Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities
The Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities provides services to people from birth throughout their life.
Our mission is enriching, empowering, and connecting people with their community.
02/21/2026
This week's Advocacy Lunch & Learn Hour had a different location but the same great conversations!
In partnership with the Henderson Library-Jefferson, OH, we gathered at the Jefferson McDonald’s to share lunch, read a story together, and enjoy meaningful discussion.
After reading, we spent time talking about the story and sharing our thoughts. These conversations are such an important part of building confidence and strengthening self-advocacy skills in a supportive setting.
A special thank you to McDonald’s for the wonderful hospitality and to HMPL for partnering with us to make this opportunity possible.
We’re so grateful to everyone, including Izzy the library puppy, who joined us for another meaningful hour together!
02/20/2026
Updated 6:40pm on 2/20:
Congratulations to the cheerleaders on earning silver and an impressive second-place finish!!
Congratulations to the cheerleaders on earning silver and an impressive second-place finish!
Good Luck to the Ashtabula County Special Olympics Team!
We’re cheering on the athletes representing Ashtabula County as they head to the 2026 Indoor Winter Games at The Ohio State University!
We wish you a fun, successful, and memorable experience at the State Games!
Join us in cheering on the athletes by leaving a comment below!
02/19/2026
Sweet connections were made at our latest Cookie Connections!
Advocates from Active Day Ashtabula joined us at the Ashtabula County District Library's Geneva Branch, where we whipped up chocolate Rice Krispie Treats and shared plenty of laughs along the way.
We were also happy to welcome our community guest, John Dalsky, ACBDD Board Member, who spent time baking and connecting with everyone.
Delicious treats, wonderful company, and meaningful connections are what Cookie Connections is all about.
02/19/2026
Reminder: The Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities will hold its regular monthly meeting today February 19th at 6:00 PM. There will be a Programs and Personnel Committee meeting starting at 5:00 PM before the regular scheduled board meeting this month.
All meetings will take place at the Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities office, located at 2505 South Ridge Road East, Kingsville, in Conference Room 110A.
02/19/2026
This “Abilities Enhanced” spotlight features someone truly amazing!
Meet Bobby! His life is full of achievements, passions, and proud moments and we’re excited to share his story with you.
02/18/2026
Each month, we spotlight people we support working in our community and the employers who foster inclusive workplaces. This month, we’re excited to highlight Lauren!
Meet Lauren, one of our dedicated tray runners at TriPoint Medical Center. Lauren has been a valued member of the team for nearly five years, playing an important role in making sure patients receive their meals accurately and on time. From taking food orders to carefully preparing trays and delivering them within strict timeframes, she takes great pride in her work and the service she provides. Lauren shares that one of the biggest challenges when she first began working every day was coordinating transportation and scheduling with her team. Over time, she has built strong communication skills and confidently connects with her coworkers and managers whenever she needs support. Her manager shares, “Lauren always brings joy and is very dependable here at work. She is kind to all the patients, listens carefully, and completes tasks in a timely manner.” Lauren truly enjoys interacting with the patients and especially appreciates the compliments she receives about her work.
Outside of her job, she stays very active in her church, participates in horseback riding lessons, and sings in a choir.
Thank you to Lake Health-Tripoint Hospital for fostering an inclusive and welcoming workplace for everyone!
02/17/2026
Direct support professionals play a vital role in helping people with developmental disabilities thrive. Here's some advice to help you grow, stay connected, and use your voice with confidence as a DSP! ⭐
02/17/2026
March is almost here and so is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month!
Join us in celebrating the achievements and contributions of people with developmental disabilities and be part of the fun all month long!
We encourage community members and partners to participate in all of our activities and events, including Spirit Week. We’ll kick things off on Monday, March 2, by Coloring the County Orange!
Other ways to get involved include:
Meet the Artist
Light the Lift Bridge
Coffee Sleeve Giveaway
Check the flyers for dates, times, and locations, and follow along to stay updated. Join us in making this a month-long celebration of inclusion!
