jason Ratti, Johnathen Schmotzer, Alex Smith, Ken Brower, Bailey Graham, and Josh Hooks. Mel House, Kent Hurley, and Jamie Hooks coached the team. Congratulations, Racers!
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Leah Norris – Outstanding Volunteer Award Leah helps with Special Olympics and inspires the athletes she coaches. She can also communicate using sign-language and makes sure everyone feels included. She was nominated for her passion, empathy, reliability, work ethic, and caring nature. Bailey Elementary Preschool Team (Dublin) – Outstanding Team Award The Bailey Elementary Preschool Team consists of Kellie Axelband, Kim Atherton, Madeline Smith, and Debbie Gaverick. They were nominated for their consideration of the needs of the “whole-child” and for the work that they do advocating in both the school and community to make sure each child is loved, cared for, respected, and afforded opportunities to reach their full potential. Rita Treese – Outstanding Teacher Award Rita was nominated for her collective work over the past 30 years. She is a transition specialist for Olentangy Local Schools and a volunteer for Special Olympics. Her dedication to the special needs community is extremely evident to those who know her.
Nickolas McCoy – Outstanding Community Partner Award Nick received two nominations for the Outstanding Community Partner Award. He is an attorney who serves as guardian for several people served by DCBDD. His nominations say that he goes above and beyond the legal requirements of a guardian, acting as an advocate, friend, advisor, and family member. Nick takes much of his personal time to make sure that the needs of the individuals he serves are met. Megan Tice – Outstanding Advocate Award Megan created a video that went viral about treating every person with respect and love, regardless of any special needs they may have. She spoke with great conviction about the strength of her sister Julia and all people with disabilities.
Kerry Lane – Outstanding Adult Day Service Support Specialist Award Kerry was nominated by one of the individuals she serves because of her dedication. The nominator said that Kerry makes a huge difference in her life and has become much more independent because of her.
Goodwill - Delaware – Outstanding Community Employer Award The Goodwill store in Delaware received two nominations for their work with people served by DCBDD. Goodwill has been understanding and accommodating to its employees
with developmental disabilities.
Phil Phillips & Bill Volkhardt – Kathy VanBuskirk Outstanding Direct Support Professional Service Award For the first time this year, two direct support professionals were chosen for the award. Phil, an employee of Steady Hand Supported Living, was nominated for his work with a young soccer player. The nomination said that it is apparent how much Phil cares for this individual and how highquality of a provider he is. Bill, a former employee of Bridges to Independence, was nominated for going over-and-above for the individuals he served. Bill visited one of the individuals he served every day when he was admitted to the hospital for cancer, and kept him company. He is a true example of an outstanding direct support professional.
State Representative Andrew Brenner spoke at the ceremony about the motto “service above self,” and how it is inspiring to see how all of the nominees exemplify this daily.
“Just the fact that you’re here to be honored has touched my heart,” Brenner said. Congratulations to all of the award recipients and nominees!
“IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE THE TIME TO RECOGNIZE THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS.”
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Spotlight on Success: Giada writes with paint
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iada, a four-year-old preschool student at Arrowhead Elementary School (Olentangy School District), recently had a huge success in the classroom!
Giada, who was diagnosed with autism and a speech delay, was finger-painting with her class when she started spelling out the colors names. She had red paint in front of her. When her teacher was about to add blue paint to the table she saw the word “red” written in Giada’s paint. The teacher asked the aides if they wrote it and all denied. The teacher added blue paint and watched as Giada unprompted, and without coaching, wrote the word blue in her paint. That was when her teacher grabbed her camera. As Giada mixed her red and blue paint she saw it made a new color and wrote the word “purple” in her paint- again spelled correctly. She also did green. Giada has never spelled the words before and has never written anything, yet all of the colors were written and spelled correctly. Giada’s mom, Kristen, said, “I keep telling everyone that it (the ability to write) is in there, it’s just up to Giada to show us!” We love hearing about the amazing achievements within our community and from the individuals we serve! We are so lucky to be able to share in the excitement!
Boy Scouts learn about Disability Awareness
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CBDD assisted 31 Boys Scouts in receiving their Disabilities Awareness Merit Badges this March as part of its annual Disabilities Awareness Merit Badge event. Held at DCBDD’s office, the scouts were taught about the history of disabilities care, self-determination model, myths and misconceptions of disabilities, technological advances, and participated in a wheelchair demonstration. Sean Miller and Sandy Mackey from Delaware County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) taught the scouts about what their agency does for individuals with developmental disabilities and about the county’s mapping system for emergencies. Once the Scouts had completed and participated in all of the day’s activities, they earned their badges. Prior to attending the event, the scouts were instructed to visit two locations, such as churches, parks, and scout camp sites, and take notes about accessibility for people with disabilities.
According to its website, Boy Scouts of America (BSA) provides the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, which helps young people be “Prepared. For Life.” Scouts can earn over 100 merit badges by participating in various activities and studying topics that prepare them for life.
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DCBDD staff memeber gives back to the community Meghan Overton, a Family Support Administrator for DCBDD, has been volunteering for The Adaptive Adventure Sports Coalition (TAASC) for two years. TAACS is an organization that brings the excitement of outdoor adventure sports to people of all ages with physical and cognitive disabilities. The program is completely operated by volunteers.
“I am able to see the world from a different view when I volunteer with TAASC in that anything is truly possible with a little creativity and a desire to never stop exploring, regardless of your physical ability or limitations,” Meghan said.
