MOUNT GILEAD — Morrow Developmental Disabilities Superintendent Nancy Foglesong met with County Commissioners Monday to explain the importance of the county’s 1.5 mill levy on the Nov. 3 ballot.

It is the only countywide issue on the ballot.

“We must have sufficient local matching funds to bring state and federal funding to Morrow County for DD individuals,” said Foglesong.

It is the goal of Foglesong and Morrow Abilities Partners Barb Rogers to make sure voters are educated to the “desperate need for supports and services for individuals with developmental disabilities of all ages.”

Foglesong said there are more than 300 developmentally disabled in Morrow County who will benefit from the levy funding in several different ways.

Levy funding will help:

• Ensure availability of residential providers

• Bring crucial therapies for children from birth through age three.

• Teach self-advocacy skills for personal growth and responsibility for age 14 and up.

• Learn and develop social and employment skills

• Meet the diverse needs of the aging population

• Local matching dollars for Medicaid waiver funded services

• Urgent needs determined by the waiting list assessment

• Sustain locally funded services such as Special Olympics, Respite, Family directed resources

• Sustain growth of Early Intervention Services

• Funding for emergencies such as abandonment, abuse, trafficking and neglect.

Cost of the levy

For an appraised home value of $100,000, the cost of the additional 1.5 mill levy for 10 years is less than 15 cents per day; that is less than $5 per month.

Foglesong also listed some of the ways DD individuals will be impacted if funding is not received. Individuals waiting for services and any newly identified will continue to face delays. Funding for emergencies will continue to pull funding away from other critical areas. Waiting lists will continue to grow and service reduction will continue.

Of the 25 waivers for services needed by Morrow County DD individuals in the past five years, only one waiver could be funded and that was in July 2019.

Foglesong added that without this levy the Morrow DD agency will not have the capacity or resources to address emergency situations. One example is when an individual has lost a caretaker and faces homelessness.

“We want the voters to be informed,” Foglesong told Morrow County Commissioners. “Even with the levy passing, the county is on the low end of funding compared to other counties.”

Commissioners thanked Foglesong for the information and passed a resolution in support of the Developmental Disabilities Levy. They noted that the levy passage will provide for essential services and care for county residents.

For more information about the levy or Morrow Development Disabilities visit www.MorrowDD.com.

Morrow DD serves individuals with developmental disabilities of all ages.
https://www.morrowcountysentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2020/10/web1_Residential-provider.jpgMorrow DD serves individuals with developmental disabilities of all ages. Courtesy Photos

Morrow DD serves individuals with developmental disabilities of all ages.
https://www.morrowcountysentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2020/10/web1_EI-1.jpgMorrow DD serves individuals with developmental disabilities of all ages. Courtesy Photos

By Alberta Stojkovic

The Sentinel