We congratulate Superintendent Melanie Stretchbery for receiving the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce "Athena Award" for 2009. The Athena Award is given to individuals that actively mentor, support, and development women in realizing their full leadership potential. They demonstrate excellence, creative, and initial in their business or profession and provide valuable service to improve the quality of life for others in the community.
Employment Specialist Melissa Krieger was recognized by the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce for her six-year service to the Board of Directors. She continues to work with the Leadership BG Alumni Association and co-chairs the Chamber's annual golf outing.
WLI Board President and Bowling Green Municipal Administrator John Fawcett received the first Honorary Athena (Zeus) Award, for his support of helping women reach their potential in the Bowling Green community.
Photos:
Melissa Krieger, Melanie Stretchbery, and Tricia Peters
Melanie Stretchbery and John Fawcell
January 8, 2010
Wood Lane is partnering with the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission (RSC) to begin a new program called “Bridges to Transition.” The program’s focus is to assist youth with developmental disabilities to acquire the needed skills to obtain employment upon graduation from high school.
National statistics indicate that youth with disabilities have significant difficulties with their transition from school to the demands of adult life. “A student with a disability has less that a 20% chance of ever being employed in adult life if he or she does not have a job upon high school graduation,” stated Wood Lane Employment Services coordinator Vic Gable. “Bridges is intended to change that outcome in Wood County.” According to RSC, “ Bridges to Transition” will generate new, high-quality transition assistance programs, expand services to young people with disabilities and maximize federal match funding for the state’s vocational rehabilitation program.
Wood Lane/Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities took the lead in Wood County and contributed $71,400 in local funds to generate more than $263,466 in federal vocational rehabilitation funds for the Bridges to Transition Program. Staff hired through this grant will provide transition assistance in the form of vocational training and community employment as well as supports and guidance for independent living. Those eligible for the program are youth between the ages of 14 and 22 who have a developmental disability. The youth need to be receiving special education services and have an individualized education plan (IEP.) RSC and Wood Lane are working with the Perrysburg, Bowling Green, North Baltimore, Eastwood, Elmwood, Otsego, Rossford, Northwood and Lake school districts, the Wood County Educational Service Center, Penta Career Center, and Ohio’s State Support Team, Region 1 to identify youth who can benefit from the program.
“Bridges to Transition” will help give young people in our community who have developmental disabilities a competitive edge as they prepare for the workforce,” said Ann Okuley, RSC’s north region manager. “The program is designed to ensure that youth have a community job upon graduation from school and that supports are available for successful transition from school to work.”
While Wood Lane and local school districts have worked for more than 10 years improving transition services for youth, all participants are looking forward to increased opportunities for students to be successful. “We’ve been talking about this type of program for a long time,” said Bowling Green assistant superintendent Ann McVey. “We appreciate Wood Lane for taking the lead in this.”
The Bridges to Transition program is a part of RSC’s Pathways projects. Statewide, local entities have contributed a total of $5.8 million through all of these projects, which has helped RSC maintain federal vocational rehabilitation funding and generated $27.6 million to serve Ohioans with disabilities.
Funding for the projects and programs come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), signed into law by President Barack Obama in February. RSC’s ARRA funds were awarded through the federal Rehabilitation Services Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Education.
COLUMBUS, Ohio - A Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities administrator was honored last week at the Ohio Association of County Boards (OACB) of Developmental Disabilities 26th annual Convention.
Superintendent Receives State-Wide Recognition
COLUMBUS, Ohio - A Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities administrator was honored last week at the Ohio Association of County Boards (OACB) of Developmental Disabilities 26th annual Convention.
Wood Lane Superintendent Melanie Stretchbery was one of three individuals to receive the Partners in Excellence award.
Commissioned in 2006, this annual award is presented to a County Board of Developmental Disabilities staff member who demonstrates exemplary service in offering expertise to a workgroup or specific project that benefits the County Board of Developmental Disabilities system in Ohio.
OACB executive director Dan Ohler described Mrs.. Stretchbery as "one of the least selfish people I know."
"For Melanie, it is all about what's best for people with developmental disabilities. She is always positive in her responses, and understands the importance of our system as a whole," stated Ohler. He also noted that Stretchbery "never says no and never hesitates to help."
In the four years the OACB has presented this award, Stretchbery is the first superintendent to receive the honor. Mike Boaz, a business manager from the Putnam and Van Wert County Boards of Developmental Disabilities, and Willy Jones, a business manager from the Belmont County Board of Developmental Disabilities also were recognized.
Stretchbery was visibly surprised by the award. "I have always felt fortunate to be a part of this field. I truly love working with people with developmental disabilities and the entire team at Wood Lane. They are my family," she said.
Wood Lane provides services in Wood County to over 700 children and adults with a developmental disability. The agency is a member of the Ohio Association of County Boards whose purpose is to educate and advocate for the 80,000 individuals with developmental disabilities who reside in the Buckeye State.
