For the most asked questions
LAKE
ISSUE #5 FACT SHEET
WHO/WHAT IS THE
In Ohio, services and supports for individuals with mental retardation and/or developmental disabilities are funded and provided through local County Boards of Developmental Disabilities (up until Oct, 2009, called County Boards of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities), which is governed by seven family and community volunteers appointed by the County Commissioners or Probate Judge.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR SERVICES FROM THE Lake
More commonly known developmental disability diagnoses may include: mental retardation, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, autism, and traumatic brain injury.
Eligible individuals may be born with developmental disabilities, or the disability may result from trauma, accident, injury, or disease at any time during the developmental period (up to age 22).
Services may be sought at any time during an individual’s lifetime, given that the onset of the disability can be documented to have occurred before the age of 22.
WHAT SERVICES DOES THE
The Lake County Board of MR/DD effectively serves thousands of
· Early intervention, pre-school, and school-age programs at
· Adult vocational training and employment at two sheltered workshops—the Vocational Guidance
Center (
· Over 50 community employment sites throughout
Services program
· Long-term residential care for children, adults, and seniors at the
· Residential supports in multiple in-home and group home settings throughout
including specialized care for seniors with disabilities
· Year-round Special Olympics and recreational programs
Programs and services focus on promoting learning, life skills, independent living, and social skills to enable individuals to become valued and contributing members of our community.
HOW
Services are funded through a combination of federal, state, and local revenues. While most county boards rely on levy funding to account for approximately 70% of their revenues, the Lake County Board of MR/DD has worked hard to keep dependence on local tax revenues at a much lower amount (50%) by aggressively pursuing federal revenues (38%), which is especially critical with state revenues (12%) being cut significantly…over $2.3 million dollars in past 5 years. On the local level, Utility Deregulation and elimination of Tangible Personal Property tax also represent reductions of over $1,000,000 in annual revenue.
WHAT FUNDING EFFICIENCIES HAS THE
Faced with these tumultuous revenue reductions, the Lake County Board of MR/DD has remained proactive in critically analyzing all programs and services relative to necessity, efficiency, and effectiveness—entering into community collaborations for more cost-effective service delivery, implementing staffing attritions and, most importantly, achieving a TWO-YEAR NEGOTIATED WAGE FREEZE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES—clearly demonstrating the dedication and support of all Lake County Board of MR/DD staff!
These fiscally-responsible efforts, in addition to aggressive pursuit of Medicaid funding streams, have allowed the Lake County Board of MR/DD to actually DOUBLE the number of individuals served over the last 12 years, without approaching local taxpayers for additional levy support.
HOW IS PROGRAM/SERVICE EFFECTIVENESS ASSURED?
Programs/services are regularly assessed by both external and internal sources.
Multiple national, state, and financial regulatory entities survey all Lake County Board of MR/DD programs and services. The Board has CONSISTENTLY achieved the HIGHEST levels of accreditation for superior quality in services, at a national level from the Commission for Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and a state level from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities and the Ohio Department of Education. Financial accountability has attained ratings of EXCELLENCE in financial reporting as issued by the Government Finance Officers Association.
Internally, Consumer Satisfaction is assessed annually through multiple survey tools. Again the Board achieves commendably high levels of overall satisfaction—a 96% rating for 2009.
The Board’s greatest measure of effectiveness are individual success stories! Read some of these remarkable profiles on www.friendsofmrddcitizens.org
WHY IS A REPLACEMENT LEVY NEEDED AT THIS TIME?
The Lake County Board of MR/DD has worked hard, with programmatic and staffing efficiencies, to provide programs and services for the ever-growing numbers of eligible
In these challenging economic times, the Lake County Board of MR/DD is requesting only a REPLACEMENT LEVY, not a new tax, which was last approved by the voters of
WHAT WILL IT COST TO MAINTAIN THESE ESSENTIAL SERVICES FOR CURRENT AND
The 3.4-mill replacement levy will cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $3.83 per month to maintain these essential services in our local community.
WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT Lake
Visit our Agency web-site at www.lakemrdd.org; our levy web-site at www.friendsofmrddcitizens.org; or, call 350-5100 to schedule a tour of any of our programs and services.
OUR THANKS TO ALL CONSUMERS, FAMILIES, STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, BUSINESSES, SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, AND THE LAKE COUNTY COMMUNITY FOR YOUR ON-GOING SUPPORT OF THE Lake County Board of MR/DD’S PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. YOUR TRUST IN US ASSURES THE CONTINUED PROGRESS AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PERSONS WITH MENTAL RETARDATION AND/OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES!
How a Levy works:
A levy is a tax on a portion of the value of a homeowner’s property and is used to fund public agencies such as schools, libraries, and local county boards of mental retardation and developmental disabilities. The 3.4 mill replacement levy on the May ballot is a 17-year old levy. When it was approved in 1993, the amount of tax collected on a $100,000 home was $104.13 per year. That same amount would continue to be collected over time, except for newly constructed homes. For new homes, we would be allowed to collect whatever the effective rate of the millage was at the time the house was built. Because of the new construction in Lake County over the years that original pot of money plus the amount on the new construction has been spread out over more property so the amount being paid for each $100,000 home is now only at an effective rate of 1.9 mill per year for a cost of $58.20 per year. In putting a replacement levy on the ballot, we are asking the voters to restore the original 3.4 mill evaluation that was originally approved in 1993 on the current value of the voter’s home. This would cost an owner of a $100,000 home an additional $3.83 per month.
We appreciate the ongoing support of