Webinar Focuses on Representation for those with Developmental Disabilities on County Boards
August 15, 2022 (Ohio) – The Ohio Advocacy Taskforce will host a webinar on the importance of appointing people with developmental disabilities to the county board of developmental disabilities. “Representation of People with Developmental Disabilities on Ohio County Boards of DD” will be held on August 24 at 1 p.m. via Zoom.
Statewide, there are 616 appointments made by county commissioners and probate judges to Ohio County Boards of DD. Very few of those appointments, currently or historically, have been for people with developmental disabilities despite state law directing the appointment of such individuals.
The webinar will highlight the importance of appointing people with developmental disabilities to County Boards of DD and why self-representation is important when making decisions about services and supports.
The panel will include:
- Nathan Turner, Individual with DD/Member, Lucas County Board of DD, Moderator
- James Harley, Chair, Ohio Advocacy Task Force
- Kraig Walker, Superintendent, Brown County Board of DD/People First of Ohio
- Renee Wood, Ohio Advocacy Task Force
- Michael Richards, Person with DD/Member, Highland County Board
- Tina Wozniak, County Commissioner, Lucas County
The goal of this event is to emphasize the need for individuals with developmental disabilities to be appointed to the County Boards of DD and the role that can have in influencing decision-making about unmet needs and services. The webinar will be open to everyone and will have American Sign Language and CART Captioning.
Any interested parties are asked to register via Eventbrite.
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About the Ohio Advocacy Task Force: OATF is a group that focuses on identifying, addressing, and developing innovative methods to give power to people with developmental disabilities in advocacy efforts, decision-making, and participation in their everyday life. To meet its mission of empowering people with developmental disabilities in advocacy efforts, the Task Force works to increase membership of people with developmental disabilities on County Boards of DD; Increase leadership opportunities on DD Network and other boards; and strengthen the role of advocacy in Ohio.
This project was supported, in part by the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council, under grant number 2001OHSCDD from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy. This acknowledgement is also necessary on products published with other funds if those funds will be claimed as match for an Ohio DD Council project. |
