This November, Portage County residents will vote on Issue 29 to aid people with developmental disabilities in nurturing their skills and capabilities through advocacy, inclusion and empowerment. While not a new tax, the renewal of Issue 29 will continue funding in key areas for The Portage County Board of Developmental Disabilities (Portage DD).
“The need for services and supports touches many people with disabilities in our community,” Tim Torch, communications and human resources manager, Portage DD, said. “Without funding, we would not be able to offer essential services to them and their families. These services cover health, safety, education and the overall enhancement of their quality of life.”
Portage DD currently serves 1,134 individuals of all ages. From birth to death, they provide support to individuals with developmental disabilities across a lifetime. The services and supports encompass the following, among others:
• Early intervention services for children from birth to 36 months of age with developmental delays or disabilities.
• Portage DD Special Olympics from age eight and above for participation in many sport and recreational events.
• Nonviolent crisis intervention training, staff professional development, Happy Day Services facility usage, social emotional learning and transition programming for school districts.
• Person-centered planning to assist and guide individuals and families on important topics like Social Security benefits, guardianship, Medicaid, home and community-based waivers, etc.
• Investigation and monitoring of individuals to develop prevention plans to minimize or prevent incidents that could adversely affect their health, safety and welfare.
• Family support services to provide care to individuals living at home with their family.
• Advocacy for parents with their own lived experience in managing multiple systems on behalf of their own child.
• Activities for individuals 18 years and older with developmental disabilities to enrich their social lives by integrating them into the community with recreation and leisure opportunities.
To enhance the quality of these services, the department of community and provider relations at Portage DD actively develops and implements initiatives to support county service providers. Levies, such as Issue 29, play a significant role in sustaining funding to improve the overall quality of life for individuals with developmental disabilities.
To learn more about the levy, visit the People of Portage DD at supportportagedd.org for information.
