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Award-Winning Collaboration
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Congratulations to the Southwestern Ohio Council of Governments for big wins at the Cincinnati PRSA Blacksmith Awards on Nov. 14! The regional campaign promoting the Smart Home and remote support earned a Blacksmith Award, the top honor, for the integrated communications campaign and
online videos. The campaign also earned an Award of Excellence for Facebook engagement.
The videos - showcasing local stories and the technology featured in the Smart Home - won Best in Show for tactics at the ceremony, held at the Newport Aquarium. We had so much fun celebrating with
our partners at the Boards of DD in Butler and Clermont counties, Total Homecare Solutions, and Beth Lohner and Susie Prigan, who use remote support in their apartment and were key to the media relations part of this campaign.
This project was a true collaboration and everyone was integral to its success!
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Voters approve DD levy 
Thanks to all your hard work support, Hamilton County voters approved the Developmental Disabilities Services levy for five more years - by a historic margin of 76 percent! The success of this levy means HCDDS can continue its important work.
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#FamilyTalk with DODD
We had a wonderful turnout for the Ohio DODD Family Talk session on Nov. 15! Families had an opportunity to stop by the Pleasant Ridge public library to connect to resources and staff from the Ohio Department of DD, as well as learn more about our services from the HCDDS family engagement, service and support administration and community integration teams.
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Local & national voting experiences
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Marcel Mullins recently turned 18 and voted in his first election! Marcel, who is non-verbal, practiced voting by printing out sample ballots. His mom, Marcy, said it was exciting for him to vote for the DD Services renewal levy because it directly affects him.
She said her parents never believed voting was important and never registered to vote. "As I became an adult with a special needs child, I realized that our voice through voting is a powerful thing," Marcy said. "I want to pass that along to Marcel so he knows that even though he is non-verbal, he still has a voice and deserves to be heard."
Marcel's favorite part of voting was feeding his ballot into the scanner, and he had a great time voting in his first election. "I'm very proud of him," Marcy said.
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Earlier this month, Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE) released a national report on the voting experiences of people with DD. The 2018 survey showed those voters prefer to vote at polling locations and the top accessibility issue is lack of accessible parking.
Read the full report here. Voting has been a priority for SABE since 2000, and they offer a GoVoter Toolkit and complete a national voting experience survey every two years.
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Inclusive Job Fair
Did you catch us on Local 12 news this month? We partnered with the television station, Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries, Easterseals Serving Greater Cincinnati and others for a job fair.
HCDDS Superintendent Alice Pavey and Employment Coordinator Nathan Beck also shared how our employment team partners with businesses to help people with DD find meaningful jobs in their communities. It was a fantastic and inclusive event with great turnout, despite the wintry weather!
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Services Spotlight
Hamilton County DD Services supports many school-age children in their local public school districts. We also operate two schools for students with significant needs, and provide transition services for students ages 14 and older.
"Hamilton County DD Services' schools have caring, dedicated professionals who strive to reach every single student in a deeply meaningful way," said Duerk Zinn, the director of school programs.
Services Spotlight is a feature to share
more information about HCDDS services.
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Statewide Survey
The Ohio DD Council is asking for feedback on issues and problems that affect people with developmental disabilities.
Survey results will guide the next five-year plan (2022 - 2027) that will allow DD Council to develop grants and projects that benefit the developmental disability community across the state.
It's open to people with disabilities, family members and guardians, DD professionals and other stakeholders. Click here to take the survey.
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Road Closures
Construction and lane closures on Columbia Parkway may affect your route to our Support Center.
The westbound curb lane between Beechmont and Tusculum avenues will be closed daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for six to eight weeks.
Westbound Columbia Parkway also will be down to one lane of through traffic from Delta Avenue to Torrence Parkway for two to three months.
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Winter Weather
With the first snow already behind us, we want to remind you about winter weather closings. If HCDDS is closed due to weather, notices will be posted on our website and on the agency social media accounts -
Facebook,
Twitter and
Instagram.
If only Bobbie B. Fairfax and Margaret B. Rost schools are closed, notices will be posted
on the agency website, as well as the school Facebook pages. HCDDS staff will receive a phone call with instructions on reporting to work.
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Margaret B. Rost School had a fantastic turnout for its Chili Cook-Off! The event included a chili tasting, meet-and-greet with local athletes and more. See more photos on Facebook.
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Bobbie B. Fairfax School students had a blast at their annual fall festival! It capped off Spirit Week and included hayrides and other fun activities. See more photos on Facebook.
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- The Frog Princess. 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30. Sensory-friendly performance from the Ensemble Theatre. Click here for details.
- Thanksgiving. Thursday-Friday, Nov. 28-29. All HCDDS Offices are closed.
- Sensory-Friendly Santa at the Zoo. 1-3 p.m. Sunday-Friday, Dec 1-6 at the Cincinnati Zoo. Reserve a 10-minute private experience for your family to meet Santa Claus! Click here to register.
- A Christmas Carol Sensory Friendly Performance. 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3 at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Learn more about sensory friendly performances here.
- Trauma Responsive Care: What to Do about it! 9-4 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, Dec. 3- 4 at Four Points by Sheraton. Multiple training dates and other locations also offered. Click here for details.
- Crafting Buddies. 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5 at North Central Branch. Make a craft and help an adult with disabilities make theirs, too.
- Home Think Tank: Planning for Housing-It's a Journey. 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 5 at HCDDS Support Center, 1520 Madison Road. View the agenda here.
- Lovis Frost, Winter Dance. Friday, Dec. 6 at the Carnegie Center of Columbia Tusculum. DJ, Dancing, Food and Fun! Click here for tickets and details.
- A Visit with Sensitive Santa. 12-3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7 at Sabin Auditorium at Children's Hospital. For children with cognitive and physical disabilities. For more information and to register, please click here.
- Spina Bifida Coalition Holiday Party. 12:30-3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7 at St. Maximillan Kolbe Gymnasium. Join us for lunch, active games, and fun crafts led by volunteers. Click here to register.
- Autism Speaks Sensory-Friendly Santa. 8 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 8 at Kenwood Towne Centre. All families with children with autism and special needs are welcome. To register, please click here.
- Care Connections: Understanding DDBP & Community Support Options. 5:30-7:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 9 at Children's Hospital DDBP Building. This course for caregivers will discuss available resources and how to access community supports and services. For more information, please click here.
- Abuse Prevention & Response Training. 10:30 a.m. or 6 p.m on Tuesday, Dec. 10 at Janet Clemmons Center. Two sessions available of the same training on abuse prevention and response. Email to register by clicking here.
- HCDDS Board Meeting. 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10 at HCDDS, 1520 Madison Road.
- Memory Café. 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 12 at Mariemont. This is a place for people with Alzheimer's or dementia and their care partners.
- Spina Bifida Holiday Dinner Club. 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15 at Brio Tuscan Grille in Newport. This is the annual dinner for adults with Spina Bifida to celebrate the holidays at our monthly dinner club. Please click here to register.
- CPR and First Aid Training. 10-2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18 at LADD. CPR training includes the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Click here for more information.
- Christmas Day. Wednesday, Dec. 25. All HCDDS Offices are closed.
- New Years Day. Wednesday, Jan. 1. All HCDDS Offices are closed.
- HCDDS Board Meeting. 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14 at HCDDS, 1520 Madison Road.
- Martin Luther King Day. Monday, Jan. 20. All HCDDS Offices are closed.
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