Over the past few years, we have shared information about, and taken steps to manage, the major times of change and innovation that we are in locally and statewide.  The Board of HCDDS has recently taken several more steps to further position ourselves well for these times.  

First, the Board has adopted a new vision and mission statement. 

VISION

Community integration for all people with developmental disabilities

MISSION

Promote and support opportunities for people with developmental disabilities to live, work, learn and fully participate in their communities

This new vision and mission statement reflects our ongoing focus on integration in everything we do, mapped out through 2019 during our strategic planning process in 2013. Click here to read that plan, which can also be found on our website in the News - Publications section. 

In addition, the Board has spent several months thoughtfully considering our agency's position on several emerging trends and issues that are changing the landscape of services to people with disabilities in Ohio and beyond.  The result of those considerations is the "Statement of Provision of Services and Strategic Direction," which you can read here. 

Last but not least, we are reorganizing our management structure in teams by function aligned with our strategic direction based on: 

1.  Modern approach

• Basing roles on current practices
• Moving away from roles based on legacy programs and ideas

2.  Reflection of strategic direction

• Managing resources fairly and wisely
• Aligning agency resources to support integration efforts
• Shaping our work based on best practice

3.  Work grouped by function

• Allowing for better communication and more inclusive practices
• Increasing collaboration among teams with related initiatives

4.  Practices streamlined

• Moving towards business-oriented approaches
• Gaining efficiencies to free up resources to be redirected toward the growing needs of the community

The following current leaders within HCDDS will take on key roles in this new structure, effective January 1, 2015:

Rick Ratterman

Director, Office of Budget and Administrative Operations

Business Services, Human Resources, Information Technology 

Jennifer Becknell

Director, Office of Medicaid, Contracts  and SSA

Funding & Contracts, Benefits, Service Facilitation (renamed Service Support Administration), Psychology Services & Behavior Support 

Matt Briner

Director, Office of Integrated Services

Employment, Transition, Early Intervention, Adult Centers, Schools, General Assembly 

Dawn Freudenberg

Director, Office of Planning, Innovation and Quality

Quality Improvement, Provider Relations & Compliance, Advocacy Support, Family Relations, Community Relations & Integration 

Kristee Griffith

Director, Office of Inclusion and Collaboration

Introduction and Eligibility, Waiting List, Employee Engagement & Staff Development

The Major Unusual Incidents and Prevention (MUIP) Department will remain a separate function. Jennie Flowers, who is currently the lead investigator, will become the Director of MUIP.  Current Director Eric Metzger will change to the Office of Planning, Innovation and Quality as Quality Director.

In addition, Brian Knight, currently Assistant Director of Information Technology (IT), will become Director of IT, and Melissa Haas, currently Assistant Director of Community Services, will become Director of Service and Support Administration.  All other Directors will continue to oversee their current areas of responsibility.

Also, in alignment with recommendations that came from the Tax Levy Review Committee (TLRC) audit earlier in the year, the agency has been in the midst of an Early Retirement Incentive Program (ERIP.)   Several veterans of our organization - 30 to be exact - have already retired or will retire by the end of this year.  More are expected before the ERIP ends on Sept. 30, 2015.

Many of these retirements are in the adult centers operated by the agency.  In the short-term, Melissa Morelli, Kidd Adult Center Director, and Chris Miller, Beckman Adult Center Director, will share director duties over the four adult centers.  Melissa will be at Jackson and Kidd, and Chris will be at Franks and Beckman.  

For the remainder of this year, we will be reviewing information gathered from interviews with staff throughout the agency conducted as part of our strategic plan work, specifically related to the goal of managing resources fairly and wisely.  We will continue to use this information in organizing these teams and their functions, so expect more details as that work occurs. 

These are challenging though exciting times.  I am confident that we will thrive and accomplish much continued good as we work together serving people with disabilities in person-centered and caring ways.

Alice C. Pavey