02/16/2026
The Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities will hold its regular monthly meeting on Thursday, February 19th at 6:00 PM. There will be a Programs and Personnel Committee meeting starting at 5:00 PM before the regular scheduled board meeting this month.
All meetings will take place at the Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities office, located at 2505 South Ridge Road East, Kingsville, in Conference Room 110A.
02/15/2026
We were honored to host LEADERship Ashtabula County, Inc. Youth Day for a day filled with learning, laughter, and meaningful conversations about inclusion.
Through our Amazing Agency Race, students explored key areas of our work from Service & Support Administration, Early Intervention to Advocacy, Health & Safety, and Assistive Technology. They even experienced hands-on with our Tech Go Bag to see how technology supports independence.
One of the most powerful moments was watching students and advocates connect, share experiences, and learn from one another. One of the Special Olympics athlete brought incredible energy, as she inspired us by demonstrating how she plays basketball with a vision impairment.
We’re always grateful to host the Youth Leadership Program and thankful for their interest in learning about the Ashtabula County Board of DD. A big thank you to everyone who helped to make this day possible! Together, we’re creating a more inclusive, supportive, and empowered community.
02/14/2026
Happy Valentine's Day!
Self advocacy starts with trust. Advocates from Skills for Life, Achieving Dreams LLC , along with the Happy Hearts middle school self advocates from the Pymatuning Valley Local School District shared Valentine hearts with the people they trust. These are the people who listen, support, and stand beside them when they speak up.
Some chose their mom, some their grandma, and others chose people who support them every day. Jimmy gave his Valentine heart to his teacher, a moment that truly touched her heart.
Moments like this remind us how powerful trust, kindness, and believing in our voices can be. When we take the time to listen and support one another, we help build confidence and strengthen self advocacy.
02/14/2026
A galaxy far, far away landed right here in Ashtabula County and it was the biggest Night to Shine yet!
For the 3rd year in a row, Night to Shine lit up Ashtabula County at the Jefferson Nazarene Church and what a night it was!
This year’s Star Wars theme brought the galaxy to life as we welcomed members of the The 501st Legion and Ohio Garrison - 501st Legion. The special guests had the chance to dance, laugh, interact, and take tons of photos with their favorite characters.
With a record-breaking grand total of 574 attendees including special guests and volunteers the room was filled with joy, celebration, and unforgettable moments.
We are so incredibly grateful to the Jefferson Church of the Nazarene for bringing Night to Shine to Ashtabula County and for all of the community volunteers (over 276) who helped create a night where every guest is honored, valued, and celebrated.
It truly was a night to remember!
*Check back as we will be adding more photos in the days ahead!
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Contact The Practice
Send a message to Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities:
The mission of the Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities is to ensure the availability of services and supports that will assist eligible individuals with developmental disabilities to imagine the life they want to live, believe they can create it and achieve their dreams as participating members in their community.
Providing Quality Outcome – Driven Programs & Services to enhance the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities for over 60 Years.
History
The story of Happy Hearts School and Ash/Craft Industries is written into the history of Ashtabula County. The story began at a time when few believed individuals with disabilities deserved the right to public education and a brighter future. The story of Happy Hearts School and Ash/Craft Industries is an example to all the love, commitment, and determination of parents who persisted and prevailed in accomplishing their goal that opened the door.
In March of 1954, a small group of parents of children with disabilities met and formed the Ashtabula Council for Re****ed Children (ARC). One year later, March 1955, because of the efforts of this group Happy Hearts School opened its doors to the first school for children with disabilities in the basement of the Methodist Church on Elm Street and was attended by five students.
From 1956 through 1968, Happy Hearts School was hosted in various locations throughout Ashtabula County. Senate Bill 169 was passed which established the creation of the Board of Mental Retardation in 1967 and levies were approved by Ashtabula County voters. In 1968, Happy Hearts School’s current building was built. By 1970, the program had grown to provide services to 233 children and adults. In 1977, the construction of Ash/Craft Industries began and today the Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities provides services to over 500 children and adults with developmental disabilities thanks to the ongoing support of citizens of Ashtabula County.
