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Popular Webinar Returns for HMG Parents
Thu 15 Apr 2010 14:29
Dr. Duby, director of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Akron Children’s Hospital will be presenting “Promoting Positive Behavior in Young Children,” a webinar for ALL Families in Help Me Grow program, on Tuesday, May 4, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. OR 7 to 8:30 p.m.

To register, e-mail finofohiowebinar@ymail.com. In your e-mail please indicate that you are a family in HMG and the date/time of the webinar: May 4 at either 1 or 7 p.m. Several days before the webinar you will receive an email with information on how to log on and join this presentation.
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Yesterday staff and clients bid farewell to Judy Bush, who served as the registered nurse at Greene, Inc. for almost 20 years.

However, Bush and those who attended her retirement party on Feb. 1 at The Atrium were all smiles as they ate cake and reminisced Bush's long career with the Greene County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

"This is a great place to work ... Just remember that you probably have more to learn from our clients than they have to learn from you," Bush said as she sat in front of a giant card, cake and flowers.

Melissa Greene will begin her duties as Greene, Inc.'s new registered nurse on Feb. 16.

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Our Name is Now "The Greene County Board of Developmental Di
Mon 15 Jun 2009 14:28

The Ohio House of Representatives voted unanimously in June to remove “mental retardation” from the Ohio Department of MRDD and all 88 Ohio County Boards of MRDD. Our organization will now be known as the Greene County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

The House voted June 10 on Senate Bill 79, which was introduced by Senator Jimmy Stewart, of Athens County. In addition to all 99 members voting for its passage, about two-thirds of House members showed even stronger support by signing their name as co-sponsors of the bill.

The House version of the bill was introduced by Rep. Deborah Newcomb and Rep. Debbie Phillips, Stewart’s replacement. Because of a couple of amendments to the bill, it will go back to the Senate for final approval next week, but no additional changes are being considered.

“Every legislator understood that this bill wasn’t about money or politics. It was about the people with developmental disabilities in Ohio and their families,” said Linda Oda, director of communications for the Ohio Association of County Boards of MRDD, which also is expected to make a name change in the near future. Oda said the name change is part of the continuing evolution for people with developmental disabilities.

The “Name Change Bill” – as SB79 was commonly known – came about almost two years ago when people with developmental disabilities in Athens County visited their Board of MRDD and requested the change. After about a year of discussion, the self-advocates were back at a board meeting. That time, the board acted immediately, and then-Representative Stewart was asked to introduce legislation to abolish “mental retardation” statewide.

And Athens County didn’t wait for the bill to pass. They immediately began doing business as a Board of Developmental Disabilities (DD). There are also nine other County Boards of MRDD “doing business as” County Boards of DD. However, in 1991, Delaware County was the first to drop “mental retardation” from its name.

Many other County Boards of MRDD also wanted to drop “mental retardation,” but were prohibited by their prosecutors, who interpreted the Ohio Revised Code in such a way that would not allow County Boards of MRDD to do business under any name other than the state-sanctioned title.

Oda said much of the credit for the passage of the bill should be givens not only to the self-advocates of Athens County, but also advocates for the developmentally disabled from throughout Ohio.

If you have or know a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder, check out Greene County Board of MRDD's P.L.A.Y. Project (Play and Language for Autistic Youngsters).

Based on the National Academy of Sciences' recommendation to begin early (18 months to 5 years old), the P.L.A.Y Project is designed for young children on the autism spectrum. The project is defined by an intensive amount of early intervention that is engaging and has a strategic direction.

P.L.A.Y. Project interventions also are used successfully with children who have not been diagnosed on the autism spectrum but whohave sensory intergration, behavior concerns or difficulty relating with others. With use of video recordings, families are able to be coached by a home consultant about ways to successfully engage their child so that their play becomes more meaningful.

Four Oaks has a team of professionals who have been trained by Dr. Richard Soloman, M.D., the creator of the P.L.A.Y. Project. Dr. Soloman is a colleague of Dr. Stanley Greenspan, a world-renowned developmental pediatrician who developed the D.I.R. (Developmental, Individualized and Relationship-based) Model.

Greene County Board of MRDD's "Supports for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder" was the first such standard to be accredited by CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Favilities), an independent, nonprofit accreditor of human service providers in the areas of aging services, behavioral health, child and youth services, employment and community services, medical rehabilitation, and opioid treatment programs. The CARF family of organizations currently accredits more than 5,500 providers in more than 19,000 locations on five continents.

Four Oaks team members are available to discuss the appropriateness of working with your child. Please call 937-562-6779 or 937-222-7474 and ask Janel to schedule a phone consultation.

P.L.A.Y. Project consultants: Beth Brennaman, Jennifer Groetz, Diana Martin, Katie Resse, Lauara Wallenburg, and Cindy Whitaker.

Greene, Inc.'s new atrium is poised to open to the public in less than a month, and a photo log over the past five months has followed the Atrium's construction progression. The pictures posted below show the Atrium in its completion.

Greene, Inc. will host a Gala Opening on Thursday, Nov. 19 to welcome staff, clients and their families, and local dignitaries to the new building.

On Monday, April 20, 2009, Greene, Inc. held its groundbreaking ceremony for The Atrium, a 20,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art habilitation facility that will house a new and improved workshop, classrooms, a learning kitchen, art therapy and pet therapy rooms, and a roomy cafeteria while providing services, support and employment opportunities for people with lifelong disabilities. The entire building will also be air-conditioned, an important feature the current building does not have.

Greene, Inc.’s atrium project has been two years in the making, and Board members, employees and clients equally anticipated the Atrium's November opening. "We are very excited about our new building and workshop," said Greene, Inc. client Sharon Vordtriede.

Greene, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation specializing in vocational training, employment and community integration services for individuals with disabilities. Founded in Xenia in 1971, it employs many of its clients in its laundry and secure-document services.