EDITOR’S NOTE: This is one in a series of outreach columns from the Champaign County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

Here at the Champaign County Board of Developmental Disabilities, the month of May means graduations for us too. We are celebrating the students we work with in schools all over Champaign County who are graduating from high school.

We celebrate the graduations of the many individuals our team serves throughout the county this month. This often means that these individuals move into the world of adulthood, sometimes moving out on their own and seeking employment. These are services that the Champaign County Board of DD can assist with. Our Service and Support Administration Department will assess the needs of the individual to determine the type of living situation and supports needed and help implement them. This can often mean helping the family determine if they need additional supports in the home with daily living needs, adjusting the Individual Support Plan to reflect the person-centered services and coordinating additional supports like Medicaid and Social Security.

Additionally, our Community Education and Outreach Department can connect the individual with appropriate volunteer or vocational networks to obtain skills in order to be successful long-term in the world of work. This may mean job coaching or referrals to organizations like Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, or working with one of our day program provider partners in the area.

We work all year serving people of all ages with developmental disabilities to meet their goals, but graduation time is always an exciting, busy time of year. Whether people are ready for work or looking for a day program or to volunteer to develop skills, the Champaign County Board of DD is here to help.

The Champaign County Board of DD also wants to thank all of the teachers in Champaign County for making it through a challenging year like no other. We appreciate everything you do to support students across the county with and without disabilities succeed.

For more information on the Champaign County Board of Developmental Disabilities and services we provide, please check out our website at www.champaigncbdddd.org or call us at 937-653-5217. Also, follow our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/champaigncbdd.org.