MAHONING MRDD Changes aim to improve services

Renovation of a building at 130 Javit Court is done.
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Mahoning County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities plans to restructure and consolidate its case management and waiver departments to make it easier for clients and their families to get services.
In addition, the board plans to create the management position of assistant director of community support services to focus on specialized functions such as intake and eligibility.
The new position will free up a supervisor to concentrate on maximizing income from the state waiver program, under which the local MRDD can be reimbursed up to 60 percent of the cost of services, for which the local agency used to pay 100 percent, Larry Duck, MRDD superintendent, said.
The board authorized two other new management positions Monday, executive assistant for adult services and assistant transportation supervisor.
Duck said that with the growing senior client program, a second administrative secretary is needed to keep up with the paperwork and a second transportation supervisor is needed to concentrate on bus safety and provide a backup to the supervisor.
At this point, one person is responsible for 90 employees and 58 vehicles, as well as the computerized routing system.
Approximate costs
Duck said the three new positions, which he expects will be filled by early fall, are included in the 2003 budget. The annual cost, depending on experience and education, is $34,000 to $64,000 for assistant director of community support with a bachelor's degree, and $38,000 to $70,000 with a master's degree; about $35,000 to $51,000 for assistant transportation supervisor; and $26,000 to $40,000 for executive assistant for adult services.
Duck said the restructuring will result in some employee assignment changes but no pay reductions.
The board approved a contract not to exceed $4,800 with Mahoning Adult Services Corp., MRDD's nonprofit client employee program, to provide grounds maintenance for this year.
Duck reported that work is complete on a building at 130 Javit Court, where MRDD will house its case management and residential management staff. The move is planned for Friday and Saturday.
MRDD bought the two-story building from Gateways to Better Living for $160,000 and spent about $200,000 to renovate and equip it. Gateways also transferred the title to MRDD for a building at 153 Javit Court.
Duck said MRDD plans to move its seniors and medically fragile client programs into the larger building after it is renovated, probably by late 2004.