(MIAMI COUNTY, OH–) The Miami County Board of Developmental Disabilities (MCBDD) has decided to retire its use of the “Riverside” name and has updated its logo to reflect this update.

“‘Miami County Board of Developmental Disabilities’ is and has been our legal name for many years,” explained Brian Green, MCBDD Superintendent. “Keeping both our legal and our historical names active in the community has been difficult and confusing for our customers and business partners. New clients and families often perceive ‘Riverside’ to be a service provider, when it has simply been a nickname for our agency based upon our history.”

“In addition, we have been unable to use the Riverside name on ballots when our time-limited levy comes up for renewal. Therefore, using the Riverside name daily while expecting the public to connect it to the name ‘Miami County Board of Developmental Disabilities’ that they see on the ballot is not really helpful to voters,” Green said. “Our decision is bittersweet because the Riverside name and history mean so much to many people, but our aim is to communicate clearly to our clients and the public about who we are and what we do.”

The agency is no stranger to name changes. “Riverside” was part of the agency’s name dating back to 1962 when Riverside School was built as part of “Miami County Council for Retarded Children,” which later became “Miami County Board of Mental Retardation” when Ohio Senate Bill 169 passed in 1967. Riverside School was part of the program at that time. In 1991, the term “Developmental Disabilities” was added to the names of all county boards, and in 2009, the “Mental Retardation” or “MR” part of the name was removed when state laws changed again.

Due to federal laws focused on inclusion in public schools, Riverside School graduated its last class in 2005, and Riverside Preschool transitioned its students to the Miami County Educational Service Center in 2015. However, even at its peak, school services only represented a small portion of services offered by the agency.

News Release

The Miami County Board of Developmental Disabilities serves more than 1,000 people of all ages in Miami County. MCBDD directly provides case management for all ages, Early Intervention Services for children ages 0–3 with developmental delays through in-home services to help families stimulate development in communication skills, motor development, early learning skills, and social-emotional development.

MCBDD also coordinates and provides funding for services people need to live full lives. These services include in-home care, adult day services, job training, and transportation. These services are funded in part through local levy dollars and are delivered through a network of local provider agencies and independent caregivers.

In addition, MCBDD also provides training for direct support staff to ensure the highest quality of care, as well as learning opportunities, recreational activities, Special Olympics programs, and other valuable services.

It will take the organization several months to get all signage and references changed, including an updated website by the end of the year. For more information about MCBDD, visit miamicountydd.org or call (937) 440-3000.