Self-Advocacy Development
The COG continues to partner with the Ohio Self Determination Association (OSDA) to increase leadership skills in self-advocacy. All seven (7) COG member counties continue to have well established self-advocacy groups. The groups meet regularly and continue to develop their leadership and advocacy skills. In addition, all seven (7) counties have OSDA Project STIR graduates. The COG assists on a regular basis with state-wide Project STIR trainings and initiatives.
Human Rights Committee (HRC)
The Ohio Administrative Code requires every restrictive and/or aversive measure that is in a service plan be reviewed by a committee of individuals comprised of all of the stakeholders in the system. The COG provides this service to many of the member counties through the coordination of the COG HRC committee. The Committee is comprised of two groups: North and South. Both groups have representation by each county board, self-advocates, family members and other community professionals.
Eligibility
Clearwater COG administers the Ohio Eligibility Determination Instruments (OEDI) or Children’s Ohio Eligibility Instruments (COEDI) for its member counties when requested. The OEDI or COEDI are used to determine if an individuals is eligible for county board services.
Compliance Operations
The Clearwater COG conducts Enhanced Monitoring Reviews, Provider Compliance Reviews, Medication Administration Quality Assurance/Health Related reviews, and Mock Accreditation Reviews. The COG provides coaching support to assist providers and county boards with all compliance processes.
Service Excellence Review (SER)
The Clearwater Council of Governments (COG) conducts a Service Excellence Review at least once every three years of each individual who receives Supported Living and Home and Community-Based Waiver Services. The review is designed to assess and measure the impact of services and supports on individually defined quality of life. The review tool is focused on measuring personal quality of life outcomes in the areas of relationships, community life, choice & decision making, health & well-being, and satisfaction. The tool is designed to have an impact at the individual, organizational, and systemic level. Data reports are reviewed quarterly for each COG county and for the COG region overall to review progress towards system improvements to enhance quality of life for individuals and families.
Benefits Analysis
Clearwater COG offers benefits coordination and analysis services. This service is available to individuals and their families. BA provides information to individuals and their families about the impact of earning wages on public assistance programs such as SSDI, SSI, Medicaid/ Medicare, Medicaid buy-in, etc. Benefit coordination could be linking families with local and state resources to obtain public assistance benefits.
Training
The COG provides both online and in-person training to member county boards of DD, providers, individuals, and community members. Trainings include a broad range of topics to support member needs. Trainings include SSA Basics, Person Centered Planning, Asset Based Community Development/Community Integration, PATHS/MAPS, Good Life, Annual Provider Training, and many others.
Investigative Agents (IA)
The COG maintains a team of investigative agents to complete Major Unusual Incident (MUI) investigations, provides back-up IA services, and any other support and technical assistance to member counties.
Fiscal Operations
The COG provides fiscal operations to member county boards through waiver and supported living administration. This includes authorizing waiver services through DODD, contracting with providers of supported living services and paying supported living invoices, contracting with licensed providers for room and board and paying room and board invoices and tracking county funds held at the COG.
The COG also provides payee services in Ottawa County. As a representative payee, the COG receives social security money on behalf of individuals that are unable of managing their own benefits. The COG will use the social security money to pay for the individual’s current needs including housing and utilities, food, medical expenses, personal care items and clothing. If there is money remaining, the individual may use this money for personal spending.
Provider Support
The Clearwater COG provides supports to both agency and independent providers through various programming. The COG maintains a provider pool to enhance the free choice of provider process. The COG also provides annual training to small and independent providers, quarterly provider meetings, and technical assistance, as needed.
Human Resources Services
The COG shares human resources services with Erie and Huron Counties. The Human Resource Coordinator provides daily human resource services, monthly management trainings, assistance with processing county board staff certifications, and more.