Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities Services

This week, I’m honored to advocate on Capitol Hill in support of Medicaid-funded DD services alongside two parents whose children are served by county boards of developmental disabiliites—OACB Board President Laurie Lupinetti (Warren County) and Vice President Dr. Jason Jolley (Athens County)—as well as Region 3 Superintendent Trustee Leia Snyder (Hamilton County). Recent news from Washington that the U.S. House wants to cut more than $880 Billion from the federal Medicaid budget over the next decade has many Ohioans with developmental disabilities (DD) and their families understandably concerned and rightfully upset that the future sustainability of Medicaid-funded DD services may be in jeopardy. Today, we met with the offices of U.S. Rep. Troy Balderson (OH-12) and U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman (OH-01), who both serve on the powerful House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee that will likely be tasked with formulating a spending plan on the House-proposed Medicaid cuts. We also joined the legislative teams from the office of U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno and U.S. Senator Jon Husted, the latter of whom who represents Ohio on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. Sen. Husted would also be in a position to weigh in on any proposed Medicaid cuts when the measure reaches the upper chamber, making his office an important stop on our visit. #medicaid #developmentaldisabilities #ddfunding #DD

Our Human Resources team is hitting the spring career fairs! ?? This month, Brooke Whitfield and Christine Thompson are visiting Miami University, Xavier University, and the University of Cincinnati. ?? Today, they’re at Xavier University's Spring Career Fair ?? March 7: University of Cincinnati's Behavioral Health Career Fair ?? March 11: Miami University's Careers for the Common Good Fair ?? April 8: Southwest Ohio/Northern Kentucky Education Career Fair Stop by to say hello and explore career opportunities with us!

Join us on Thursday, March 13, from 1 to 2 p.m. at Kingsley Center to learn about licensed waiver homes and the support they provide. Community providers will be there to share information about their services and answer any questions. This is a great opportunity to learn more and explore options for those who need support. We hope to see you there!

The 2025-2027 Strategic Plan is grounded in the voices of people with DD and their families, HCDDS staff and board members, provider partners, and community leaders. Visit our website to read the full plan.

We recently welcomed visitors from Ukraine and Georgia to talk about inclusive education for students with developmental disabilities. Kimi Remenyi, Behavior Support Manager, and Lauren Jones, Supervising Psychologist, shared ideas and best practices to help make schools more inclusive. This visit was planned through Sister Cities and Fernside Center for Grieving Children after a visitor from Ukraine toured the Support Center over the summer. It was a great chance to learn from each other and work together to support people with disabilities.

Our website has a new home! We are moving from .org to .gov based on best practices for government entities. If you include a link to our website in your email or other communications, please redirect it to the new address: hamiltonDDSOhio.gov

HCDDS is moving to a new website and email system. On Feb. 4, our website will be HamiltonDDSOhio.gov. Our staff email addresses will transition to the new domain in phases throughout February.?

Our 2025-2027 Strategic Plan is now available! Thank you to the countless families, employees, partners, and people we support who shared their opinions and helped shape our plan. In the next three years, we're focusing on: ?? Connecting and Thriving: Empowering People with DD and Their Families ??? Championing Community: Building an Equitable and Inclusive Hamilton County ?? Advancing Health, Safety, and Quality: Equipping HCDDS Staff and Providers to Promote the Well-Being of People with DD ?? Strengthening Our Foundation: Investing in Our Operations to Advance a Healthy, Thriving Organization

On Monday, we proudly stood with other community members to celebrate and honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy. Thank you to Kathy Forte, Elizabeth George and Leia Snyder for braving the cold to represent HCDDS during the annual march from the Freedom Center to Music Hall!

Our Disability Language Style Guide, developed in collaboration with community partners, is a community resource that provides tools, helps people navigate complex situations sensitively, and encourages them to use more inclusive language. “I’m smart and a good person. I’m nice and I get along with people. I don’t like to be called different names,“ said Danny Crews. “I work hard and do good work, just like anyone else.“ Read more from Danny and others on why the words we choose help shape attitudes and perceptions. https://lnkd.in/gPRcAwZa