Mission Statement:
The Lawrence County Board of DD provides - to the greatest extent possible – programs, services, and supports that assist our residents with developmental disabilities so they may achieve a life of increasing capability to live, work, and learn in an environment of their choice.
History & Overview of Organization:
The LCBDD is a publicly funded program serving children and adults in the rural, Appalachian foothills of Southern Ohio. In the 1960’s, parents with children who had mental retardation in Lawrence County came together to provide education and socialization of their children. As similar family engagement occurred across the state, Ohio’s legislature created the Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities boards to serve individuals with multiple handicaps across the state. In the fall of 2009, the words “Mental Retardation” were dropped from the title so that the organizations were known as the “Board of Developmental Disabilities” in their respective counties.
Accredited by the Ohio Dept. of Developmental Disabilities, today the LCBDD serves over 500 individuals with disabilities on an annual basis. These include: Early Intervention (birth – age 3) and Preschool (ages 3 - 5) at the Early Childhood Center, which is accredited by the Ohio Dept. of Education and certified by the National Association for the Education of Young Children; Open Door School (ages 6 - 21) which is certified by the Ohio Dept. of Education; Service and Support Administration (birth – adulthood); and habilitation and employment services provided to individuals with DD under a contractual partnership with Tri-State Industries, Inc. non-profit board, which is accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).
Staff at the LCBDD consists of Instructors and Instructional Aides, Habilitation Specialists, Office Administrators, Residential & Employment Coordinators, Custodial positions, Bus Drivers, as well as Managerial positions. The LCBDD participates in many community events related to education, autism, mental health, family services, and the annual developmental disabilities month.
