The TuscBDD Blog

The FANS Network wants you to know about our E-book club that is designed to include everyone! We meet at least once a month and discuss books that we are reading. We generally meet on Zoom. Below is a list of the books that we chose for 2022. We are always ready to welcome new members. If you want to join but need help figuring out how to get the books or how to log in, please call Nicole at 330-407-0950. You can join our virtual community by clicking here.

Happy Holidays! Here’s A Gift Guide for Kids in Your Life

The holidays are officially here, and now is the time to order the perfect gift for the child you love. Check out these awesome toys specifically geared toward kids with disabilities!

Fun and Function offers a variety of toys for kids with disabilities. Their website has a wide array of sensory toys and fun gift ideas that includes suggestions for toys and therapy products for children with developmental disabilities like ADHD, autism, sensory processing disorders, and others.

Comfy & Cozy
Comfortable seating and weighted objects can help a child relax or feel comfy while getting their wiggles out. Check out these highly recommended essentials.

Hot Cold Llama Lap Pad ($59.99)
SensaSoft Moon Seating ($269.99+)
Weighted Blankets ($89.99+)
Vibrating Sensory Snail ($28.99)

Physical Play
Helping children develop while encouraging movement and learning is the goal of any parent! These activities and toys will keep your child active but engaged.

Balance Trainer & Cards ($16.99)
Chair Fidget for Feet- set of 2 ($15.99)
Jumper Mat & Card Deck ($13.29+)
Gel Floor Tiles ($48.99+)

At Home or On the Go
Small enough to play with in the car but entertaining enough to be a favorite toy at home. These toys are perfect for kids that enjoy a little extra calmness or stimulation.

Busy Fingers Marble Maze Kit ($14.99)
Discovery Putty ($15.99)
Ribbon Push and Pull Cube ($63.99)
Sensory Snow ($24.99)
Noise Reduction Headphones ($28.99)

For more great toys, check out this article from Adina Steinberg, OTR/L on the Fun and Function weblog. The Tuscarawas County Board of Developmental Disabilities (TuscBDD) has resources for children and adults with developmental disabilities. TuscBDD provides Early Intervention for children birth to three years old, Service and Support Administration for people of all ages, family support services, family mentorship, and more! To learn more about these services and others, visit TuscBDD online at www.tuscbdd.org.

This blog is brought to you by the Tuscarawas County Board of Developmental Disabilities and newsymom.com. Please click here to read all of our content!

No star has a straight, easy line to success. The same is true for Kim Byrd- a person who receives services from TuscBDD and is employed at our local Speedway!

Life is not without its difficulties- something Kim Byrd knows all too well. When she first attended a Board of Developmental Disabilities vocational program, she was residing in a community group home. As Kim put in the time and work, she saw her opportunities improve and her skillset grow.

Today, Kim has family nearby in Mineral City and is a graduate of the Tusky Valley School District. With the right services and supports, Kim was able to learn and gain confidence through volunteer opportunities. It was in these roles that she met Stacy Savage, a Service and Support Administrator (SSA) at the Tuscarawas County Board of Developmental Disabilities. The two women have since formed a strong and supportive friendship.

Kim has worked hard for her success. She has had three community jobs and is thriving in her role at Speedway. Kim is a cashier and spends her days helping customers, chatting with patrons and coworkers, handling monetary exchanges, and restocking the store. She enjoys her job and has high praise from management and co-workers alike. Over the past six or seven years, Kim has gained confidence and skills through her services and supports, SSA relationship, and community employment experience to be successful where she is today.

Kim is happy to have a fulfilling job that allows her to earn the resources she needs to live independently. Even though Kim lives on her own, she often visits and helps out her mom and dad at their home. Stacy was happy to describe Kim as a hardworking, vibrant young woman. If you see Kim at Speedway next time you’re fueling up, be sure to say, “Hello”!

The Tuscarawas County Board of Developmental Disabilities (TuscBDD) has resources for children and adults with developmental disabilities. TuscBDD provides Early Intervention for children birth to three years old, Service and Support Administration for people of all ages, family support services, family mentorship, and more! To learn more about these services and others, visit TuscBDD online at www.tuscbdd.org.

This blog is brought to you by the Tuscarawas County Board of Developmental Disabilities and newsymom.com. Please click here to read all of our content!

Tuscbdd and the Society for Equal Access (SEA) collaborated to give Shawn’s home a much-needed accessibility TLC. Now that his porch and ramp are repaired, Shawn can enter and exit his house with ease. A big thank you goes out to SSA Devin Williams and the volunteers from NewPointe Community Church that put in the time and energy today to get the job done! 

To learn more about accessibility, click here. 

Meet Nicholas, a young man with a passion for papercraft art. Papercraft is a form of art sculpture where each piece is created entirely from paper and tape. Nicholas develops his papercrafts from printer paper that he colors and transparent tape, and he is meticulous with the details in his work. He draws inspiration for his artwork from his interests in trains, NASCAR, and Star Wars. Most recently, he made Thomas the Tank Engine sculptures. Nicholas proudly displays his artwork at his home and enjoys showing it to friends and visitors.

Nicholas is a recent graduate of Dover High School and is currently exploring what he wants to do next. His papercrafts are his biggest hobby and the thing he loves to do the most, so he is considering the possibility of making art to sell. Aside from creating art, Nicholas enjoys attending events at his church and is looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones at various programs available to him in the county.   

Sometimes people with developmental disabilities form such a wonderful relationship with their direct support professional staff (DSP) that they become like family, and that is how Ohio Shared Living (OSL) began. OSL is a service option where the caregiver and the person receiving services share a home; the paid caregiver is certified through the state of Ohio. For OSL to be successful, caregivers and people with developmental disabilities both make long-term commitments to sharing a home and being a part of the family, resulting in lifelong relationships.

Luke, a man who receives TuscBDD services, now participates in OSL. Luke was already receiving homemaker-personal care/direct support services from a local provider called Starlight Enterprises Inc. (SEI) where he formed a close relationship with a DSP named Gloria. DSPs are caregivers that can provide a wide range of personalized services that help people in their everyday life. During this time, Luke suffered a family loss and discovered that he would need support from his friend Gloria now more than ever. 

While Luke grappled with the many changes he was enduring, he continued to receive services from Starlight Enterprises Inc (SEI). Today, Gloria provides Luke with all the DSP care he needs through OSL as well as many new opportunities to explore. “Through Gloria and Luke’s relationship, Luke is playing Challenger Baseball, independently go-cart riding, fishing, becoming a cornhole master, a camper guru, and a food critic. After a loss and many changes and challenges, Luke is thriving once more and living a great life,” expressed TuscBDD SSA, Stacy Savage. “No one will ever replace a person’s family but having people in your life to call family again and a place to call home is a good runner up.”