MCBDD Receives Highest State Accreditation
The Medina County Board of Developmental Disabilities (MCBDD) is pleased to announce that it has been accredited by the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) for a period of three years, the highest accreditation period an organization may receive.
“Receiving this level of accreditation shows the dedication of our staff to improving the lives of people with developmental disabilities,” said Superintendent Stacey Maleckar. “Our staff is highly committed to the work they do and continues to strive to provide the best service possible.”
As the community resource responsible for connecting, coordinating and funding services for individuals of all ages with developmental disabilities, the Medina County Board of DD works with over 1500 Medina County individuals and their families. The MCBDD helps with everything from early intervention and education opportunities for children to employment and community inclusive living for adults. When an agency such as MCBDD is DODD-accredited, it means it has passed an intensive on-site review and has met numerous standards and guidelines for operations, service and quality.
On November 13 and 14, the Ohio DODD’s eight-member State Review Team was on site at MCBDD to take a look at the agency’s daily operations and processes, while also evaluating the agency’s ability to help people with developmental disabilities become engaged and connected within the community. Accreditation reviews are conducted by the Ohio DODD Office of Provider Standards and Review to ensure that agencies are meeting standards as outlined in about 370 areas of the Ohio Administrative Code. Upon completing the on-site review, DODD delivered a summary presentation which highlighted the strengths of the MCBDD and also provided recommendations for areas to look at for improvements. DODD reviewers specifically complemented the MCBDD on its agency wide commitment to creating important relationships with the people and families it serves. In response to the reviewer’s observations, Maleckar stated, “While our agency accomplishes important things each day, I am most proud of the fact that our staff was praised for building strong relationships with the people we serve. Throughout their time with us, the reviewers consistently saw how well our staff know the individuals and families they help and how important that is to our agency.”
MCBDD Assistant Superintendent Annie Finnerty, the MCBDD coordinator for the review, stated, “This achievement shows that the MCBDD continues to be true to its mission of empowering people with developmental disabilities. I am very grateful to work with a professional staff that know how to put the needs of the people and families we serve first and work each day to improve the services and support available in our county.”