Ohio's 88 county boards of developmental disabilities are mandated by Ohio law to coordinate services and administer funds for people with developmental disabilities who meet state criteria for eligibility. Funding for those services comes from a combination of federal, state and local dollars.
The Montgomery County Board of Developmental Disabilities (MCBDDS) is funded differently than Ohio's other county boards. In 87 of 88 counties, county boards fund services and operations by placing a levy on the ballot specifically for developmental disabilities services. Montgomery County's Human Services Levy system is unique in Ohio. It combines funding for multiple agencies into two levies so voters are asked to renew support less often, saving the community time and money. These levies are brought before taxpayers in cycles every four years, and each levy lasts eight years. This larger collaborative funding umbrella supports human services countywide.
County leaders look at the entire human services system when making funding decisions. In the Human Services Levy system, agencies share their needs with volunteer Community Review Teams. The findings are then reviewed by the Human Services Levy Council. The Council advises the Board of County Commissioners on funding allocations, which the Commissioners approve. MCBDDS's Board President is one of 18 members of the Human Services Levy Council. For more information about the Council, or if you have questions about the Council, please visit the Council webpage.
Where MCBDDS's Funding Comes From
Seventy percent of MCBDDS's operating budget comes from two sources: the Montgomery County Commission, via two Montgomery County Human Services levies, and a 1-mill continuing levy established in 1977 that is collecting at 1977 property values. The remaining 30 percent comes from state and federal sources.
In 2025:
- 63 percent ($36.6 million) of MCBDDS's annual operating budget of $58.6 million came from the allocations it received from the two Human Services levies.
- 6 percent ($3.6 million) of MCBDDS's annual operating budget came from its 1-mill continuing levy.
- 31 percent comes from state and federal sources.