“I love spending time with great people and going on adventures on water, snow and pavement. There has never been a time where I didn’t leave an event smiling and rejuvenated. It is always great to spend time with people who have similar interests and a thirst for life’s next adventure,” Meghan said.
The program works with children, adults, and veterans that may have had disabilities for their lifespan, or are newer injuries or amputations. Each program participant gets set up with equipment that allows them to be as independent as possible. The sports offered by TAASC include alpine skiing, boating and fishing, cycling, ice skating, kayaking, paddle boarding, rowing, and sailing.
This past winter, Meghan worked with a family with four adoptive children. One of the children was a six-year-old named McKenzie who was terrified of skiing. McKenzie didn’t like people coming into her space. With time, Meghan transitioned to instructing her for ski lessons and would spend three hours with McKenzie each Saturday morning. At first, Meghan and the family couldn’t get close to McKenzie because of her fear of others being too close. But after a few weeks, she started to warm up to Meghan and the family, and by the end of the ski season, had worked her way to allowing Meghan to be tethered to her and asked to ski the racecourse. Because of her accomplishments, McKenzie earned a medal.
“THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A TIME WHERE I DIDN’T LEAVE A TAASC EVENT SMILING AND REJUVENATED.”
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Connecting interests and employment opportunity Amy’s story Amy Ross loves interacting with and getting to know people. Her job as a donation sorter at the Delaware Goodwill allows her to do just that.
“I love making people feel happy and welcome at the store,” Amy said.
After graduating from Delaware Hayes High School, Amy did landscaping work and was employed at Walmart, but through The Alpha Group’s employment service, Ergon, Amy was able to find a great fit for employment at Goodwill. She has worked there for the past six years. Amy has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which can make it harder for her to concentrate.
“The hardest part of my job is focusing because I like to talk to customers. It is my favorite part of working at Goodwill.”
Elaine Rathsack, a shift supervisor at the store, said that Amy is very good at her job because she is friendly and works at a steady pace. She also said the store didn’t have to make many accommodations for Amy, other than working with her for scheduling and paying attention to her shift length. “Amy excels at customer service. She is always willing to answer the customers’ questions. If she doesn’t know the answer, she is willing to seek answers from management.”
When asked about giving advice to others looking for a job, Amy said that the key is to keep at it.
“If you don’t get a job right away, be patient and keep looking. You can also get help from groups like Ergon,” Amy said.
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Dawn’s story Dawn Meigs also works for Delaware Goodwill and truly enjoys her job as a floor clerk.
“My favorite part of my job is my coworkers. We work as a team every day to accomplish what we need to get done. I think of them as friends,” she said.
Dawn graduated from The University of Akron with an associate’s degree in American Sign Language (ASL). After college, she worked as an interpreter before she saw that Goodwill was hosting open interviews and thought she would try something new. She has now worked for the store for five years. Dawn has a Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). Symptoms of PDD can include problems with using and understanding language, difficulty with relating to people and difficulty with changes in routine.
“My advice for others looking for a job is to follow-up with the hiring manager after applying, and always send a thank you letter after interviewing,” she said.
Ellen Shuster, Goodwill’s store manager, said that Dawn is a great employee who has a lot of experience in the store. “Dawn is always really friendly and happy. She is very versatile and can work wherever needed in the store. She has great potential, and we have discussed setting goals for her to become a department head,” Ellen said.
Goodwill received DCBDD’s Lifetime of Giving Award for Outstanding Community Employer because of the store’s inclusive and competitive opportunities for people with disabilities.
When asked to give advice to other employers who may want to be more inclusive to those with disabilities, Ellen said, “Don’t sell anybody short. We look at accommodations as preparing someone for success – whether they have a disability or not. Companies need to take a chance on individuals with disabilities and they will likely find that they’ve hired someone who is dependable and will work well for their organization.”
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New faces around DCBDD
LaShon Kilburn started with DCBDD as a transition support administrator. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, LaShon has lived in the Delaware with his family since 2002. He graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in behavioral studies and later graduated from Ashland University with a master’s of business degree. Prior to working for DCBDD, LaShon worked for the Delaware County Juvenile Court for 12 years. As a service and support administrator, LaShon works with individuals and their families in the transition age of eight to high school graduation.
Mike Massaro came to DCBDD this past October as the new Information Technology specialist. Mike recently completed coursework at a local technical school, earning seven of the ten Microsoft certifications needed to become a Microsoft Certified Information Technology Professional (MCITP). He graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in Aviation Psychology. In his position at DCBDD, Mike will assist with onsite technology support, including user applications, user equipment, and database configuration.
Brittany McClaskey came to DCBDD in February as the new communications and public relations coordinator. Brittany has several years of experience working with non-profit organizations and independent schools in the realms of organizational communication, public relations, event planning, writing, social media, and graphic design. She graduated from the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University with a degree in public relations. In her position at DCBDD, Brittany will assist the organization in public awareness efforts and strategic communication.
Jared Zirillo started with DCBDD in January as the organization’s Director of Operations/Business Manager. Prior to working with DCBDD, Jared worked in the Auditor of State’s office for eight years. In his last position with the Auditor’s office, Jared was the senior audit manager. He graduated from Capital University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in business administration. In his role as the Director of Operations/Business Manager, Jared will be responsible for overseeing business operations, including fiscal operations and contracting responsibilities.
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.