Mercer County Board of DD

What Mercer County Board of DD does

Mercer County Board of Developmental Disabilities (DBA "Mercer DD") is a county government entity headquartered at 4980 Mud Pike, Celina, Ohio, operating under statutory authority of the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD). The organization delivers lifespan developmental disability services to eligible individuals residing in Mercer County, structured across three core cohorts: Early Intervention (prenatal through age 3, delivered via the Help Me Grow program in coordination with the Ohio Department of Health), School Age services (K-12 with transition planning support through age 22), and Adult services (21+, including day services, employment services, transportation coordination, residential options counseling, and senior services for individuals in nursing facilities). Service and Support Administrators (SSAs) function as the primary coordination node, assessing needs and connecting individuals to a contracted private provider network for direct service delivery.

The organization supplements direct services with community integration programming, including peer support activities, Special Olympics teams (bowling, basketball, powerlifting, competitive cheer, and unified golf), the QUEST transition program for ages 14-22, and a partnership with We Thrive Together providing access to more than 6,000 virtual programs. Operational support includes a 24/7 Major Unusual Incident (MUI) reporting hotline, provider resources delivered in partnership with WestCON COG (including education reimbursement grants up to $2,000 per year), and the PLAY Project for young children with autism. Leadership rests with Superintendent Shawn Thieman (in role since December 2014), supported by a Business Director, SSA Director, Early Childhood Services Director, and Medicaid/Provider Services management.

Mercer DD is funded through public sources — county tax allocations, state government support from Ohio DODD, and Medicaid waivers — with no individual fee-for-service pricing. The organization does not disclose revenue figures, does not operate proprietary technology systems, has no subsidiaries, and has no parent company. It functions as a publicly governed county board rather than a commercial enterprise, with a board of directors including President Teri Spoltman and Vice President Mike Linton. Service area is restricted to Mercer County, Ohio, by statutory mandate.

Name

Mercer County Board of DD

Legal name

Mercer County Board of Developmental Disabilities

Website

https://mercerdd.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mercer County Board of DD is a county government entity in Celina, Ohio that coordinates lifespan developmental disability services — early intervention, school-age support, adult services, and community programs — for eligible individuals in Mercer County under Ohio DODD oversight, funded by public taxes and Medicaid waivers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Developmental Disability Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Interagency Coordination & Case Management (VR, DD, Medicaid Waivers) (EDAKANAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Service Coordination / Case Management (IDEA Part C) (EDACAFAK), Benefits Counseling & Financial Literacy for Transition-Age Youth (EDAKANAJ), Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)

Keywords

• Developmental disability services
• Early intervention programs
• Service coordination support
• Special education transition
• Community living services

Headquarters

HQ city

Celina

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Government Funding: Mercer County Board of DD operates as a county governmental entity funded through public funds, county tax allocations, and state government support from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Mercer County Board of DD is a county government entity that coordinates and delivers developmental disability services across the lifespan for eligible Mercer County, Ohio residents. Its core offerings include Early Intervention (prenatal to age 3 via Help Me Grow), School Age Services with transition planning, Adult Services (day services, employment, transportation, residential options, senior services), and Community Opportunities including Special Olympics. Service and Support Administrators (SSAs) serve as the primary point of contact for coordinating individualized services.

