Family Support Services

Supporting Families with a Child who has Developmental Disabilities Living at Home

Oftentimes, these families experience a great deal of stress in trying to cope with the care needs of a child with developmental disabilities, and the FSS program aims to help alleviate that stress by providing resources to assist these families.  While there are a number of different ways the FSS program can assist the family, one of the most requested resources is respite care.

Respite care gives the family peace of mind knowing that their loved one is being cared for while allowing the parents to have a much-needed break or "respite" from their care-giving responsibilities.  Parents can then take the time to 'recharge' and enjoy an evening out with friends, see a movie, run an errand, etc.

The primary purpose of FSS is to better enable families to cope with the complex care-giving and resource needs of their children with special needs and to maintain the family's ability to care for their child in the home.

The program promotes the unity of the family by helping them meet the special needs of the child or adult who has the developmental disability. Family Support Services also assists families in identifying and evaluating what resources may be available to them in the community.

Eligibility For Family Support Services

Families residing in Tuscarawas County that have a family member residing in the home and who has been determined eligible for services from TuscBDD may be eligible for Family Support Services.

Families should contact their SSA to learn more or to apply for services.

We offer a variety of services to families:

  • Respite Care
  • Special Dietary needs
  • Counseling/Training/Education for parents and other members of the family
  • Lease or purchase of adaptive equipment
  • Assistance in modifying the home to facilitate the care of the individual
  • Other services needed by the family to maintain the individual in their home
  • And other resources that can assist the family to learn how best to help their child grow and develop skills needed for success.