Developmental disabilities services must find way to ‘live within their budget’, county admin says

MONTGOMERY COUNTY — Monday afternoon the Montgomery County Board of Developmental Disabilities Services (MCBDDS) approved its budget for 2025.

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Many families are worried about cuts in the budget that will end programs that help everyone from preschoolers to adults with special needs.

“It makes me sad,” Anita Kitchen said.

Kitchen is a retired MCBDDS employee.

She cared for two special needs adults who used its services.

“When we’re cutting their service, to me, that is the most vulnerable people in the society. And we are like letting them down,” Kitchen said.

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As News Center 7 previously reported, the MCBDDS announced $9 million in cuts.

Just two days later, Montgomery County’s Board of Commissioners worked with the human services levy council to send $5 million to the MCBDDS board.

Monday, the MCBDDS board approved their new budget for 2025 with that extra $5 million now included.

That one-time funding helped save programs and staff positions that were part of the cuts.

“We’re very grateful for the $5 million being restored to our budget from the commissioners and the human services levy,” Dr, Pamela Combs MCBDDS CEO said.

Combs said she’s “concerned” after Montgomery County’s administrator and its board of commissioners said during a public meeting last week that they are “independent” of the MCBDDS.

“The board of (development disabilities) is completely dependent on the commissioners for funding. We are independent in some ways, but for funding, we are completely dependent on them and that is outlined in the Ohio Revised Code,” Combs said. “They appoint five of our seven board members. They approve our budget, they approve our allocations for spending, and they are mandated to fund us.”

Montgomery County Administrator Michael B. Colbert issued a statement to News Center 7 on the budget.

“In Ohio, all governments and agencies must live within their budget. The services DDS provides are critical to some of our most vulnerable citizens, which is why the County Commission allocated $22 million in emergency funding over the past two years to help them transition to a more effective business model. DDS’ executive leadership team and their Board must find a way to live within their budget, as the BCC emergency funding came from one-time funding sources and cannot be counted on going forward,” Colbert said.

The $5 million is a stop-gap funding measure for 2025.

As for a long-term funding solution, Comb said that will involve continued talks with the board, the county, and its commissioners.

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