Sibling Resources
Resource Tools
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Your local county board of developmental disabilities is the place to start for determining eligibility, assessing your needs, and coordinating which services can best support your sibling with a disability.
To contact your county board follow this link from DODD: Contact your local county board
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The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) oversees a statewide system of services that supports over 100,000 people with developmental disabilities, their families, and support teams. DODD focuses on the health and safety of people with developmental disabilities and increasing access and opportunities for community participation and integration. In Ohio, services and supports, as well as eligibility determinations, are all managed at the county level. The local county board of developmental disabilities is the place to start for assessing needs and coordinating which services can best support you or your family.
Waivers: Enrolling in a home and community-based services waiver is one way to access person-centered services. More than 40,000 Ohioans with developmental disabilities are enrolled in a waiver, with access to services while living on their own, with family, with a roommate, or with a paid caregiver.
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In Ohio, waivers for people with disabilities are Medicaid funding programs that provide services to help individuals with disabilities stay in their homes and communities instead of an institutional settings (“waive” the persons right to an institutional setting to opt for a community setting which includes houses, group homes, apartments and living with family). These waivers allow for more individualized and flexible care plans, promoting independence and community integration.
Medicaid Funding: Waivers are a way to utilize Medicaid funds to pay for services that would otherwise be provided in a facility, like a nursing home or hospital.
Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS): Ohio's waivers are part of a broader effort to shift away from institutional care and towards providing services in people's homes and communities.
Types of Waivers:
There are several different waivers in Ohio, each with its own focus and eligibility criteria:
Ohio Home Care Waiver (OHCW): This waiver is designed for individuals with physical disabilities or unstable medical conditions, allowing them to receive care at home instead of in a facility.
Individual Options Waiver (IO Waiver): This waiver is for people with developmental disabilities who require a high level of care but prefer to live in their homes or community settings.
Level One Waiver: This waiver is for individuals with developmental disabilities who have less complex needs and can rely on a combination of paid and natural supports.
Self-Empowered Life Funding (SELF) Waiver: This waiver is for individuals with developmental disabilities who want to have more control over their services and have the opportunity to hire and manage their own support staff.
Family Supports Waiver: This waiver provides limited, non-residential supports for individuals with developmental disabilities who live with their families.
Eligibility:
To be eligible for a waiver, individuals generally need to meet certain criteria, including having a disability that meets the definition of developmental disability (or physical disability for the OHCW), and meeting certain level-of-care requirements.
Benefits:
Waivers offer a range of services to support individuals in their homes and communities, including personal care, homemaker services, respite care, transportation, assistive technology, and more.
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Intermediate Care Facility or ICF, is a type of long-term care facility.
Intermediate Care Facility (ICF):
ICFs provide long-term care, including nursing and supportive care, to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities or those with other conditions that require ongoing care.
ICFs are generally considered to be lower-level nursing facilities, providing more care than residential care facilities but less than skilled nursing facilities.
ICFs often have nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, or social workers to provide care and support.
Individuals in ICFs often require assistance with activities of daily living, medication administration, and may be working towards goals for greater independence or for those unable to care for themselves due to a mental disability or health decline.
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-Published and Authored by Derek Graham and Logan K. Philipps, Attorneys at Philipps and Graham, LLC Attorneys and Counselors at Law on behalf of the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council, 2024
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Representative Payee Handbook PDF - Published and Authored by Derek Graham and Logan K. Philipps, Attorneys at Philipps and Graham, LLC Attorneys and Counselors at Law on behalf of the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council, 2022.
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Supported Decision-making & Guardianship Handbook PDF
-Published and Authored by Derek Graham and Logan K. Philipps, Attorneys at Philipps and Graham, LLC Attorneys and Counselors at Law on behalf of the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council, 2024
Organizations
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The Sibling Leadership Network Is a national organization. They provide siblings of individuals with disabilities the information, support, and tools to advocate with their brothers and sisters and to promote the issues important to them and their entire families. They promote a broad network of siblings who share the experience of disability and people concerned with sibling issues by connecting them to social, emotional, governmental, and provisional supports across the lifespan enabling them to be effective advocates with their brother and sister, and to serve as change agents for themselves and their families.
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Siblings with a Mission is an international organization that serves and supports siblings and families of individuals with complex health conditions and developmental disabilities.
Our Mission:
Provide International Support
Spread Awareness of Health Conditions
Inspire Siblings to Make a Difference
Supporting Siblings and Spreading Hope: One Story at a Time -
The Ohio State University Nisonger Center
The Ohio State University Nisonger Center is dedicated to empowering individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Through a blend of interdisciplinary training, innovative research, and community-focused service, we strive to enhance the quality of life for those we serve. Our mission is clear: to support all people, fostering an environment that embraces their unique needs and promotes their strengths.
At the Nisonger Center, our core values guide our work:
Person/Family-centered Approach: We prioritize the voices and choices of individuals and their families in every service we provide.
Diversity and Inclusion: We celebrate and promote diverse perspectives and backgrounds, ensuring that everyone feels represented and included.
Self-determination: We empower individuals to take charge of their own lives, supporting them in achieving their goals.
Excellence: We aim for the highest standards in our training, research, and services to make a lasting impact.
Community: We believe in the power of community, fostering connections and collaboration for better outcomes.
Innovation: We embrace creativity and new ideas to enhance our offerings and adapt to evolving needs.
Equity: We are committed to ensuring fair access to resources and support for all individuals, advocating for social justice and equal rights.
Through these principles, the Nisonger Center works tirelessly to provide comprehensive services that uplift individuals with developmental disabilities and contribute positively to their families and communities.
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www.apsiohio.org Advocacy and Protective Services, Inc. is a statewide, private, non-profit agency dedicated to protecting the rights of Ohioans with developmental disabilities. We advocate for the people we serve by helping to make their desires and needs known, especially when they cannot speak for themselves or if they have no other advocate. We do this by providing a full array of guardianship and protective services to individuals age 18 or older.
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www.thearcofohio.org The Arc of Ohio is a statewide membership association made up of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, friends, interested citizens and professionals in the disability field. Together with our individual members and local chapters, we represent more than 330,000 Ohioans with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Ohio Law recognizes The Arc of Ohio as the organization to represent families in legislative decisions.
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http://www.disabilityrightsohio.org/ Disability Rights Ohio is a state-wide non-profit corporation with a mission to advocate for the human, civil and legal rights of people with disabilities in Ohio. It is governed by a Board of Directors, primarily consisting of people with disabilities and family members of people with disabilities.
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https://nextchapterbookclub.org
We Offer a Unique Community-based Book Club Program for Adolescents and Adults with Down Syndrome, Autism, Cerebral Palsy and Other Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
Our members (including some who cannot read) love books for the same reasons most people do. They enjoy being transported to different worlds where they meet interesting characters and learn about exciting new things.