Eligibility
In order to receive services from the Fulton County Board of Developmental Disabilities, an individual must first be determined to be eligible for services. The process of making this determination varies depending on the age of the individual.
Age 0-2
If a child is under three years of age, they are evaluated in the
following areas of development: cognition, fine and gross motor skills,
social/emotional, adaptive (self-help) and communication. They are
also screened in the areas of vision, hearing and nutrition. Currently, a child with a delay in one area of development makes them eligible for Board services.
Age 3-5
For children who are three but have not yet turned six, they must
be evaluated in the areas listed above but they now must have a delay
in two areas of development.
Age 6-Adult
To determine eligibility, there are several requirements. The
first is that one must have a developmental disability which occurred
during the developmental years (birth up to 22 years of age). This
disability must be documented by a physician or psychologist and must
be expected to continue indefinitely. Some examples of qualifying
developmental disabilities include, but are not limited to the following: mental
retardation, autism, attention deficit disorder, seizure disorder,
muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy.
The second requirement is to complete an assessment. If the child is age 6-15 years of age, the Children’s Ohio Eligibility Determination Instrument (COEDI) is given by an SSA who has been trained and certified by the Ohio Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. The individual must have a substantial functional limitation in at least three of the following areas of major life activity: self, care, receptive and expressive language, learning, mobility, self-direction, and capacity for independent living.
At age 16, the OEDI (Ohio Eligibility Determination Instrument) is administered to ensure that the individual still remains eligible. If a person is age 16 or older, a substantial limitation must exist in at least three of the following areas: self-care, receptive and expressive language, learning, mobility, self-direction, capacity for independent living, and economic self-sufficiency. If the individual is deemed eligible at age 16, he/she can continue to receive services for the rest of his/her life.
To obtain more information about the C/OEDI or the OEDI, families should contact their SSA, or Jamie Johnson at the SSA & Transportation Building (337-0021). To obtain more information on eligibility for children under age six, please contact Kristie Humbert or Beth Friess at Ottokee St., (419) 337-4575.