FAQs
What are County Boards of DD? Ohio’s county boards of developmental disabilities are the local government agencies that fund, oversee, and sometimes directly provide services and supports needed by people with developmental disabilities to live happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives. Each has a governing board composed of residents of the county in which the board has been established.
Who are the individuals that govern the board? County boards of DD are governed by seven volunteer (unpaid) board members. Five of these board members are appointed by county commissioners, while two board members are appointed by county probate judges.
How are County Boards of DD Funded? They are funded through county property tax payers through voter-approved tax levies. Additionally, all county boards collect at least one local property tax levy aproved by voters, a small portion of funding comes from the state, and The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities and each of Ohio's 88 County Boards recieve reimbursement dollars from Medicaid for qualifying services to people with developmental disabilites.
What are Medicaid Waivers? Medicaid waivers are funding streams that pay for a variety of services. In Ohio, there are three waviers for people with developmental disabilites: Individual Options Wavier (IO), Level One Waiver and Self-Empowered Life Funding Waiver (SELF).
What are Individual Options Waivers (IO)? This waiver allows people to live in community settings of their choice with supports instead of living in an institution. Services provided by the IO waiver include: Homemaker/Personal Care, Ohio Shared Living, Residential and Informal Respite, Transportation, Personal Emergency Response Systems, Specialized Medical Equipment, Environmental Accessibility Adaptations, Emergency Assistance, supported Employment, Day Habilitation and Community Respite.
What are Level One Waivers? This waiver allows for minimal paid support and relies greatly on natural supports to help people live in community settings of their choice with supports instead of living in an institution. Services provided by the Level One waiver include: Homemaker/Personal Care, Residential and Informal Respite, Community Respite, Transportation, Personal Emergency Response Systems, Specialized Medical Equipment, Environmental Accessibility Adaptations, Emergency Assistance and Supported Employment.
What are Self-Empowered Life Funding Waivers (SELF)? This is Ohio's first participant-directed waiver. It lets people direct where and how they receive services. Services provided by the SELF waiver include: Support Brokerage, Remote Monitoring Equipment, Community Inclusion, Integrated Employment, Residential Respite, Functional Behavioral Assessment, Community Respite, Clinical/Therapeutic Intervention, Adult Day Supports, Participant-Directed Goods and Services, Vocational Habilitation, Participant/Family Stability Assistance, Supported Employment and Non-Medical Transportation.