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In the News
Organization: Champaign Residential Services, Inc.
For more information: Linda Anderson Smith Lsmith@crsi-oh.com
August 2003
RE: Focus Issue/Crescent News/Defiance, Ohio - editorial portion
Champaign Residential Services, Inc. (CRSI) is celebrating twenty-six years of providing solutions for successful living to individuals living with developmental challenges. The agency is a not-for-profit corporation organized by concerned citizens and parents to provide community supports for individuals with disabilities. Headed by Executive Director Than Johnson, CRSI is governed by a seventeen-member volunteer board of trustees.
CRSI was incorporated on August 24, 1976 with a stated purpose "to promote, plan and provide services that support citizens with disabilities. Today it offers services in over twenty-five counties in Ohio.
Services are based on the needs of over seven hundred individuals with developmental challenges and can range from twenty-four hours a day to only a few hours each week. Services include home health supports, group home services, assistance in daily living, money management, leisure time/recreation, transportation, behavior support, medical assistance, management services and others as needed. CRSI employs over one thousand personnel throughout the counties served.
In 2003, CRSI has expanded its role by offering community ancillary services to a wide range of individuals with any type of disability or challenge as well as youth-at-risk. Programs offered include vocational services, family coaching and mentoring, behavior support and youth services. The JETS program was implemented in 2002 in collaboration with the Champaign County Juvenile Court system and designed specifically for "at risk" youth, their families and the community, thus providing an option to juvenile detention and/or out-of-county placement.
A rare program offered by the agency is its Consumer Advocacy Program. John Hannah, an individual with disabilities and full-time "consumer advocate", offers individuals served the opportunity to talk about living arrangements, needs and desires. Hannah then goes to work on the consumer's behalf. Hannah's distinguished accomplishments include being a participant in the first Special Olympics held in Chicago in 1968 and in the International Special Olympic Games in 1983 as an avid basketball player. The CRSI Consumer Advocate Program is being looked at by similar agencies across the country.
CRSI corporate offices are located at 1020 Scioto Street in Urbana with satellite offices in Clark, Miami, Madison, Franklin, Defiance and Allen Counties.
