Pickaway County Developmental Disabilities

Governor signs "Joshua Alert" legislation

Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 359 into law last week, creating a statewide alert system for missing children with autism or developmental disabilities. The legislation, known as the "Joshua Alert," requires law enforcement agencies to activate a statewide alert once they have verified that a child is missing and has autism or a developmental disability.

The law is intended to expedite notification efforts and eliminate delays that may occur under traditional missing-person protocols. HB 359 will take effect September 16.

In The News -
Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) issued an opinion addressing the U.S. Supreme Court's 1999 decision in Olmstead v. L.C., which has influenced developmental disability services for the past 25 years.

According to the opinion, the ruling prohibits "unjustified institutional isolation" of people with disabilities and states that the Justice Department has interpreted and enforced the decision more broadly in recent years.

The opinion does not have the force of law and does not change current federal or state policies related to home and community-based services.

Following the release of the opinion, disability rights advocates and civil rights organizations stated that they are concerned the interpretation could affect future federal enforcement actions and disability discrimination cases.

Check out the opportunities with We Thrive Together Ohio

Take a look at what's happening this week with We Thrive Together Ohio!
JOIN AN EVENT ON ZOOM! Visit https://zoom.us/join and enter a meeting ID from below.
WTT Led Event: Meeting ID: 801 039 6858
* Participant Led Event: Meeting ID: 311 848 4571
Got Questions? Email: [email protected]

https://www.therapystrides.org/

A great program that we wanted to share some information about!

Therapy Strides | Discover Effective Speech Therapy — Get Started Today Explore innovative equine-facilitated speech therapy for children, combining nature, horses, and expert speech-language pathologists to improve communication skills.

🚨🎥 New Provider Training Series Video Alert! 🎥🚨

Knowledge is power… and a calm approach goes a long way! 💙

Our latest Provider Training Series video covers Major Unusual Incidents (MUI) and De-escalation Techniques—helping providers recognize, respond, and support individuals in a safe and positive way.

Because sometimes the best superpower is knowing how to keep things calm. 🦸‍♀️🦸‍♂️

https://youtu.be/YSglyKL2fzc?si=MOwFICScYaE1Xf9N

Add a few more tools to your toolbox and continue building your skills to support others with confidence!

Pickaway County Board of DD Provider Web Series: UIs and MUIs In this video MUI Coordinator, Abby Park, and SSA, Lain Hicks discu...

💙 Help Change a Life This Summer — Become an iCan Swim Volunteer! 💙

For many children and adults with disabilities, learning to swim is about much more than having fun in the water. It’s about safety, confidence, independence, and giving families peace of mind. That's why we need YOU.

Our iCan Swim program returns to the YMCA August 3–7, and we're looking for caring volunteers to help our swimmers experience the joy and life-saving benefits of water safety.

🌊 You don't need to be a swimming expert! Our incredible, certified instructors will lead every session and teach swimmers essential water safety skills and how to safely enjoy the water. Volunteers provide encouragement, support, and help build confidence every step (and splash!) of the way.

📌 Volunteer commitments:
• Volunteers are asked to sign up for the SAME time slot each day (August 3–7). Building trust and consistency is so important, and your swimmer will be counting on seeing the same friendly face throughout the week.
• A mandatory volunteer training will be held Sunday, August 2, from 12:00–2:00 PM at the YMCA.
• Amazing, certified instructors will guide volunteers in the pool while teaching swimmers life-saving water safety lessons and safe water recreation skills.

❤️ One week. One swimmer. One life-changing impact.

The relationships formed during iCan Swim are truly special, and many volunteers say they receive just as much as they give.

If you have a heart for helping others and a few hours to spare, we would love to have you join our team. Together, we can help our swimmers gain confidence, independence, and skills that can save lives.

SIGN UP LINK HERE: https://forms.gle/Uo5QvwYWP7DRvXKa8

We can't wait to see you this Friday in the Park! Come out for some fun games, crafts, some DQ ice cream treats (while supplies last) and a meet and greet with Dispatcher Chase Bergoon, and therapy dog, Randy from the PIckaway County Pickaway County Sheriff's Office!

Bring the kids to Ted Lewis Park this Friday as part of a great summer in Pickaway County.

June 12, the Circleville Fire & Police Departments and PAAC kick off Friday in the Park, presented by . Free and open to everyone, 11am to 12:30pm.

Find more events at https://bit.ly/3IR131x.

Planning a trip to the Ohio State Fair? The Fair runs July 29-August 9 and offers a variety of accessibility supports to help everyone enjoy the experience, including accessible parking and shuttles, communication boards, ASL interpretation, companion tickets, wheelchair charging stations, quiet rooms, and more.

Sensory-Friendly Morning will take place July 30 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring reduced lights and sounds, sensory activities, quiet spaces, and other supports designed to create a more comfortable experience for fairgoers.

Before you go, check out the Ohio State Fair Accessibility Guide and plan your visit: https://www.ohiostatefair.com/p/visit/accessibility