Before help from Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities can begin, the person wanting services needs to be found eligible for services. Being eligible means the person meets a checklist of requirements that defines eligibility. The initial request for eligibility can take place at any age, but eligibility is required to be re-determined at ages 3, 6, and 16. The Stark DD Intake and eligibility process follows applicable Ohio Revised Code for process, timelines, and procedures.

People requesting eligibility must have:

  • Proof of residency in Stark County
  • Birth certificate or other proof of age
  • Evaluations showing the disability occurred before age 22

Children Younger Than Age 3

Developmental delays must be documented by an established risk in one or more of the following areas:

  • Cognition
  • Communication
  • Self-help
  • Social
  • Emotional
  • Motor Skills

Children Ages 3-6

Developmental delays must be documented in at least two areas listed above or an established risk.

Students Ages 6-22

Students ages 6-22 must have evaluation data provided by the school district of residence. All county boards of DD in Ohio establish eligibility through the results of the Children’s Ohio Eligibility Determination Instrument or COEDI.

Adults Aged 16 and Older

Adults aged 16 and older must be found eligible for Stark DD support through the results of the Ohio Eligibility Determination Instrument (OEDI). The eligibility process can begin in two different ways:

  • Students, ages 16-22, may be referred through the school district’s Individual Education Plan (IEP)
  • Adults not referred by a school district must meet the criteria established by the Ohio Eligibility Determination Instrument (OEDI) and must provide documentation that shows the developmental disability occurred before the age of 22.

For more information regarding eligibility, please call the Stark DD Intake Specialist at (330) 479-3582.