TROY — The Miami County Board of Developmental Disabilities’s (Riverside’s) mission is to empower people with developmental disabilities to live, work and play as full members of our community.

”We deliver on our mission by providing case management for ages 3 and up, as well as Early Intervention Services for children ages 0-3 with developmental delays through in-home services to help families stimulate development in communication skills, motor development, early learning skills and social-emotional development,” said a report by Superintendent Brian W. Green. “We also provide recreational activities, Special Olympics programs and free trainings for caregivers to ensure the highest quality of care for those we support. Riverside also offers funding for in-home care, adult day services, job training and transportation through a network of local provider agencies and independent caregivers. The organization serves over 1,000 individuals of all ages, from newborns to seniors, in Miami County.”

Green’s report continues:

In 2023, Riverside enhanced supports for people served by also supporting members of their families. In July, we introduced monthly “Sibshops” programming for children ages 7-13 to provide brothers and sisters of siblings with developmental disabilities with peer support and information in a lively, recreational setting. Riverside also offered “The Future Is Now,” multi-part series to help caregivers and their family members with a disability make plans for the future. In 2024, we plan to offer additional programming for fathers to create a strong peer support network.

Riverside also prioritized accessibility in 2023, recognizing individuals with disabilities and their families frequently avoided events due to the absence of restroom facilities with adult changing tables. As a solution, we purchased a universal changing table, tent, and various supplies to provide a private changing space suitable for people of all ages. This inclusive resource was made available at the Tipp City Mum Festival and the Miami County Park District’s Fall Farm Festival. Going further, we applied for ARPA funds at the end of 2023 to add a permanent changing table to a restroom in our facility on Troy Sidney Road, in addition to replacing all main entry doors with new accessible door systems. We were pleased to learn in January that our funding request was granted.

In our traditional programming, we have noticed that children and families needing Early Intervention support has grown almost 50 percent in the past 2 years. Early Intervention staff continuing to learn, train and grow to meet the needs of children and families served. It is worth mentioning there has been a notable increase in the number of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Despite the challenges of increasing need and expanded supports for family members, Riverside continues to deliver on its mission in a fiscally responsible way. In October 2023, I met with Miami County Commissioners to discuss our finances and request a temporary pause on one of our two property tax levies. We are in the fortunate position to have met our financial obligations while still having a surplus. Because we place such a high value on the trust the voters have placed in us, we have no desire to collect more tax income than we need. This pause is only for the year 2024 on our 1.7-mill continuing levy; our 2.5-mill five-year levy remains in place. We will begin collecting again on the continuing levy in 2025. This temporary rollback will save Miami County taxpayers approximately $4 million. We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Miami County community and appreciate the opportunity to continue delivering on our mission every day.

There are many opportunities to get involved at Riverside. For more information about Riverside, visit www.riversidedd.org or call 937-440-3000.