Mental Retardation / Developmental Disabilities | MRDD
The Ohio Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, often known as MRDD, provides a variety of comprehensive services to eligible children and adults who have mental retardation and / or developmental disabilities.
Programs and supports are available to help qualified children and adults with special needs in Ohio reach their full potential through education, vocational rehabilitation, mental health services, respite, and individualized supports. You should contact your local County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities if your child has mental retardation and / or developmental disabilities. See Kentucky and Indiana for their programs and supports.
The Center for Infants and Children with Special Needs at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center recommends these highly valuable services to the families of all children with mental retardation and / or developmental disabilities.
Developmental Disabilities | Eligibility / Services | Denial of Services l Service Facilitators l Waivers l Respite Services l Residential Options l Additional Supports l Waiting Lists l Local Ohio MRDD Boards
Developmental Disabilities
A developmental disability is a mental or physical impairment that:
- Occurs before 22 years of age
- Continues indefinitely
- Causes substantial difficulties in self-care, language, learning, mobility, independent living and / or self-sufficiency
Examples of conditions that qualify as developmental disabilities may include, but are not limited to: mental retardation, autism, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, traumatic head injury, muscular dystrophy, sensory impairment, seizure disorders, orthopedic impairments or other neurological conditions.
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Eligibility / Services
In the State of Ohio, the guidelines for eligibility depend on the age of the individual. After the initial evaluation, eligibility has to be reevaluated at ages 3, 6 and 16 years. Contact your local County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities to see if your son or daughter qualifies for the following services:
Ages 0 to 3 Years (Early Intervention)
Early intervention services are provided to children up to age 3 who have delays in development or who may be at risk for delays in development due to medical complications or environmental factors. The Ohio Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities works with the Ohio Help Me Grow program to provide home-based therapy, programming and supports through the development of an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). Families learn ways to improve and enhance their child's development and are connected to resources in the community. Contact your Ohio Help Me Grow county office or your local County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities to see if your child is eligible.
Ages 3 to 5 Years (Early Childhood)
Early childhood services are provided to children ages 3 to 5 if they have two developmental delays or at risk of developmental delay due to medical or environmental risk. Some MRDD Boards offer preschool programs that are individualized to meet each child's needs and offer assistance and support to families. Families should also contact their local school district to see if their child is eligible for admission into the district's preschool program.
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Ages 6 to 15 Years (Children)
Many children who received support before the age of 6 may not continue to qualify for MRDD services. Additional criteria for eligibility must be met. A child must have a diagnosis of a life long developmental disability. The diagnosis must be made by a qualified professional and a report submitted verifying the diagnosis. A representative from MRDD will evaluate the child asking a series of questions from the Children's Ohio Eligibility Determination Instrument (COEDI). In order to be eligible for services, the child must show deficits in at least three of the six life skill areas considered:
- Self-Care
- Communication
- Mobility
- Learning
- Self-Direction
- Capacity for Independent Living
Eligible individuals may qualify for a variety of specialized services including educational programs, behavior supports, crisis intervention, transition services, vocational skills, functional skills, residential facilities, supported living in the community and therapy services.
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Ages 16 Years and Older (Adult)
The individual must have a diagnosis of a life long developmental disability that began before the age of 22. The diagnosis must be made by a qualified professional and a report submitted verifying the diagnosis. A representative from MRDD will evaluate the individual asking a series of questions from the Ohio Eligibility Determination Instrument (OEDI). In order to be eligible for services, the individual must show deficits in at least three of the seven life skill areas considered:
- Self-Care
- Communication
- Mobility
- Learning
- Self-Direction
- Capacity for Independent Living
- Economic Self-Sufficiency
Eligible individuals may qualify for a variety of specialized services including behavior supports, crisis intervention, educational programs through age 22, transition services, vocational training, employment, adult day programs, residential facilities, supported living in the community and therapy services.
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Denial of Services
The individual will be notified by letter if found ineligible to receive services. This decision can be appealed by contacting your local County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities and requesting a due process hearing called an Administrative Resolution of Complaint.
Service Facilitators
Eligible individuals and families should request that a Service Facilitator be assigned to identify and coordinate needed services. A Service Facilitator can monitor supports, help families and individuals apply for and maintain medical benefits and financial assistance, provide crisis intervention and emergency services, assist with educational needs, identify residential options, connect with employment services, and link with programs and supports in the community.
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Waivers
A waiver is one way that Medicaid enables an individual with mental retardation, developmental disabilities or significant health care needs to live at home or in the community. While some eligibility requirements are "waived" for these programs, the individual must require a protective level of care related to daily living skills or skilled medical care. The financial criteria is based only on the income of the individual. For individuals on a waiver program, there are more choices about where they live and who will provide their direct services. Being on a waiver automatically qualifies the individual for a monthly Medicaid card.
1500 new Individual Options (I/O) Waivers were recently approved by The Ohio Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities in response to a lawsuit filed by Ohio Legal Rights Service. The case, Martin v. Strickland, was filed on behalf of citizens with disabilities seeking to expand opportunities to live and be supported in the community. The new waivers will be available between September 2007 and June 2009. You can find out the number of waivers your county is scheduled to receive.
