Ohio Association of Professionals
for the MRDD
The mission of the OAPMRDD is to advance the growth of the education and habilitation of individuals with mental retardation and developmental disabilities and to provide a collective voice for the professional, paraprofessional and support staff working with persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities.
As a department of the Ohio Education Association, OAPMRDD provides the following services to members:
- A quarterly newsletter - The OAPMRDD Newsline.
- Monitoring of legislation that affects OAPMRDD members.
- Leadership training at an Annual Conference.
- A Public Relations Grant program
- Lunch mixers at the OEA Representative Assemblies
- Executive committee meetings six times per year
OAPMRDD Executive Committee
Recommends Strategic Direction
The OAPMRDD Executive Committee, at its September 20, 2008 meeting, voted to recommend a refocus of the Mission and new Strategic Goals for adoption at the OAPMRDD Annual Meeting, March 7, 2008, at the Mohican Sate Park Conference Center.
OAPMRDD Local Presidents have been asked for comments regarding the proposed Mission and Strategic Goals. OAPMRDD members may send comments to OAPMRDD Chairperson Jené Wilson at jene@mac.com.
The Mission of the OAPMRDD is to:
- Advance the growth of the public education and habilitation of individuals with mental retardation and developmental disabilities and to
- Provide a collective voice for the professional, paraprofessional, and support staff working with persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities in Ohio’s county boards of MRDD and public schools.
Strategic Goals:
Promote and preserve county MRDD boards as a viable MRDD service option for consumers -
- Ensure that the entire spectrum of county board MRDD services is publicized and available as a choice for consumers and their families.
- Insure continued ODMRDD support in the delivery of county board MRDD services.
Promote high standards for service delivery staff -
- Ensure that all staff providing the same or similar service should be subject to the same requirements regardless of where services are provides.
- Maintain and strengthen current staff certification standards.
Promote high standards for provider organizations -
- Ensure that all providers, public or private, of MRDD services be held to the same standards.
- Recommend current CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) accreditation for all service providers.
Promote high standards for services provided -
- Improve access to needed services through knowledgeable and competent service coordination.
- Promote adequate health and safety standards for consumer housing options.
ODMRDD Futures Committee Begins Work
The ODMRDD Futures Committee has begun the implementation phase for the recommendations that were developed in the public meetings held last spring.
There are six work groups for this phase of the project, covering all the concerns and topics that were generated from the testimony by commission members, consumers and their families, county board administrators, private providers, and BMRDD staff.
During the testimony phase, OEA members and leadership attended several of the meetings to offer suggestions and concerns from the point of view of the MRDD worker. A written response to the recommendations was also developed and forwarded to the commission.
Communication between OEA and OAPMRDD leadership and ODMRDD deputies has kept everyone informed of the progress of the commission. OEA members and leadership will now be involved in monitoring this part of the plan, as well.
ODMRDD staff members are charged with completing the bulk of the work toward implementation and they will comprise the membership on the committees. However, the names of six OAPMRDD members have been submitted as expert witnesses to be called to give recommendations and ideas. The six are Joe McCrone and Jené Wilson (Cuyahoga), Donna Palazzo (Erie), Jürgen von Tresckow (Lake), and Arnette Collins and Eric Smith (Stark).
The effort to include OEA members and keep county boards visible continues to be spearheaded by Jim Timlin, OEA Secretary- Treasurer. He is in frequent contact with ODMRDD administrators and committee chairs, reminding them of the commitment by Director Martin to maintain hands-on staff and boards of MRDD in the process.
Further information will be forwarded as the committees become operational.