Holmes Board of DD finds the silver lining in a tough year
The playground at the Holmes County Board of Developmental Disabilities facility has been busy again this year, but unlike in years past, the center has had to take extra precautions to keep everyone safe.
While 2020 has been an extremely difficult year for just about everyone thanks to COVID-19, that didn’t stop the public from showing its support for the Holmes County Board of Developmental Disabilities. In the two general elections held this year, the HCBDD received overwhelming support at the poles, easily passing a pair of levies that will allow the center to continue to provide top-quality teaching, support and guidance for its clients and students.
The year has presented many challenges for the HCBDD staff and administration, but together they have waded through these difficult times and will head into 2021 looking forward to a more productive and successful year.
“What a year. 2020, you shall not be missed,” said Marianne Mader, superintendent. “This year presented some unique challenges to us. The autumn was difficult for us as 12 of our staff tested positive for COVID-19. In addition to them, quite a few others were exposed and had to stay home to quarantine. Although we had to suspend in-person services for weeks this fall, we were able to provide some services and tackle tasks we had set aside for some time.”
However, the HCBDD fought through that and got back to school, albeit with a reduced capacity in the school and adult service areas. Mader said the early intervention, service and support administration, and dental and administration staff members have faithfully continued services throughout the entire pandemic with only a few hiccups here and there.
“Everyone working at Holmes DD/Training Center looks forward to the day we can return to the way things used to be,” Mader said.
The virus did bring with it some new techniques that the board will carry on well after COVID-19 is gone.
Mader said they will continue some of the new ways of doing things such as the use of Zoom and Microsoft TEAMS meetings.
"Using this technology, our teachers can provide instruction to students in their classroom and at home at the same time," Mader said.
In addition, the buildings now have automatic faucets and more doors that open automatically.
Renee Spencer, early intervention specialist, said she helped guide a group of local women through a Love INC program titled “Get Out of Your Head.” She said the program referenced a verse from Philippians 4:12 about learning to be content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, living in plenty or want.
“When reading that, I thought of our EI provider meeting where the team shared that our current state of delivering services (virtually) is not what we would choose,” Spencer said. “It is not our ideal. We long to be able to meet with families in person. We miss the personal interactions. We dislike the barrier that a mask and 6-foot distance creates, but there has been gain.”
Spencer said the EI team identified that because COVID took them out of their comfort zone, they grew in ways they would have not likely grown otherwise, noting one of the ways the therapists and developmental specialists benefited was finding resources and materials to use with families they would not have had time to accomplish previously.
“They also developed their coaching skills because being able to coach a caregiver is essential for virtual visits,” Spencer said. “Interestingly, some families, especially younger ones, prefer virtual visits, and there is more contact with some families because it is easy for parents to text a question or send videos of their child practicing or achieving a skill. Now that providers possess the skill of having virtual visits, they will be able to use them when things return to normal.”
In adult services Sheri Martin said they have successfully had individuals return again to both the habilitation and production areas. She said they are currently operating at one-third of their typical daily attendance, and the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities still requires them to provide services to individuals in groups of 10 or less with staff included in that number.
Lynn Hope Industry individuals have attended more days than habilitation since their reopening, partly due to less illness because the Lynn Hope Industry individuals are able to maintain social distance and wear masks and shields.
“The habilitation area requires more diligence by staff to provide additional safety measures for the individuals and themselves,” Martin said. “Many individuals in this area cannot tolerate or keep on a mask or shield, so we must take extra precautions for everyone. We all are anxious to get past this COVID outbreak. It has been like having your family split up, and we just want to be together again, but we must stay diligent until that time happens.”
Principal Rhoda Mast said during this time of uncertainty, they are grateful for the things they can depend on, and they choose to focus on the silver lining.
“Staff have been focused on how they can reach every student remotely and working very hard to offer online services, as well as weekly packets for every student, individualized to address their interests, preferences and educational goals,” Mast said. “We have appreciated the way families have taken initiative with the home activities and are staying in touch with teachers and therapists. Teachers are learning to use new tech programs and making these lessons more accessible to students at home. We are learning too.”
Beginning the week of Dec. 7, the school portion of the center enjoyed the return of students for just one day a week. Mast said their bright smiles and body language clearly communicated their excitement to be back, and the hope is the center can continue this hybrid arrangement with hopes of increasing the days in the future.
“We are grateful we can depend on parent support and understanding as we work through the rest of the year,” Mast said. “We are all wanting the same thing: getting our students back to school full time. Together, we will get there safely.”