Photo: Melanie Stretchbery, Superintendent of Wood Lane is pictured with John Martin, Director of the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (left) and Dan Ohler, OACB Executive Director (right.)
*storyprovided by OACB
The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities has created a discussion listserv to encourage communication for families in supporting other families. A list serv is basically a gropu of people with common interest who are part of an e-mail distribution list. If someone sends and e-mail on the list, all users get the email. For more information, download the Family Supporting Families pdf.
Congratulations to the following Wood Lane staff as well as others affiliated with Employment Services for being recognized at the Ohio APSE State Conference last week! *
Kristen Fisher was one of two people recognized with the Supported Employee Award. She works full time as a clerical worker and receptionist for Wood Lane. She was praised for "always doing her best at whatever job she has and for her willingness to assume a more responsible job."
Jeanne Novak, an assistant professor in intervention services at Bowling Green State University, received the Wendy Wood Award, given to a professional who is emerging as a national leader in the field of supported employment. At BGSU, she instituted a “Campus Workers” program — a partnership between BGSU, the Wood County Educational Service Center and five local school districts. The worked-based learning partnership engaged university students enrolled in support employment course to provide job training and support to high school students at their campus work experience sites.
Vic Gable received the Rebecca McDonald Award, presented annually to APSE chapter leaders who demonstrate the spirit of volunteerism and extraordinary commitment to the mission and vision of APSE in their work with their state chapters. A former state president of Ohio APSE, Gable has served on several national APSE committees and has been active on the Bowling Green Transit Advisory Committee and the Northwest Ohio Placement Association. At the awards ceremony he was praised for being “the perfect example of someone who fully embraces the idea of individuals having valued employment choices so their independence and self-esteem will continue to grow."
The Bowling Green Recycling Center received one of two outstanding employer awards for those who demonstrate the best and most innovative practices in employing individuals with developmental disabilities. The center received the small employer award presented to those employing fewer than 25 employees. It employs six people, including one person with a developmental disability, who has worked there since October of 1989. The center also employs an enclave of four individuals with disabilities, and it supports the Wood Lane Recycling & Refuse program, which employs five persons with disabilities.
The center also worked with Wood Lane to help start a shredding operation and to purchase four trucks to collect and bring materials to the Wood Lane site.
*text courtesy of the Sentinel-Tribune
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Photo 1: Kristen Fisher and Vic Gable
Photo 2: Vic Gable and Jeanne Novak
Photo 3: Jay Salvage, Teresa Fulk, Tricia Peters, Vic Gable, Melanie Stretchbery, Melissa Krieger
Photo 4: Kristen Fisher
Photo 5: Eric Reiman, representing the Bowling Green Recycling Center; Jeanne Novak, an assistant professor at Bowling Green State University; Kristen Fisher, Wood Lane receptionist who earned the Supported Employee Award; Scott Reiman of the recycling center; and Vic Gable, manager of Wood Lane’s Employment Services, who received the Rebecca McDonald Award for being an outstanding APSE chapter leader.
The 2009 Law Enforcement Special Olympics Torch Run stopped at Wood Lane on June 24. Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray was our special guest in addition to numerous elected officials and community leaders. We were honored to be selected at a site where officers would stop. The torch run participants also enjoyed air conditioning and a healthy lunch before resuming their trek to the State Summer Games in Columbus.
The Ohio House of Representatives voted unanimously to remove "mental retardation" from the Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities and all 88 County Boards of DD.The House voted Wednesday, June 10 on Senate Bill 79, which was introduced by Senator Jimmy Stewart of Athens County.
In addition to all 99 members voting for its passage, about 2/3 of the House members showed even stronger support by signing their name as co-sponsors of the bill. The House version of the bill was introduced by Sen. Stewart's replacement, Rep. Debbie Phillips and Rep. Deborah Newcomb. Because of minor amendments to the bill, it will go back to the Senate for final approval next week. However, no additional changes are being considered.
"This is a victory for persons served who have been concerned regarding the negative connotation associated with the term," stated Wood Lane superintendent Melanie Stretchbery. She emphasized that the leaders of this venture were individuals with developmental disabilities. "Self-advocates led the 'fight' themselves versus others doing so on their behalf," she noted and added, "that, indeed, is the triumph of this legislation." The "Name Change Bill" - as Senate Bill 79 was commonly known, was a direct result of self-advocates from Athens County who requested their Board to make the name change. The board acted immediately and then-Representative Stewart was asked to introduce state legislation to remove the term "mental retardation" from state and county agencies.
Wood Lane is in the process of identifying all of the references where the term "mental retardation" is used in the program in order to meet the requirements of the bill. The agency's legal name will change to the Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities. However, the Board will continue to use the more familiar name of "Wood Lane" when identifying itself. For Governor Ted Strickland, it will be his first bill signed into law from the 128th Ohio General Assembly that wasn't required by the Constitution.
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