Matthew Roberts

Our family moved to Delaware in November of 2002. We are natives of Ohio, but lived in eastern Kentucky for five years before moving back. We were seeking to locate in a community within easy driving distance from our extended families. The most important factor, though, was finding a county that would have good programming for our son, Matthew. We checked with the mental retardation and developmental disabilities programs in several counties before deciding on a community to call our own. Delaware County stood out as being an excellent place to live and have Matthew’s needs met at the same time.

Matthew was able to get right into the workshop program at Alpha, and we have been so pleased with the staff and situation there. It was our desire to eventually have a supervised residential placement for Matthew, so he was placed on a waiting list. We never dreamed it would materialize so quickly. In late September of 2003, Matthew and his new friend Eli moved into their very own apartment. They are both so happy and really like having a sense of independence!

It meant a lot to our family to be able to assist them in choosing where they would live and also to select the agency that would provide the supervision they needed. Their living situation is really designed around their particular needs.

We came to Delaware County not really understanding what “self-determination” meant. Now we really do understand, and we are so grateful to be part of such a supportive and caring community.

Beth Roberts
Parent

Delaware County Board of Developmental Disabilities
106 Stover Drive, Delaware, OH 43015
740-368-5800
http://www.dcbdd.org/