The Association for the Developmentally Disabled (ADD) was created in 1971 as a private non-profit corporation with a mission to serve and assist people with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. Through he years, ADD has promoted the understanding and acceptance of individuals with developmental disabilities and has changed with the community, developing and adapting its services as necessary.    

ADD's commitment has enabled many individuals
over the years to achieve their greatest degree of independence through programs such as residential living, supportive living, and respite care, childcare and adult services. Qualified staff with expertise in special education, social work, nursing, child development, developmental disabilities and other related fields work together as a team to address the individual needs of the children and adults the agency serves. 

The primary services of ADD include Residential Services, The Dahlberg Learning Center and Community Connections. Residential Services offers services to individuals who live in their own homes, Creative-Housing, and ADD's Community homes. ADD assists individuals in maintaining an effectively interdependent lifestyle. ADD assists individuals in making choices about where, how, and with whom they would like to live. The Dahlberg Learning Center provides quality daycare, an extended day program and preschool to both typically developing youngsters and children with developmental disabilities. This year-round program promotes physical, emotional, intellectual and social development of children it serves through preschool education, speech, occupational, and physical therapies, and family support services. As of April 2002, The Dahlberg Learning Center opened up an infant program. Community Connections offers services to adults with developmental disabilities who are in transitional stages in their lives. Short and long term therapeutic recreation programs offered by the center are designed to promote independent participation in leisure, vocational and social activities.

Funding for services provided by ADD comes from Federal, state and county government sources, grants and private donations. Governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees, ADD provides services to over 500 individuals a year in Franklin, Delaware and Union Counties.