#AdvocacyMatters: Care in Crisis

February 3, 2023 / #AdvocacyMatters

As many of our supporters already know, Ohio is facing a direct care crisis that is deeply affecting the disabled community. The support of in-home direct care workers enables disabled people to live and work in the community setting of their choice. Despite being essential workers, direct care workers are underpaid, receive little to no support, and are often offered no benefits. Without direct care, people are at risk of serious injury, death, or being forced into institutional settings.

Throughout the last year, we have brought you the stories of Ohioans fighting for their access to dignity with the #EveryoneDeservesCare series (stories housed here: https://www.disabilityrightsohio.org/public-policy-advocacy-dcw-crisis). We’ve also hosted advocacy workshops, like our Letter to the Editor Workshop, which led to multiple published letters speaking to the crisis in the last two weeks. We have shared over 15 stories from disabled Ohioans in need of care, and the stories are not going to stop any time soon. Our community is making their voices heard - one way or another.

Our next fight will take us right up to the Ohio Statehouse, where we intend to #BudgetWithCare. The care crisis is of immense importance for Ohio - and we intend to fight alongside our advocates to make sure that there are meaningful and proactive solutions to this crisis included in the budget.

While the Governor proposes promising steps forward in his budget, we will push to include the many disabled Ohioans in the mix. We cannot rest until every Ohioan has equitable access to the direct care that they deserve. Join us every Friday on Zoom for the #WeeklyBudgetDebrief, and sign up for updates here: https://bit.ly/drobudget. Your #AdvocacyMatters now more than ever, and we hope to have you along for the ride.