After more than two decades of work at public child-welfare and disabilities agencies, Marla Battiste has read through thousands of service plans, reports and reviews. And she’s still eager to pore over each and every one she receives. “I’ve always been very detail-oriented,” said Battiste, the new manager of provider support and review at the …

People with developmental disabilities will have the opportunity to speak directly to central Ohio lawmakers during an advocacy forum March 31. The event, which first began in 2013 but was postponed in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, allows people to share views, raise concerns and make suggestions about issues important to the local …

The Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities teamed up with the Columbus Metropolitan Library to compile a great selection of book recommendations for DD Awareness Month this March. Read below for summaries and age ranges. And for more info on award-winning books that inform and educate about developmental disabilities, check out the Schneider Family Book …

A group of disability service providers and advocacy organizations has launched a campaign urging Ohio legislators to approve a big increase in the Medicaid reimbursement rates that fund wages for direct-support professionals. Because DSP pay has been so low for so long, Ohio’s developmental disability workforce crisis has worsened throughout the state, the coalition said: …

Quinn Davis Vogel had always wanted a big family. And the more she eyed the recruiting sign – Do you have it in you to foster? – the more she felt it was speaking directly to her. Never mind that she already had three grown daughters and was about to retire from her nursing career. …

West Central School and Transition Services is inviting graduates from the past three years (2020, 2021, 2022) to join this year’s graduating class for an in-person ceremony and celebration. Commencement took place virtually for those three classes due to the pandemic. “We recognize what an important milestone graduation is and know that a formal ceremony …

After years as an advocate, case manager and volunteer on behalf of many different communities, Sean Patterson is ready to help the Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities embrace and improve diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts. Patterson, a service coordinator at FCBDD for the past 14 years, got started as the new DEI coordinator …

The Franklin County board of Developmental Disabilities is again working with We Thrive Together to support a variety of online programs and in-person events throughout 2023. FCBDD is providing a countywide We Thrive Together subscription so that programs are free and available to all Franklin County residents. As last year, online activities can be accessed …

After last year’s brutally cold dip in Alum Creek, Laura DeWert felt more than ready to retire from the signature Special Olympics fundraiser. She even announced her intention. And then, a few weeks ago, she signed up for what will be her 16th Polar Plunge. “Just like Tom Brady, I can’t quite quit,” she said. …

Though he has moved into the director’s office, no one should be surprised to see James Leonard back in the garage now and then. Troubleshooting mechanical problems comes naturally to Leonard, who has been peering into engines since he was a teen. “I just like doing it,” he said. “It’s the challenge of not letting …