Ohio Code 5126.021 – Membership of county boards
(A) Each county board of developmental disabilities shall consist of seven members. The board of county commissioners of the county shall appoint five members and the senior probate judge of the county shall appoint two members.
Terms Used In Ohio Code 5126.021
- adult: means an individual who is eighteen years of age or over and not enrolled in a program or service under Chapter 3323 of the Revised Code and an individual sixteen or seventeen years of age who is eligible for adult services under rules adopted by the director of developmental disabilities pursuant to Chapter 119 of the Revised Code. See Ohio Code 5126.01
- Appointing authority: means the following:
(1) In the case of a member of a county board of developmental disabilities appointed by, or to be appointed by, a board of county commissioners, the board of county commissioners;
(2) In the case of a member of a county board appointed by, or to be appointed by, a senior probate judge, the senior probate judge. See Ohio Code 5126.01
- Immediate family: means parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, spouses, sons, daughters, aunts, uncles, mothers-in-law, fathers-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, sons-in-law, and daughters-in-law. See Ohio Code 5126.01
- Probate: Proving a will
- Residential services: includes program management, as described in section 5126. See Ohio Code 5126.01
- Senior probate judge: means the current probate judge of a county who has served as probate judge of that county longer than any of the other current probate judges of that county. See Ohio Code 5126.01
- Supported living: includes the provision of all of the following:
(a) Housing, food, clothing, habilitation, staff support, professional services, and any related support services necessary to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the individual receiving the services;
(b) A combination of lifelong or extended-duration supervision, training, and other services essential to daily living, including assessment and evaluation and assistance with the cost of training materials, transportation, fees, and supplies;
(c) Personal care services and homemaker services;
(d) Household maintenance that does not include modifications to the physical structure of the residence;
(e) Respite care services;
(f) Program management, as described in section 5126. See Ohio Code 5126.01
- United States: includes all the states. See Ohio Code 1.59
(B) Beginning July 1, 2025, when making initial appointments to a county board of developmental disabilities, and when making an appointment to fill a vacancy pursuant to section 5126.027 of the Revised Code, an appointing authority shall do all of the following:
(1) Appoint only individuals who are adult residents of the county the appointing authority serves, citizens of the United States, and interested and knowledgeable in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities and other allied fields;
(2) Place emphasis on appointing individuals with developmental disabilities and family members of individuals with developmental disabilities;
(3) Place emphasis on appointing individuals who have professional training and experience in business management, finance, law, health care practice, personnel administration, or government service;
(4) Place emphasis on appointing individuals who reflect, as nearly as possible, the composition of the county that the county board serves.
(C) If the appointing authority is a board of county commissioners, the board of county commissioners shall appoint the following:
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, at least one individual with developmental disabilities;
(2) At least one individual who is a family member of an individual with developmental disabilities.
(D)(1) If the appointing authority is a senior probate judge, the senior probate judge shall appoint at least one individual with developmental disabilities or an immediate family member of an individual eligible for residential services or supported living.
(2) If a senior probate judge appoints an individual with developmental disabilities under division (D)(1) of this section, that appointment satisfies the requirement under division (C)(1) of this section that a board of county commissioners appoint at least one such individual.
(E) An appointing authority’s unfilled vacancy does not prohibit that appointing authority from filling other vacancies on the county board of developmental disabilities.
Last updated September 19, 2023 at 3:14 PM