Darke DD awarded 3-Year Accreditation from state

1567
Deanne Osgood, state reviewer, meets with Sam Ploch and Katie Gilpin about advocacy and community connections.

DARKE COUNTY – The Darke County Board of Developmental Disabilities (Darke DD) has been accredited by the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) for a 3-year period for the quality services and support it provides to people with disabilities. 

A comprehensive review of Darke DD was conducted this month by the Office of Compliance at DODD. The accreditation review is a very rigorous and thorough process, spanning approximately six months. A team of surveyors from DODD reviewed all areas of operations, including services and supports for children and adults, personnel administration, compliance with all rules and regulations, and other indicators of general efficiency and effectiveness of the county board in the Darke County community. The team also visited people receiving services in their homes and spoke to constituents about the services provided in Darke County. 

The results of the review found that Darke DD achieved substantial compliance with the standards and subsequently obtained a 3-year period of accreditation in DODD’s areas of excellence, which is the maximum award that can be received. 

“I am very proud of the work that we do at Darke DD, and our staff are to be commended for their outstanding work in ensuring our continued compliance with all state standards,” stated Darke DD Superintendent Tonya Clark. “I know we provide quality services to people in Darke County, and it’s great to hear from the accreditation team who expressed the same sentiment. We truly believe that all people are valuable and have potential, and we want to ensure people are living their best life,” she continued. 

Darke DD currently employs 25 staff and serves 482 Darke County residents with developmental disabilities ranging in age from birth through over 80 years of age. The mission of Darke DD is to empower people with developmental disabilities to explore possibilities for their lives by maximizing independence, community participation, employment, and economic self-sufficiency in their daily life experiences. 

For more information about the services provided by Darke DD, visit the agency website at www.darkedd.org or follow their Facebook page.