Highland County Board of DD, May-We-Help partner to help make biking dream come true

Meet Travis Sexton. Sexton currently receives services through the Highland County Board of Developmental Disabilities. Sexton has big goals for himself, and it is very important to him to continue his independence and desire to explore his community and interests outside of his wheelchair.

Sexton knows the long-term prognosis of his disability and the importance of continuing movement while he still has the ability. He reached out to his Service & Support Administrator (SSA) at the Highland County Board of DD, Jacklyn Thacker, to talk about his hopes and dreams of kayaking, going biking and snow tubing. Sexton said biking was at the top of his wish list.

As we often discover, there were barriers that Sexton faced in the desire to meet his outcome… how he could propel a bike when he doesn’t have use of his legs to pedal, and the cost. The team found a bike that potentially met his need but was still not exactly what he could use and was nearly $2,000.

Sexton’s SSA linked him to May-We-Help. According to their website, May-We-Help is a nonprofit consisting of 75 volunteer engineers, industrial designers, inventors, welders, woodworkers, seamstresses, doctors, occupational and physical therapists who come together to design, build and deliver custom devices at no cost. They take an ordinary item and make it extraordinary.

Sexton traveled to Cincinnati to meet with an engineer from May-We-Help so they could determine Sexton’s needs, and although the SSA linked Sexton to May-We-Help, there were still barriers to reach his goal. A bike would still need to be obtained before they could assist.

Sexton quickly received a call from May-We-Help that a bike had been donated to be used for him. The bike has now been modified so that Sexton can hand-pedal while being attached to another bike to assist in leading or it can independently be pedaled with his hands.

The Board of DD wants to share a huge thank-you to May-We-Help. Sexton is ready to hit some bike trails.

As mentioned above, Sexton connected with his Service & Support Administrator at the Highland County Board of DD to help. A Service and Support Administrator (SSA) is a person who works for a County Board of DD and is assigned to a person with a disability to act as the primary, or main point of coordination for identified services and supports. The SSA is a troubleshooter, problem-solver and an advocate.

SSAs work with each eligible person and their team to assist in meeting identified needs based on a person-centered approach. Some of the services include:

• Establishing an individual’s eligibility;

• Assessing individual needs for services;

• Developing person-centered service plans;

• Establishing budgets for services based on assessed needs;

• Assisting individuals in choosing providers through the free choice of provider process;

• Monitoring services for quality and outcomes;

• Maintaining rights, reporting major unusual incidents and processing complaints;

• Ensuring coordination between service providers in the county;

• Ensuring individuals have a designated person to advocate for them; and

• Assisting individuals in community connections and obtaining community employment.

The Highland County Board of Developmental Disabilities Service & Support Administration (SSA) department is committed to ensuring all eligible Highland County residents with developmental disabilities receive services that enhance the quality of their lives while promoting individual choice.