Services are provided to children and adults of all ages who have mental retardation or other developmental disabilities and who qualify under standards established by the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities. Some individuals who have mental retardation may not qualify as having a developmental disability and some individuals who have developmental disabilities may not have mental retardation, according to Ohio’s definition of developmental disability. Services are provided without regard to age, race, color, sex, religion or national origin to Franklin County residents who are determined to have a developmental disability.

Definitions of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities:

Mental retardation is one of the most prevalent of all disabilities. More than twice as many children are born with mental retardation than with all the other physical and mental disabilities combined. It is estimated that in the United States over seven million persons have mental retardation and that over 100,000 new cases occur each year.

As defined, mental retardation refers to significant sub-average general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with deficiencies in adaptive behavior, manifested during the developmental period.

Mental retardation or other developmental disabilities are not emotional or psychiatric problems or illnesses. There are many causes of mental retardation or other developmental disabilities. These include metabolic disorders, abnormal chromosomes, infections or substance abuse during pregnancy, brain injury and disease, or complications prior to or at the time of birth. Frequently, several of these causes exist at the same time, making it difficult to isolate a single cause and in the majority of cases the cause is unknown. Mental retardation affects families of every social and economic level. Mental retardation is just one developmental disability.

• Is attributable to a mental or physical impairment or a combination of mental and physical impairments, other than a mental or physical impairment solely caused by mental illness
• Is manifested before the person attains age 22
• Is likely to continue indefinitely
• Results in one of the following:
  a. In the case of a person under age three, at least one developmental delay
  b. In the case of a person at least age three, but under age six, at least two developmental delays
  c. In the case of a person age six or older, a substantial functional limitation in at least three of the following areas of major life activity, as appropriate for ones age: self-care, receptive and expressive language, learning, mobility, self-direction, capacity for independent living, and, if the person is age 16 or older, capacity for economic self-sufficiency
• Causes the person to need a combination and sequence of special interdisciplinary, or other type of care, treatment or provision of services for an extended period of time that is individually planned and coordinated for the person

To determine if one is eligible for services, background information may be requested and, if required, an assessment called the Ohio Eligibility Determination Instrument (OEDI) is conducted by the Intake Office. Developmental disabilities may result from a number of conditions, such as mental retardation, cerebral palsy, head injury, epilepsy or autism.

The Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities is dedicated to minimizing the effects of mental retardation or other developmental disabilities through early diagnosis, special individualized programming, and training for people of all ages.