Coshocton County Board of Developmental Disabilities offers life-long support to individuals with disabilities

In 1987 President Ronald Reagan declared March to be Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. Locally, the Coshocton County Board of Developmental Disabilities serves around 370 individuals. Services of the CCBDD begin at birth and continue throughout the individuals’ lives.

Steve Oster, superintendent of the CCBDD, said he feels DD Awareness Month is important.

"It challenges us to think bigger about who we are as a community. Individuals with developmental disabilities are not defined by services. They are students, athletes, neighbors, leaders and taxpayers who strengthen the fabric of Coshocton County," Oster said.

He said he is incredibly proud of the staff of CCBDD for their professionalism, innovation and compassion. “They approach their work not simply as a job, but as a mission to expand possibility,” he said.

Help Me Grow is for pregnant and first-time mothers to learn skills to become the best parent they can be.

“Our home visitors are well-trained professionals who use a nonjudgmental and compassionate approach that empowers parents with skills and confidence to nurture the healthy growth of their children,” said Brittany Coon, public outreach manager for CCBDD.

Early Intervention works with children from birth through age 3 who have a suspected or verified developmental disability. This service is offered free to families. CCBDD also provides many services that are the foundation of EI such as occupational, speech and physical therapies.

Shana Miller, early childhood director, said, “Being a parent is hard. I enjoy my job because our teams are an extra support to parents during an extremely vulnerable time in life. I am raising my own family in Coshocton, and I want to make a difference in the future of our community. That starts with the children of today.”

Hopewell School has three preschool classes made up of students with disabilities and typically developing peers and a school-age classroom. CCBDD provides OT, PT, speech and adaptive physical education to meet the individual needs of each student. The goal of the preschool program is to prepare the students for kindergarten while the school-age class focuses on academics, communication, social skills and life skills to prepare them for life after graduation.

“I love my job," said Shannon Shontz, director of education. "My favorite part is getting to interact with all the students daily. I love watching them grow throughout the school year. I have a great staff who work hard daily to meet the individual needs of the students. I also enjoy working with my staff and therapists to brainstorm strategies that could benefit the students. My staff is definitely one big student-focused team.”

Shontz also said she feels DD Month is important to spread awareness and teach the community about developmental disabilities.

CCBDD has a therapy department to assist with OT, speech and PT needs.

“Being able to work with individuals throughout their lives is something the therapists here value most and believe it is a true privilege and blessing to be able to do that," said Tonya Fish, OT and director of therapy. "We learn so much about life from the individuals and families we serve. The little things really do matter, and taking time for all people is a gift we all can give, whatever your profession.

"DD Month provides a special time to reflect on why we do what we do, how awesome a responsibility and privilege to work with others who need special help and try to share with our community all the amazing people around us all who might not get a chance to shine.”

The service and support administration department works with the majority of the individuals enrolled with CCBDD. The SSAs work with individuals and families to access resources, obtain needed care, assist with IEPs and write individual service plans for the adults in the program. They also can assist in home modifications and benefits planning.

Debbie Christmas, employment manager, connects people with Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities to assist with job development, interview skills and on-the-job training. She also works with people to help them understand how working can affect their benefits. Individuals can begin working with Christmas at age 14 through summer programs to help learn about different careers. She works to create spaces for individuals to feel included.

Toby Collins, director of Special Olympics, recreation and advocacy, offers opportunities for individuals throughout the year to socialize and have fun, offers a self-advocacy group, and the Special Olympics program is an important part of many individuals’ lives. Currently, basketball, cheerleading, bowling, softball and golf are offered, with teams competing locally and at the state and national level at times.

The community is invited to attend one of the many events planned to celebrate DD Month. The Hopewell Indians and local celebrities will play basketball together March 12 at the Ridgewood Middle School gym. The game will begin at 6 p.m. A sensory movie will be held Saturday, March 21 at Shelby Theatre. “Hopper” will begin at 10:30 a.m., and tickets are $4.

Track and field days will be held Tuesday, March 24 and Thursday, March 26. Adults will compete Tuesday and students Thursday. This event will be held at Kids America and will begin around 10 a.m. both days.

CCBDD partners with local schools for a coloring and essay contest. Coloring pages and essay prompts are provided for students. “We display submissions throughout the county at different partnering locations,” Coon said.

To learn more about CCBDD, visit its website at www.coshdd.org or follow the Facebook (Coshocton County Board of Developmental Disabilities) page for updated lists of coming events.

“The strength of Coshocton County will always be measured by how well we create opportunity for all citizens. Developmental Disabilities Awareness reminds us that inclusion is not just the right thing to do; it’s a reflection of who we are and who we aspire to be,” Oster said.