 Save the date!
The inaugural Disability Pride March in Cincinnati is set for Monday, July 27. Participants walk from City Hall to Fountain Square that morning to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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New leaders for General Assembly and Adult Services
 Chris Miller is the new General Manager of General Assembly, the business arm of the adult centers. She was the director at Beckman and Franks.
 Melissa Morelli is the new General Manager of Adult Services and oversees general operations. She was the director of Kidd and Jackson.
Congratulations on your new roles!
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Advocate Diana Mairose was featured on a ReelAbilities promotional poster for her passionate work. Learn about the law she helped change here.
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State of the Agency
Thank you to all who attended the "State of the Agency" forums at the end of January. If you couldn't attend or would like to review the information, the documents and presentation are now available on our website.
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Do you know someone who wants to participate in the Flying Pig Marathon? The CARA group has a free, five-week training program.
PigAbilities offers support and encouragement for people with disabilities of all ages who want to successfully walk, run or wheel in a marathon event.
Training is at Beech Acres Park in Anderson Township and the Mayerson JCC on Ridge Road. Find more information on the Flying Pig website.
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Congratulations, Logan!
Logan Brinson was named a Cincinnati Difference Maker youth honoree!
He was selected for his work as an advocate for Kindervelt, Cincinnat Children's Hospital's largest auxiliary, and as the face of our 2014 levy campaign.
The ceremony was Feb. 4 at the Cincinnati Museum Center.
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A survey team from CARF International will be visiting March 25-27.
We invited the surveyors to evaluate how well we meet international standards for quality. The survey will tell us what we are doing well and ways we might improve.
As part of the survey, the surveyors will interview people who receive services, their families, our staff, and others.
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State budget and other DD changes
Ohio Gov. John Kasich in early February revealed his 2016-2017 state budget. The proposal invests $316 million over two years in DD system redesign related to waivers, employment and day services and system infrastructure improvements.
The budget proposal also includes a provision to phase out independent providers throughout the Medicaid and waiver system.
On March 26, The ARC of Ohio will focus on the budget proposal and the future of independent providers at its winter training.
The sessions are at the Hollywood Casino in Columbus. Click here to register for the event and view the full agenda.
From the Disability Rights Ohio letter to the new CMS rule, it can be difficult to keep track of all the changes happening in Ohio's DD system. This chart from DODD outlines many of those, as well as who the changes affect and timelines for implementation.
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Join us for a screening of the film "It's All About Friends" during the ReelAbilities Film Festival.
Hamilton County DD Services is hosting this film and tickets sales benefit our agency.
When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 4
Where: Kenwood Theatre, 7815 Kenwood Road
Click here to read more about the film, watch a trailer and buy tickets.
Join us at Dewey's Pizza after the film to celebrate. The restaurant is located next to the theater.
The ReelAbilities Film Festival is the largest national film festival dedicated to celebrating the lives, stories and art of people with disabilities. Learn more about the festival and the other films here.
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Upcoming events
- Person-Centered Planning: Our New My Plan. 10:30 a.m. to noon at the agency Support Center, 1520 Madison Road. Learn more about the new My Plan. Session for family members, guardians and individuals. Click here for details or to register.
- Empowering Families Symposium. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, March 13 at Xavier University Cintas Center. Access community resources, meet special education advocates and network with others facing similar challenges. Click here to register.
- 2015 Autism & All Special Needs Expo. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 4 at the Sharonville Convention Center. Free event with activities for families to connect with providers and autism resources in the community. Click here for details.
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Special Olympic Artists
Student artists from Bobbie B. Fairfax School recently participated in the Special Olympics Art Show at Northgate Mall. The award ceremony was held Feb. 1.
"A mom and her family from Indiana said she was inspired by the award ceremony and our students to contact her local Special Olympics about the opportunities for her daughter with special needs," said Fairfax teacher Megan Collins.
Way to go, everyone!
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March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. We've partnered with Butler, Clermont and Warren County for billboards around the four counties. Here's a sneak peek at Hamilton County's billboard, which features Andy Schwertman who works at Everybody's Records in Pleasant Ridge.
Andy was hired at the store in December, after volunteering there for almost five years. "Music is my first love," Andy said. "This is my dream job."
His manager, Woody Dorsey, said Andy is a "joy to be around" and has a "real passion for music."
Look for the billboards starting March 2! They'll be up throughout the month.
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