The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) is confirming that counties should discontinue authorizations for the Home and Community Based Waiver Service of Home Delivered Meals that they recently authorized only because the individual could not access SNAP benefits due to the federal government shutdown. The federal government has continued these benefits and full payment of SNAP coverage for recipients should be complete. Counties may discontinue those authorizations at the point that the recipient has received that full payment. If the person shows a therapeutic or habilitative need for the service, then the team should assess that need and authorize under the rule standards. For questions, please reach out to waiverpolicyta@dodd.ohio.gov.

An updated Abuser Registry Search will be available beginning December 19, 2025. The new Abuser Registry page will feature an improved look and more user-friendly download options.

If you currently have the existing Abuser Registry Search page bookmarked, please begin using the new link on December 19:

New URL: https://ohiododd.my.site.com/DODDGuest/s/abuser-registry

If you have any questions regarding the Abuser Registry, please contact our office at 614-995-3810. Thank you.

We are pleased to announce an upcoming upgrade to the MSS application. Developed in response to stakeholder feedback, the new version offers a more streamlined, user-friendly interface and expanded capabilities to support service planning and coordination.

Implementation Timeline:

• Soft Launch (County Boards Only): January 8, 2026 - County Boards can begin transitioning active sites during this phase.
• Go Live (All Users): July 1, 2026
• Transition into MSS: December 31, 2026 – Vast majority of all people transitioned into MSS
• Legacy MSS Access: Available through July 2027 for edits to pre-July 2026 service dates

For County Boards Only: Join Our Webinars!

To help County Boards prepare for the soft launch, we’re hosting informational webinars. These sessions will walk through the new features and transition process.

Webinar Dates:

• December 17, 2025

Registration Link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/836872836548521561

• January 6, 2026

Registration Link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/9078107211404044640

County Boards are encouraged to register for one of these sessions to get a head start on the new MSS experience.

Register early to secure your spot.

For questions and accommodations, contact DDD-MSS Support at msssupport@dodd.ohio.gov.

Required annual training for the 2025 calendar year must be completed by December 31, 2025. If you are a direct support professional (DSP), independent provider, director of operations, or administrator of licensed residential facilities and have not yet completed your training, please do so before the deadline.