Board of DD Superintendent Liz Lafferty with board members Linda Waugh, Susan Sexton, Sherry Larson, Amy Queen, and Shirley White cut the ribbon at their new offices in The Precinct (Absent from photo were Board President Marti Knauff and Judy Hazelbaker).
By Sherry Larson
People’s Defender
The Adams County Board of DD ribbon-cutting on September 28 marked the start of a new office location and fun endeavors. Board member Susan Sexton cut the ribbon, joined by Superintendent Liz Lafferty and board members Linda Waugh, Sherry Larson, Amy Queen, and Shirley White. Board members Marti Knauff and Judy Hazelbaker could not attend the ceremonies.
Among the distinguished guests who spoke at the event was Kelly Smith from the Ohio Treasurer Sprague’s Office, Lori Baldridge from Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s Office, Commissioner Barbara Moore, and Jill Wright, Executive Director of Adams County Children’s Services. Lafferty’s voice cracked as she attempted to hold back tears while announcing a shared joint venture with Children’s Services. She revealed, “We’re going to have our first licensed residential facility here for our youth.” The Defender is excited to learn more.
Lafferty and Business Manager Melinda Horsley have worked tirelessly with their husbands, Dane Clark and Elvis Horsley, to prepare the Precinct for the Board staff. Thank goodness the Manchester football team contributed to some of the heavy lifting. Lafferty and Horsley were excited for attendees to tour the fresh new offices and coffee shop space.
The Defender was curious about the history of the Adams County Board of DD and wanted to give readers a quick review of their progress. Lafferty graciously provided the following:
“In August 1964, the first school for disabled children began operation in Adams County in the basement of the West Union Methodist Church. Happy Hours School was the decided name, and the school operated under the Child Welfare Board. In 1967, Legislation placed the control of the school under a new jurisdiction, which would become the County Board of Mental Retardation. Almost 60 years later, the school’s name was changed to Oliver School, as this was the country school deeded to the County Board of MRDD by the public school system.
1976 began the plans for an adult activity center operational in Seaman, Ohio, until 1989, when the new facility named Venture Productions, Inc. opened in West Union. Venture Productions is still operating but was forced to separate from the County Board of DD in 2018 due to Medicaid privatization rules regarding services and billing reimbursement.
The County Board deeded Oliver School back to the Adams County Ohio Valley School District in 2016 as they needed a specific school building within the educational classrooms geared toward mental health counseling. Eventually, MRDD dropped the MR, and the County Board is now called the Adams County Board of Developmental Disabilities. The Adams County Board of DD moved out of Oliver School and resided at the Adams County Job and Family Services in 2016.
Institutions have closed, and individuals are supported to live in their community, with friends, or independently. Students are served in the public school where inclusion is a high priority and advocating for self-direction of services and support is part of the planning process.
As of September 1, 2022, the mandated agency, Adams County Board of DD, calls The Precinct home. It will begin a new journey of offering employment opportunities to individuals with disabilities in The Precinct Cafe, a hip and unique coffee shop within the shared space office building.
The Board has evolved from institutions to independent living – sheltered and segregated to community and inclusion. Plans for 2024 will be a huge celebration of sixty years of ever-changing services and excellence.”
