Lynn Hope to close in Holmes County while HCBDD adds dental clinic

As the world turns, things change. Sometimes change is joyful; other times it is sorrowful.

Holmes County Board of Developmental Disabilities is undergoing several key changes, and it will bid adieu to one longtime partner while a new opportunity arises.

“Our building has changed into more of a community center where we are the landlord and we have tenants,” said Marianne Mader, HCBDD superintendent.

Recently, GentleBrook began calling the facility its Holmes County home, but it rents space, has its own leadership team and board, and works alongside the HCBDD.

Years ago Lynn Hope Industries was under the umbrella of the HCBDD, but it became its own entity several years ago even though it is on the HCBDD property. The building was originally purchased by LHI and Holmes County Association for Handicapped Citizens. For the past 26 years, HCBDD provided maintenance and utility expenses.

LHI uses the space as a separate organization that is not under the authority of HCBDD.

Earlier in May Lynn Hope Industries board members made the difficult decision to cease operations effective June 5.

“Lynn Hope has done tremendous work and been a wonderful part of our community,” Mader said. “It is sad to see them closing their doors. But while they have always been around and have worked closely with Holmes County Board of Developmental Disabilities for 50-some years, the past four years they have been standing on their own.”

Not long ago LHI made the decision to pay its workers with disabilities minimum wage rather than sub-minimum wages, which paid by the piece as had been the case for years.

Mader said that decision was the proper thing to do, but in the process, the cost to community businesses that contracted their piece work through LHI rose and business began to dry up.

“Groups that advocate for people with disabilities felt it wasn’t fair that they would get paid less than minimum wage, so I can appreciate what LHI did in being fair and paying their people competitive wages,” Mader said.

LHI worked hard to make things work, but eventually, the board felt it could no longer sustain viability and chose to cease operations.

Mader said she is currently seeking a new provider to possibly take over the space being vacated by Lynn Hope Industries.

“We would love to see another provider move in and become part of the campus here,” Mader said. “But our primary concern is for the 12 individuals with developmental disabilities who will no longer have a place to work or to socialize with their peers.”

According to Mader, HCBDD will work closely with the 12 employees with developmental disabilities who have been at LHI to help each person identify their next opportunity. Individuals can choose from three adult service centers in Holmes County.

For those who prefer to work in the community, the Holmes DD community employment worker can provide support with exploring options and finding a job.

Community employment worker Cindy Boals will work with individuals to help them find jobs in the community. The HCBDD partners with three adult day programs in Holmes County: GentleBrook, Sacred Ground and Midwest Innovations, which also could factor into helping those 12 individuals find meaningful activities to do each day.

“There are opportunities out there for these 12 people,” Mader said, adding that while HCBDD staff won’t be working with those individuals at their chosen day program, the HCBDD property tax levy provides funds to help pay for individuals to attend partner sites.

“If there is an adult with a developmental disability, we are the entity that is responsible for their health and welfare,” Mader said. “Should they want to attend one of our partners, they need to start with us.”

That isn’t the only change taking place on the HCBDD campus.

The HCTC dental clinic that has been at the HCBDD since 2000 is closing. HCTC Dental Clinic manager Lori Frank has headed up that department but will be retiring. Throughout the past quarter-century, the Dental Clinic has contracted a variety of dentists to come in periodically to see patients during the days the clinic was open.

Mader said because area dentists are so busy, it became a challenge to schedule them to come in, and the decision was made to close the clinic.

Then came what Mader said was terrific news.

Recently, the organization signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Kno-Ho-Co to provide its dental services to keep a dental clinic operating in the same space. Kno-Ho-Co currently operates a dental clinic in Ashland and had been wanting to expand into Holmes County.

“They will be operating their clinic out of our building, which is wonderful news for the many people who have come to rely on the dental clinic,” Mader said.

She said the plan is for Kno-Ho-Co to begin seeing patients in August, starting at two days each week, with hopes of expanding soon thereafter. Families utilizing the services of the dental clinic currently may contact Frank, who will be available through June to help clients make the transition to Kno-Ho-Co, or they may contact Kno-Ho-Co directly by calling their Ashland office or the Holmesville office once it opens in August.

“This is really good news for Holmes County,” Mader said.

Kno-Ho-Co will accept Medicaid, private insurance and self-pay. The transition to Kno-Ho-Co will hopefully create more available hours for patients, perhaps eventually up to four to five days a week.

“That will become another group in our building that isn’t the HCBDD, that will supply a crucial service to the community,” Mader said.

Those entities include the privatization of the adult services not long ago, GentleBrook, Kno-Ho-Co, the preschool that is operated by West Holmes Schools and East Central Ohio Educational Service Center, and whatever becomes of the Lynn Hope Industries facilities.

“All of these entities are here in our facility, but they aren’t operated by us,” Mader said.

She said while these changes take place, the services offered by HCBDD and all its partners within the campus will continue to provide quality care and services for the families of Holmes County.