Since waiver programs pay for services for a limited number of people, their openings can fill up quickly and there may be a waiting list. However, children under 6 years of age who have been hospitalized for more than 30 days will go to the top of the waiver waiting list, thereby significantly reducing their waiting time.
The following table is a brief overview of home and community based waiver programs in Ohio administered by MRDD:
| Waiver | Eligibility | Services | Agency |
|---|
| Individual Options Waiver | Mental Retardation / Developmental Disabilities, Skilled Level of Care, Financial Criteria, All Ages | Respite, Supported Employment, Environmental Adaptations, Transportation, Specialized Medical Equipment, Homemaker / Personal Care, Social Work | Ohio Dept. of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities |
| Level One Waiver | Mental Retardation / Developmental Disabilities, Skilled Level of Care, Financial Criteria, All Ages | Respite, Environmental Adaptations, Transportation, Specialized Medical Equipment, Homemaker / Personal Care, Emergency Services | Ohio Dept. of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities |
Request for Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services application can be used to apply for any Ohio Waiver program.
Find Individual Options (I/O) and Level One service providers in Ohio or contact your MRDD Case Manager for assistance.
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Respite Services
Sometimes a family needs to take a short break from caring for a child with intense special needs. Respite care is usually periodic, overnight care to cover family illnesses, special events, vacations and stressful family times.
- Planned Respite is available through MRDD for eligible families. Contact your Service Facilitator to begin the process.
- Family Resource Services Program can help families pay for respite services. A sliding fee scale is used to determine the percentage a family will pay for services. The program is administered by The Arc Hamilton County for families who are eligible to receive MRDD services.
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Residential Options
There are a variety of residential options available that range from supported living in the community to large state facilities. In Ohio, the trend is toward placement into community residential settings over group homes or large facilities. Individuals are served based on emergencies, intensity of needs, caregiver situation and / or waiver waiting lists.
- Supported Living provides residential services in the community instead of in a more structured facility or group home. An individual can choose to live with their family or may decide to live in an apartment or house in the community with up to four people. Supported living can be provided either through MRDD County Board funds or through waivers. The County Board of MRDD is required to monitor each individual's health and safety.
- Group Homes can support up to eight individuals living in a home together with 24 hour staffing and shared nursing services. Individuals must have an Individual Options Waiver. The homes are generally at maximum capacity. They are state licensed and MRDD County Board monitored.
- ICF/MR Facilities are Intermediate Care Facilities for the Mentally Retarded and Developmentally Disabled. These are for individuals who have a moderate, severe or profound level of MRDD and require a high level of medical, nursing or support services. ICF/MR settings are usually at maximum capacity and are state and federally monitored. An ICF/MR facility can range in size from a small group home to a large residential facility:
- Group homes are located in the community and can serve up to eight individuals. They provide 24 hour nursing services for residents with physical, medical or behavioral needs.
- Larger facilities can serve more than 100 individuals with significant health, behavior and safety needs requiring additional support. On site 24 hour nursing is provided and a medical director is on call. Staff may also include therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists and behavior specialists.
State Developmental Centers are located throughout Ohio and support approximately 1600 individuals with extremely intense needs. State Developmental Centers are the most restrictive settings for individuals who cannot be adequately or appropriately served in the community. They provide residential services for individuals with a moderate, severe or profound level of mental retardation who may also have mental health issues or severe behavior problems. Some Developmental Centers provide services for individuals with mental retardation and severe medical issues. Placement in a Developmental Center may also be court ordered if a person with mental retardation is found incompetent to stand trial. Developmental Centers are operated by the Ohio Department of MRDD and are federally monitored.Back to Top
Additional Supports
Additional services are available to help families support the unique needs of their child with mental retardation and / or developmental disabilities.
- Emergency Services are available but may differ between counties. Every County Board of MRDD develops its own policies and criteria to identify what constitutes an emergency and then recommends available programs and supports. An example of an emergency may include the death of the caregiver or severe health and safety risks. Contact your MRDD Case Manager to begin the process.
- Family Resource Services Program provides financial asistance to families to help meet the individual needs of their child. The program can help families pay for medical supplies, adaptive equipment, home modifications, diapers, feeding equipment and supplies, respite, camp and family training. A sliding fee scale is used to determine the percentage a family will pay for services. The program is administered by The Arc Hamilton County.
- Information Network for Families provides the opportunity to network with other families in Hamilton County who have a child with mental retardation and / or developmental disabilities. Directories are available with contact information for volunteer families with life experience in areas including autism, attention deficit disorder, behavioral challenges, transition, residential and navigating the school system.
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Waiting Lists
While there are many supports available for families and individuals, some programs such as waivers, supported living and residential options often have limited funding and waiting lists. Your Case Manager can place you on these waiting lists and advise you of other available services and options.
Local Ohio MRDD Boards
Web sites for local Ohio counties include:
Check the local County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities to locate other counties in Ohio.
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If your questions are not fully answered by our Special Needs Resource Directory and its links, please contact us via email.
Rev. 11/07
