Two LCBDD leaders recently completed a year-long training to help them support county residents.

Two leaders from the Licking County Board of Developmental Disabilities (LCBDD) recently completed a series of trainings designed to help them better serve county residents with disabilities.

LCBDD Superintendent Jason Umstot and Director of Service Coordination Abby Spear completed the executive development program, organized by the Ohio Association of County Boards, in early November.

The training series, which took place throughout 2016, helps disability service professionals become experts in Ohio’s DD system, stronger leaders in the workplace and more skilled advocates for people with developmental disabilities.

Umstot and Spear completed courses on a variety of topics, including leadership, business management, public relations, advocacy and the history of the developmental disabilities service delivery system in Ohio. The training brought together many statewide experts on DD services, giving LCBDD’s leaders new tools they can use in Licking County to support people with disabilities and their families.

“It was well worth our time,” Umstot said. “We are thankful for the support of our board as we completed this training.”

Umstot, who has 19 years of experience in the developmental disabilities field, became superintendent of LCBDD in January 2016. Spear has been director of service coordination since July 2015.

The series is offered every other year by the Ohio Association of County Boards of DD, a statewide DD services trade group. For more information, visit oacbdd.org/EDP.