A Message from the Interim Superintendent
To the people and families, we support:
As many of you have heard, Governor Mike DeWine has issued a stay-at-home order Sunday requiring all non-essential businesses to close until April 6 to help slow the spread of COVID-19. The order makes exceptions for essential human services agencies, however, which means the Portage County Board of Developmental Disabilities will continue working for you and your loved ones as Ohio weathers this public health crisis. You can read the Ohio Department of Health’s frequently asked questions about the governor’s order at bit.ly/39b4L1d.
All essential county board staff are continuing to work to make sure there are no gaps in care for you or your loved ones. The governor’s order permits direct support professionals to continue to travel in order to provide care. Home and facility-based staff will be allowed to continue working, and our teams are moving to support providers however we can in light of the adult day center closures announced Saturday.
All of us are taking precautions to keep people healthy and safe. Surfaces are being sanitized, and staff are being checked for signs of illness. Anyone who can work from home has been asked to do so to decrease the chances of spreading the virus among the people we support—many of whom, as we know, are particularly at risk of transmission.
We know this is an uncertain time, but we will continue to do everything we can for our community. All of us at the Portage County Board of DD have dedicated ourselves to supporting you through life’s ups and downs. Whether in person or remotely, your board of DD team will be with you every step of the way—from now until April 6 and beyond.
Please feel free to contact your SSA with any questions related the board’s response to COVID-19, and thank you for your continued trust as we work through this crisis as a community. We are #InThisTogether.
Sincerely,
John Vennetti
Interim Superintendent
To view/share a copy of this correspondence in PDF form, click here.
To access a copy of the Stay At Home Order, click here.