In a surprising development, Montgomery County Board of Developmental Disabilities Director of Communications Janice Saddler Rice has issued a defense of the widely criticized May 2023 letter signed by members of the Ohio Association of County Boards of DD (OACB) and ten county board superintendents. This letter explicitly lobbied to prohibit parents of minors from being paid as direct care workers. The OACB’s use of inflated numbers and offensive, ableist stereotypes drew statewide outrage from disability advocates and families.
Saddler Rice’s statement, published through her personal Facebook account but paired with her official title, Montgomery County Board of DD email address, and no personal opinion disclaimer, attempts to downplay the letter’s intent, claiming it merely sought to raise “red flags” about implementation issues such as funding and conflicts of interest. However, a review of the letter reveals that it unequivocally sought to end paid caregiving by parents of minor children.
Key Issues with Montgomery County Board of DD’s Defense
Misrepresentation of the Letter’s Intent
Saddler Rice claims the superintendents “were not seeking to prevent parents from acting as paid providers,” but the letter itself contradicts this. It explicitly states:
“OACB is opposed to allowing parents of minor children to provide waiver services to their children long term. ... We believe that this creates a dangerous precedent in Ohio’s DD system and should be discontinued as soon as possible in 2022… County boards’ position on this matter has not changed since it was originally shared with the state in November 2020 and December 2021.”
This language leaves no room for interpretation—the OACB and ten county board superintendents lobbied for a total ban on paid parent caregivers for disabled children.
Harmful Stereotypes About Parents
As a reminder, the OACB’s letter also perpetuates damaging stereotypes about families of people with disabilities, a common theme in OACB trainings and events, as discussed here, here, here, and here. In the letter, the OACB and ten county board superintendents warn:
“Allowing parents and family members to be paid providers for their minor children may unintentionally cause kids who would otherwise be served in more appropriate community settings ... to be isolated at home, thereby limiting their natural opportunities for community integration… [Parents] would have an incentive to keep their child at home for the purpose of offering ongoing paid support.”
This baseless claim unfairly paints parents as neglectful or self-serving and assumes they would exploit their children’s disabilities for financial gain. Blood Blame language like this perpetuates harmful myths and stigmas about families who already face significant societal and financial challenges.
Financial Concerns Targeting Children
Saddler Rice’s statement justifies the OACB’s letter by pointing to financial shortfalls faced by Montgomery County DD and other boards. This rationale raises serious ethical concerns, as it appears to imply that minor children, for whom county boards have already approved a certain number of care hours under Medicaid waivers, should potentially lose access to the only caregivers who can fill those hours because of a “funding shortfall.” Notably, Saddler Rice’s statement does not suggest county boards should raise similar questions regarding filling the authorized care hours of adult waiver recipients.
For reference, both children and adults in Ohio are subject to rigorous assessments that determine waiver eligibility and set the number of weekly care hours. County boards can and do turn away everyone who does not meet strict eligibility requirements. In other words, the county boards themselves assure that no individual in Ohio receives any care hours that they do not truly need. The assertion that a “funding shortfall” should raise questions about children’s continued access to the only caregivers available contributes to a troubling pattern of age-related Medicaid waiver policy decisions in Ohio.
All Risk, No Reward for County Employees Who Blur Personal and Professional Roles Online
County boards of developmental disabilities typically operate official public Facebook “pages,” but due to privacy concerns, these official pages usually cannot join private Facebook “groups.” However, some county employees may choose to use their personal Facebook accounts to join private groups, monitor activity, and post comments on behalf of the county board. Those who choose to do this should be aware that using personal social media accounts for any government-related business introduces significant risks. Personal accounts used for government business may be subject to public records requests and could be held accountable under recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions, such as Lindke v. Freed (2024). County board and state DODD employees who are considering using private social media accounts to conduct public business may benefit from consulting with legal counsel knowledgeable in this area to be sure they understand the rules, regulations, and legal rulings involved.
The Montgomery County Board of DD’s social media policy states:
“Employees should not use their personal social media accounts to conduct Board business. If employees have need to communicate with the people they serve and/or those people’s families or guardians via social media, they should contact the Director of Communications… If an employee chooses to identify his or her relationship with the Board in a social media exchange, the employee should use disclaimers to ensure that people understand they are ‘not speaking as a representative of the Board of the Montgomery County Board of Developmental Disabilities.’ They can further clarify their position by stating, ‘This is my opinion, and is not necessarily the position of the Board on this matter.’”
Montgomery County Board of DD Communications Director Janice Saddler Rice identified her relationship with the board in her statement, but she did not include the recommended disclaimers outlined in the Board’s policy. Ms. Saddler Rice did not respond to our request for comment on her claims about the OACB's May 2023 letter.
As disability advocates continue to push for equitable caregiving policies, the Montgomery County Board of DD’s social media statement underscores the need to push for transparency, accountability, and a commitment to supporting all waiver recipients—regardless of age.
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