OACB creates new course available for law enforcement
Logan County Board of Developmental Disabilities Superintendent Saul Bauer shared with board members at their September meeting that the agency is making preparations for the 34th annual chicken barbecue, slated for 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. October 6.
“This is LCBDD’s biggest and most delicious fundraiser of the year,” he said.
It raises funds for many board services including inclusive playgrounds, accessible housing, gravestones, employee supports and many other supports for people with developmental disabilities. Contact the board office for tickets (937) 292-3008. Bauer expressed his appreciation for the tremendous support from the Logan County community.
In other news, the Ohio Association of County Boards of DD, a statewide nonprofit that supports all 88 county boards of developmental disabilities, created an Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy-approved course for law enforcement officers that would enable them to increase awareness and safety when interacting with people with developmental disabilities.
OACB will be offering the course in-person to sheriff and police departments all over Ohio on a regional basis starting in September and continuing through the rest of the year.
The board approved a motion to sponsor 50 percent of the cost of this course for local sheriff and police departments.
Superintendent Bauer also distributed a copy of the LCBDD newsletter, The Messenger, to Board members.
The newsletter contains articles about provider agencies and people served, including “Sheena Braun Cheers for Team Ohio”, “George Hoyer Visits the Magic Kingdom”, “Early Intervention, It’s a Family Thing”, “Joe VanVoorhis Employment Success” and it also contains the LCBDD Annual Report.
Check out The Messenger on the LCBDD website, www.logancbdd.org. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on “Annual Messenger”.
The meeting began with a board training on Major Unusual Incidents/Unusual Incidents presented by the LCBDD Director of Support Services Jason Moyer.
MUI/UI training is a required training each year for board members, providers and employees.
Moyer reported that, “the number of MUIs in Logan County are the lowest they have been in the past seven years.”
In 2021, there was a total of 37 MUI’s involving 28 different people.
“Though MUI numbers have stayed low, it is important to note that the number of categories went up to 41 from 39 in 2020, and we had the most hospitalizations we have had since 2019,” Moyer said.
MUIs are alleged, suspected or actual occurrences of an incident when there is reason to believe the health and welfare of a person with IDD may be adversely affected or the person is placed at a likely risk of harm. Full definitions of MUI/UI can be found in the Ohio Administrative Code.
Moyer also shared with the Board information regarding when a MUI/UI should be reported, including time frames and how one would go about reporting their concerns.
It is important that any citizen concerned about the safety of a vulnerable individual report their concerns as soon as possible.
MUIs can be reported directly to the LCBDD website, www.logancbdd.org/mui/ or by calling the LCBDD office.
Several new employees introduced themselves to the board. The Discovery Center preschool introduced Hanna Boy, Therapy Services Coordinator; Isabelle Young, Instructor Assistant; Jeanette Wenke, Speech Therapist; Brandy Newland, Instructor Assistant; Aliya Pelger, Instructor Assistant. Two new employees to the Discovery Center Early Intervention department were introduced: Mandy Barry, Service Coordinator and Kellie Lemly, Developmental Specialist.
In financial news, as of the end of July, 58 percent through the year, the LCBDD general fund is 91percent collected and 45 percent utilized. Year-to-date expenses are 0.74 percent higher than in 2021 and revenues are 1.18 percent higher than in 2021.
Board meetings are conducted the Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at the Logan County Board of Developmental Disabilities Board Office. Meetings are always open to the public.
The next meeting will be Oct 13, due to the chicken barbecue Oct. 6.