Product overview

Mercer County Board of Developmental Disabilities is a county government organization providing a comprehensive lifespan of services for individuals with developmental disabilities. The core offerings include Early Intervention (prenatal to age 3), School Age Services (K-12 with transition support), Adult Services (21+ including day, employment, transportation, and senior services), and Community Opportunities (peer support and Special Olympics). Supporting programs include QUEST (transition services for ages 14-22), Service and Support Administration (SSA) for service coordination, MUI Reporting for incident management, and Provider Resources for Direct Support Professionals. The organization partners with We Thrive Together for virtual programming and Help Me Grow for home visiting services. The portfolio operates as an integrated service delivery model rather than a software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Early Intervention Early Intervention services for children from prenatal to age three with developmental delays or disabilities, providing coordinated services through the Help Me Grow program in collaboration with Ohio Department of Health and Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities.
• School Age Services Service coordination, IEP process assistance, advocacy support, and family support for school-age children with developmental disabilities, including summer career exploration programs for ages 14-17 and summer work experiences for ages 18-22.
• Adult Services Comprehensive services for adults 21+ including service coordination for housing, benefits, employment, transportation, providers, community integration, and health. Includes day services, employment services, transportation, and senior services.
• Community Opportunities Peer support program offering socialization activities including art classes, nature walks, game nights, restaurant outings, music, and exercise classes. Includes Special Olympics bowling, basketball, powerlifting, competitive cheer, and unified golf teams.
• QUEST Transition program for students with unique needs ages 14-22 providing information, resources, and links to local schools, programs, and agencies to support the journey to adulthood.
• We Thrive Together (WTT) Ohio-based nonprofit virtual programming including games, classes, virtual trips, advocacy training, educational presentations, arts & crafts, discussion groups, parties, and social activities available to individuals across all 88 Ohio counties.
• Service and Support Administration (SSA) Primary point of service coordination for individuals with developmental disabilities eligible for County Board of DD Services. SSAs assess needs and identify supports emphasizing community inclusion and quality services.
• Major Unusual Incident (MUI) Reporting 24/7 hotline for reporting health and safety welfare concerns, investigating MUIs, and ensuring follow-up needs are addressed for individuals with developmental disabilities.
• Provider Resources Resources for service providers and Direct Support Professionals, including partnership with WestCON COG for certification support, consultation, and education reimbursement grants up to $2,000 per calendar year.
• Help Me Grow Home Visiting Voluntary family support program for pregnant women or new parents, promoting healthy growth and development for babies and toddlers through evidence-based home visiting services.
• PLAY Project Parent-implemented, intensive early intervention program for young children with autism that is evidence-based, using play-based learning in the natural home environment.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WestCON COG (West Central Ohio Council of Governments)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWestCON COG partners with Mercer DD to support current providers and those wanting to become providers or Direct Support Professionals. They offer services to help file for certifications, maintain certifications, and provide consultation to ensure high-quality services. WestCON COG also investigates MUIs via contract with Mercer County Board of DD.
• Ohio Department of Health (ODH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Ohio Department of Health for the Help Me Grow early childhood program, which provides coordinated services to parents of eligible children with developmental delays or disabilities from prenatal to age three.
• Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDODD provides oversight, technical assistance, and regulatory framework for Mercer DD services. DODD's MUI/Registry Unit reviews all incident reports to ensure immediate action, timely reporting, and implementation of prevention plans. DODD also conducts investigations where conflicts of interest exist.
• We Thrive TogetherminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWe Thrive Together is an Ohio-based nonprofit organization offering over 6,000 virtual programs including games, classes, virtual trips, advocacy training, educational presentations, arts & crafts, and more. Individuals in all 88 Ohio counties have participated. Mercer DD partners to provide these programming opportunities to the individuals they serve.

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDDS): National membership association representing state DD agencies (such as Ohio DODD). Provides policy, research, and best-practice guidance that flows down to county boards like Mercer DD.

Emerging players

• BrightSpring Health Services: Large public company providing home and community-based services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including those served through Ohio Medicaid waivers. Operates as a contracted provider in the same ecosystem Mercer DD coordinates.

Direct peers

• The Arc of Ohio: Statewide advocacy and service organization for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Ohio. Delivers family support, advocacy, and community programs that complement county board DD services like Mercer DD's.
• Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities Services: Ohio County Board of DD serving the Cincinnati area under Ohio DODD oversight. Provides the same lifespan coordination, SSA model, and partnership structure with state agencies that Mercer DD operates.
• Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities: Ohio County Board of DD serving the Cleveland metropolitan area. Directly comparable in mandate, oversight by Ohio DODD, and service portfolio, including early intervention, school-age, adult, and senior services.
• Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities: Another Ohio County Board of DD operating under the same Ohio DODD statutory framework to provide lifespan developmental disability services. Same mandate, funding model, and service categories as Mercer DD, just at much larger scale (Franklin County/Columbus area).
• Help Me Grow (Ohio Department of Health): Ohio's statewide early intervention system for prenatal-to-age-3 children with developmental delays. Mercer DD directly operates Help Me Grow Home Visiting and EI services through this system, making ODH's Help Me Grow a direct program peer.

Broad incumbents

• The Arc of the United States: National advocacy organization for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Operates at the federal/cross-state level providing policy advocacy, chapters, and resources that parallel and complement county-level DD services.
• Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD): State-level agency that oversees and provides regulatory framework for all 88 Ohio county boards of DD including Mercer DD. Exercises oversight, technical assistance, waiver administration, and MUI/Registry review across the entire Ohio DD system.

Regional players

• Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD): Ohio state agency that partners with Mercer DD on employment services including vocational rehabilitation, job development, and job coaching for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCeJh87wtypChfD1ZWs_dEVA
• Facebookfacebook.com/MercerCountyBDD
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mercer-county-board-of-dd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mercer County Board of DD