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
NEW! Spring 2009 OAPMRDD Newsline
Download the Spring 2009 Newsline
Pictures from the 2009 Annual Conference
OAPMRDD Annual Conference Approves
New Mission and Strategic Goals
The OAPMRDD unanimously approved the following Mission Statement and Strategic Goals at its March 7, 2008 business meeting at the OAPMRDD Annual Conference at the Mohican Resort Conference Center. The OAPMRDD Executive Committee will now develop an action plan for MRDD locals and members to carry out locally and statewide toward achieving the Strategic Goals.
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.
- Ensure 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 provided.
- 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.
Sign up for OEA/NEA Political Action Cyberlobbying
This spring will be a busy time for MRDD staff and other educators as both the State and Federal Budgets will be debated and prepared for a vote. Sign up for Cyberlobbying on both the OEA and the NEA websites to do your part in participating in this great debate.
When crucial votes are anticipated in either the State Legislature or the Congress, you will receive an e-mail describing the issue and offering you the opportunity to compose an e-mail to your elected officials using a sample letter, suggested bullet points, and/or your own words. It is the fastest and easiest way to be involved and do your part.
Go to our Legislative Links page for links to the OEA and NEA Cyberlobbying sign-up pages.
For ODMRDD news, the ODMRDD Pipeline is a twice monthly electronic newsletter from the Ohio Department of MRDD and covers many items of interest affecting MRDD Employees and the clients they serve. Go to the ODMRDD Pipeline page for Back issues and signup to receive Pipeline on the Electronic Subscriptions link.
OAPMRDD Members Represented During Futures
Commission Implementation Planning
OAPMRDD Chairperson's Report:
OAPMRDD began taking shape in 1981, partly with the goals of making MRDD members more visible within OEA and within the Ohio Department of MRDD. OEA has been on board with recognizing MRDD members in meaningful ways for years. Getting the Department to do the same has been a longer road, but it seems to have finally come about.
OAPMRDD leaders have taken part in the Department’s Futures Commission activities - members gave testimony at the initial hearings, provided written comments, and had direct contact with Department deputies. Subsequent to that phase of the process, several members were appointed to Implementation committees.
The most active Implementation committee is developing a Single Review Process and Tool for assessing services provided by both boards of MRDD and by private providers. This tool would combine elements of many of the assessments now in use, with the goal of having fewer, but more comprehensive, reviews. It would conserve board and provider resources while ensuring quality services and the health and safety of consumers.
Two OAPMRDD leadership people, Jurgen Von Tresckow and Jené Wilson, sit on this committee with Department staff, private providers, superintendents, and Board staff. The OAPMRDD members’ focus has been to advocate that private providers be held to the same certification, licensure, and safety standards as County MRDD boards. OAPMRDD’s participation on this committee has been welcomed, and it is anticipated that the final product will reflect the views of all stakeholders.
With this development comes the realization that OAPMRDD has become a valid and powerful voice for MRDD members and consumers, not only within our own organization, OEA, but also within the state. It may have been a long road, but it’s one that was worth traveling.
The ODMRDD Futures Committee has begun the implementation phase for the recommendations that were developed last year.
Spring 2009
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