Message From The Superintendent - January 2024
Greetings!
Happy New Year! The Portage DD team hopes everyone is doing well as we enter the new year. Here are some updates from around the agency.
As we begin to move into 2024, it is essential to take the time to reflect on how thankful we are for a great 2023.
With Portage County's support, Portage DD successfully renewed a levy for ten more years. Again, I wanted to express our appreciation/gratitude to all the individuals, families, providers, Portage DD staff, and community members. We are very fortunate and blessed to be a part of this community. Sue Orr, Portage DD Nurse, sent this quote to sum things up nicely. "Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." We always want to express our gratitude!
Portage DD gave $30,000 to the United Way of Portage County to assist in continuing the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Portage County. This program fits very well with Portage DD's Early intervention model of helping parents help their children. The Dolly Parton Imagination Library program allows every child in Portage County to receive a monthly free book from age 0 until they turn 5. The goal of this program is to encourage interaction and reading. The interaction and reading aspects help promote kids having fewer developmental delays and better outcomes.
In 2024, Portage DD will put out grant guidelines and an application to Portage County for an accessibility and inclusion grant. Our goal with this grant is to make Portage County more accessible and inclusive. This grant will be for accessible playground equipment, universal changing tables, accessible paths/trails, and many others. Additional details on the grant and application will be shared soon.
Portage DD is excited to share that we have been awarded $380,000 from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities' Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Grant. Here is what we are planning on doing with these grant funds:
$330,000 has been awarded for Accessible Communities. This money will be used for infrastructure for people with disabilities to access their communities. Portage DD already has a partnership with Franklin Township regarding Brady Lake Park. Portage DD's Special Olympics program utilizes the park for practices and games in Soccer, Bocce, Flag Football, and Softball. We are planning to expand that relationship and make the park more accessible and inclusive for people with developmental disabilities and people in the community. We will utilize the 330,000 dollars to add accessible adaptive swings and playground equipment to Brady Lake Park. The funds will also allow us to put in a fully accessible ½ mile-walking path around the park with accessible paths to the bocce court and playground.
$50,000 will be allocated for Community Experience to help people with developmental disabilities and their support staff and pay for community experiences accessed through HCBS services. Portage DD plans to utilize the other 50,000 dollars for persons with developmental disabilities to engage in community experiences where cost is a barrier to them and/or their support staff. Activities include, but are not limited to, Admissions fees, travel/accommodation expenses, cost of services, class fees, etc.
"There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind." —C.S. Lewis, author. Grateful to all and looking forward to a great 2024!
Thank you all!
Believe in People!
WE ARE HERE FOR YOU.
Sincerely,
John Vennetti