Meet Obi! He is a bright-eyed, almost three-year-old. Obi has Spina Bifida, a condition in which the spine doesn’t fully develop. Obi’s Spina Bifida has resulted in no feeling or control of his lower body. But, that has not slowed Obi down. With help from his parents and staff from GCBDD Early Intervention, Obi is making lots of progress. Obi began services with Early Intervention when he was around 10 months old. “Obi’s goals have almost exclusively been mobility. We worked on sitting and rolling initially, and then army crawling,” said Jess Shipe, GCBDD Physical Therapist. Now Obi’s goals are focused around learning to use his wheelchair and preparing for preschool. With the help of Family Support Services funding, Obi’s family has purchased a table that works well with his wheelchair, so that he can play and work on activities at table level, similar to what he will be doing in a preschool classroom. Obi’s mom, Kori said, “Early Intervention services have really given us lots of ways to help Obi. The program gives us really good direction and ways to work with him at home, like the foam stairs and ramp, so that he can get in and out of bed on his own.” Kori likes that EI staff come to their home for the visits because it makes it easy to work on the techniques that the staff shares. EI staff use everyday objects in the home like pillows and toys to help work towards new skills and milestones. Ohio Early Intervention is a statewide system that provides coordinated services to parents of infants and toddlers with disabilities or developmental delays. The first three years of life are an important time for the health and development of all children. Starting intervention services early improves the child’s ability to develop and learn, and may prevent or reduce the need for additional services later. If you have concerns about your child's development contact the Early Intervention staff at the Guernsey County Board of Developmental Disabilities at 740-439-1858. Anna’s term began in January 2025, after she was recommended for the position by the nominating committee of the Board of DD (Board Members, Steve Marvin and Mike Campbell) and then officially appointed by the Guernsey County Commissioners in October 2024. “Anna will bring her lived experience to the board,’ said Superintendent Kellie Brown. “Her perspective as a person who receives County Board services will be valuable as she helps to make decisions that impact people in our community with disabilities and their families.” Anna is an active member of the community. She is employed at the Cambridge YMCA. She is a member of Guernsey People First, an organization for people with disabilities who seek to advocate for themselves and others, and educate the community about people with disabilities. Anna has also attended DD Awareness and Advocacy Day at the Ohio Statehouse where she has shared with state leaders her concerns about legislation affecting people with disabilities. Anna is excited to be serving on the board and is prepared to research upcoming topics. “I get the opportunity to learn about what goes on behind the scenes and to give back,” said Lowery. “It’s important to make sure that we have a budget so that people with disabilities are supported.” “I would also like to thank the people who supported me in becoming a board member,” said Anna. She credits her mother and county board staff Jamie Secrest and Jennifer Oakley with helping her in the decision making and application processes. Beginning in July of 2025, all County Boards of Developmental Disabilities are required to have at least one individual with a developmental disability serving on their board. The Guernsey County Board of Developmental Disabilities has a seven person decision making board, with five members appointed by the commissioners and two appointed by the Probate Court Judge. At least three of the members must be immediate family members of the Board and at least one of those three needs to be an individual supported by the Board. “We appreciate the foresight of the Commissioners in appointing Anna to the Board ahead of the required deadline,”said Brown. “We have had family members of individuals who receive services as Board members, and they bring a crucial viewpoint from their lived experiences. Having a person who receives services on the Board is an important and exciting step forward for people with disabilities in Guernsey County.” Photo (l to r): Commissioner Bill Cowgill, GCBDD Board Member Ann Lowery, and Commissioner Dave Wilson.