The Vision Statement of the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities is an outgrowth of an active and progressive history of service delivery as well as an optimistic focus on the future -- We are leaders in our community advocating for everyone to live, learn, work, play, worship and participate as equal citizens.

It was in 1938 that Mrs. Josina Lott of Toledo began educational programming for persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities in Lucas County. The present programs of the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities have evolved from those early classes of Mrs. Lott. Mrs. Lott called her first classes “an experiment” to prove her contention that “every child, regardless of mental or physical disabilities, should receive an education.”

Mrs. Lott began teaching in her living room, then moved to the basement classroom area in the Rosewood Presbyterian Church. When the student enrollment hit 55 it was evident that the school had outgrown its church basement location. With the assistance of parents, the Chamber of Commerce, Board of Education and the Juvenile Court, Mrs. Lott incorporated the Lott Day School as a not-for-profit institution. It moved in 1945 to a building at Heffner and Kelsey which was leased from the Board of Education for one dollar a year.

The Lott Day School was described in its brochure as a “story of hope.” The brochure said, “Through the non-profit, non-sectarian work of the Lott Day School, many young lives are changed from problems into people with futures.” Tuition is $95 per semester.

In a 1944 interview, Mrs. Lott said her success lay in adjusting to the child, rather than expecting the child to adjust to the teacher. The earlier specialized training is given, she said, the sooner the child reaches his highest capacity.  

Mrs. Lott was also concerned about the children who had been in school a number of years, had reached the limit of their academic capacity and were still unable and unprepared to contribute to their own support. She proposed a new idea, an adult “training-for-earning program.” This was developed as an extension of her Lott Day School to help young adults learn job skills.  She asked the school auxiliary for $170.00 to start the program.

In the mid-1950’s several parents of children enrolled in Mrs. Lott school, who were affiliated with the Lucas County Association for Retarded Citizens, or LARC, formed the non-profit Sheltered Workshop Foundation, the precursor of Lott Industries.

In 1958 a delegation from LARC convinced the county commissioners to place a levy on the ballot to raise funds to help educate children with mental retardation. The .3 mill levy passed. It was the first local tax levy in Ohio to support the education of children with mental retardation.

Mrs. Lott’s school in 1959 merged with a county program operated by the Child Welfare Board. She continued as principal of the school, which was renamed Heffner. In 1961, a 55 acre tract of land in south Toledo was selected as the site for a new school. Larc Lane School opened in 1962. When Larc Lane School opened Lucas County was recognized as the only county in the nation with a program for children with mental retardation that operated without any cost to parents.

In 1965, ground was broken for a new adult facility to be built across the street from Larc Lane School. When it opened, it was heralded as “the only workshop of its kind built by tax money specifically for the retarded adult.” This facility underwent major renovation in 1988 to accommodate the new community-based supported employment program. Also in 1965, the adult employment program began doing business as Lott Industries.

The State of Ohio created county boards of mental retardation and developmental disabilities in 1967. Programs for persons with mental retardation and/or developmental disabilities were no longer administered by the Child Welfare Board.

When the Board of MR/DD was created, student enrollment was 576. There were 170 adults in sheltered employment. By 1985, enrollment in the children’s area had increased to 515. Adult Services enrollment was 826. Today, the total caseload for children and adults is more than 4,000.

Jay Shuer School in Oregon opened in 1971.  That same year, the adult services program expanded with the rental of a building on 12th Street in Toledo. In 1975, the adult program expanded again with the acquisition of a building on Ashland Avenue. In 1976 the vacant Imperial Wayside Furniture store on Telegraph Road in north Toledo was purchased to be used as yet another adult facility. Also in 1971, children participated in the first Ohio Special Olympics that was held in Cleveland.

Josina Lott died in 1973 leaving behind her a legacy that continued to grow.

In 1990, Lott Industries made history, becoming the first employment program for persons with mr/dd to be awarded the prestigious Ford Motor Company Q1 Preferred Quality Award. Then superintendent of the Board, Fred DeCrescentis, said, “The awarding of Q1 to Lott Industries proves persons with developmental disabilities can be of value and make substantial contributions to the community.”

The facility on Ashland was closed in 1991 when a new adult services center was opened on Holland Road in Maumee. Because of a declining school-age enrollment, the Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities stopped programming at Jay Shuer School.

In 1991, the Lucas County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities created a new not-for-profit corporation, Community Living Options, to administer the supported living program. Another not-for-profit corporation, Preferred Properties, was created in 1992 to administer the supported housing program.

An adult services center on Hill Avenue opened in 1994. Also in 1994, the Early Intervention Program relocated to the new EduCare multi-services center. At dedication ceremonies, the Director of the Ohio Department of MR/DD said the opening of EduCare is an example of how Lucas County “is at the forefront in providing services to children and their families.” 

Larc Lane School was closed in the mid-90’s. The building was renovated to accommodate the ever-increasing seniors program.

Mrs. Lott was inducted into the Toledo Civic Hall of Fame in 2000.

In 2002, the functions of Community Living Options were incorporated into Board operations.

In 2009, at the urging of self-advocates, the term mental retardation was removed from the name of county boards. The advocates argued that use of the "r" word was a constant reminder of the many negative stereotypes that mask the true talents and capabilities of people with disabilities.

In all, the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities presently operates early intervention services at the EduCare Center, senior services at Larc Lane Center, three adult services centers, service and support administration services, quality assurance services, an administration complex and one of the largest school-bus fleets in northwest Ohio.

With changes in Public Law that require public schools to assume the responsibility for education of children with mental retardation and/or developmental disabilities, the Board ceased operating school-age classrooms at the end of the 1998-99 academic year. The Board continues to provide support services to the public schools. The Larc Lane Center has been renovated into an adult facility to provide services for seniors and medically fragile individuals with mental retardation and/or developmental disabilities.

In the late 1990’s the Board adopted five Core Values that still remain the foundation of serve delivery. They are People First, Self-Determination, Importance of Families, Community Participation, and Ethical and Visionary Leadership. A sixth Core Value, Cultural Competence, was added a few years later.