Support People with Disabilities at the Ohio Statehouse!

May 8, 2015 / budget

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The Ohio Senate Medicaid Committee will be hearing from government officials and the public about the Department of Developmental Disabilities budget at 1 p.m. Thursday, May 14 at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus.

The Ohio Senate needs to see and hear from people with disabilities. Your voice and your stories are powerful!

How you can speak up for people with disabilities

If you would like to provide testimony (speak in front of the committee) here is what you need to do:

Write down your testimony
Complete a Witness Slip: goo.gl/ntrVHw (PDF) or goo.gl/jbN5U7 (Word)
Email these two documents to Ashley.Timberlake@ohiosenate.gov or Scott Partika at Scott.Partika@ohiosenate.gov.
In your email, let them know the following:

• That you want to testify on May 14
• If you need any accommodations – such as a space for a wheelchair or to testify at a specific time (NOTE: There are many people who want to testify, and there might be a long line. It is important to let them know if you are unable to wait a long time because of a disability.)
• If you will be traveling a long distance

You need to submit this email by 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 13.

What to say

Tell the Ohio Senate what YOU think.

1. Tell them why you want people with disabilities to be able to live in the community

2. Tell them what you need to be able to live in the community

Show your support!

You can also attend the hearing without speaking yourself. All you need to do is come to the Ohio Statehouse at 1 p.m. May 14 and show your support by listening to what others have to say.

If you cannot be there in person

If you are unable to come to Columbus in person, you can still show your support for people with disabilities. You can e-mail your testimony to Ashley.Timberlake@ohiosenate.gov or Scott Partika at Scott.Partika@ohiosenate.gov and tell them that you can not be there in person but want to submit your comments in writing. Your comments will be posted online where other people can read them.

Call Ohio Senators

You can also call Ohio Senators and tell them what you think.

1. Contact Senator Oeslager, Chair of the Senate Finance Committee at 614-466-0626; email: sd29@ohiosenate.gov

2. Contact Senator Burke, Chair of the Senate Medicaid Committee at 614-466-8049; email: sd26@ohiosenate.gov

3. Contact your Senator. Visit ohiosenate.gov to find your Senator (bottom left corner of the screen).

Tell them that they should provide funding for services and supports for people with disabilities to live in the community. Tell your story about how important living in the community is to you.

Need more information?

Contact us at Disability Rights Ohio at 614-466-7264 (TTY 614-728-2553).