#AdvocacyMatters: Parental Empowerment, Student Success
How do parents know that their student is receiving the education that they deserve? Read more...
February 11, 2022Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Short Term Assistance, Long Term Solutions
For many people with disabilities facing challenges, it can be difficult to know where to look for help. Read more...
February 4, 2022Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Identifying Obstacles, Amplifying Solutions
For nearly two full years, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a disruptive force in education. Read more...
January 28, 2022Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Because of You
When we asked you to join us, you answered the call. Read more...
January 21, 2022Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Closed Chapter, Opening Doors
Nearly six years ago, DRO took a major step in giving life to our mission by filing the landmark class action Ball vs. DeWine lawsuit on behalf of individuals with developmental disabilities who were unnecessarily segregated in residential facilities or at risk of segregation. Read more...
January 14, 2022Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: A Coalition For Transformation
Recently, DRO joined a number of local organizers, activists, and groups in forming the Columbus Safety Collective - a coalition that is working to push the city of Columbus to transform the recently announced pilot program to a permanent anti-racist, trauma-informed, non-policing response system for people experiencing mental health crises. Read more...
January 7, 2022Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Unprecedented Challenges, Unique Solutions
The unique challenges of today’s reality require unique solutions. Read more...
December 17, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: New Year, New Vision
One of the unique characteristics of DRO is the makeup of our board: Most have experienced life through the lens of a person with a disability or a relative of a person with a disability. Read more...
December 10, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Just the Facts
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact people with disabilities in unique ways. Read more...
December 3, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Thoughts and Thankfulness
There’s no telling how different 2021 would have been without our supporters and allies. Read more...
November 24, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: When The Skies Aren't Friendly
Remarkably in July 2021 alone, 834 wheelchairs were reported to have been damaged by US-based airlines. Read more...
November 19, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Answers and Access
By amplifying the facts around #VaxAccess, you can help build safer, better-informed communities. Read more...
November 12, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Every Election is a Big Election
When it comes to equity in access to the voting process our team won’t stop picking up the phone. Read more...
November 5, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters- Forward: Together
As our world struggled amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, our work continued. Beyond just getting through, we pushed forward. Read more...
October 29, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Brick by Brick
We must recognize that this system has failed for far too long, inflicting trauma on the very lives they claim to be helping. Read more...
October 22, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: On Intersections and Injustice
Our mission may be to advocate for the human, civil and legal rights of Ohioans with disabilities, but we understand that this work does not happen in a vacuum. Read more...
October 15, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Headed Home - Phillip's Story
After years living in the same community, there was simply nowhere else that Phillip could call home. Over the last year, Phillip has been staying in the hospital, and he was nervous"yet thrilled"to return home after significant time away. However, Phillip had different needs than when he left; most notably,... Read more...
October 8, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Engagement for Empowerment
This new set of Goals and Objectives highlights DRO’s commitment to empower all Ohioans with disabilities through advocacy, support, and outreach. Read more...
October 1, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: New Perspectives - A Spotlight on Disability Rights Ohio's Board of Directors
The work of Disability Rights Ohio (DRO) demands a high bar for our Board of Directors. Our board sets our strategic plan and advocacy goals and provides oversight to ensure DRO operates with the highest integrity. This Friday is the board’s annual meeting, and our newest members are raising the... Read more...
September 24, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Sequel Pomegranate Health Systems Update
ust last week, we received news that Torii Behavioral Health Systems"the for-profit corporation’s new name for Sequel Pomegranate"voluntarily relinquished all of its OMHAS licenses and certifications, including its license to operate a private psychiatric hospital. Read more...
September 17, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Care Work in Crisis
For many Ohioans with disabilities, home- and community-based services (HCBS) and the direct care workers that provide them are crucial to everyday life. Direct care workers help people with anything from personal care tasks"like bathing or getting dressed"to complex medical needs. Read more...
September 10, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: It Rages On
Our commitment to provide the tools, information, and resources to help Ohioans with disabilities throughout this challenging time remains as strong as ever. Read more...
September 3, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: A Meaningful Conversation
Our mission only comes to life when it’s rooted in the reality of our communities. As our work doesn’t exist in a vacuum, this information will ensure that our plans align with the actual needs being faced by Ohioans with disabilities. Read more...
August 27, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: New Year, New Challanges
As summer draws to a close and big, yellow school busses begin to appear in the morning fog, we sit at the outset of the third school year impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more...
August 20, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Our Path Forward
Earlier this year, you answered our calls and stood beside us in fighting against a budget bill amendment we saw as harmful and threatening to our work. You made countless phone calls and sent hundreds of emails to your representatives on our behalf asking them to remove this amendment. Read more...
August 13, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Shape Our Future
Each summer, Disability Rights Ohio embarks to develop our goals and objectives for the upcoming year. This goal-setting process connects us to Ohioans with disabilities, allowing our team to understand the scope and impact of the latest issues facing our communities. Let’s be clear: The most important piece of this... Read more...
August 6, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: A Cause for Celebration
Now that the dust has settled on a chaotic " and at times disappointing " state budget cycle, we would be remiss to not recognize and celebrate the many victories our advocacy and partnerships were able to bring about. Read more...
July 30, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: On Barriers and Ballots
During a whirlwind of a year, 2020’s primary and general elections presented an abundance of opportunities and challenges for the disability-rights community. Read more...
July 23, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Diligent Observation, Fierce Protection
While the global COVID-19 pandemic complicated seemingly all aspects of our daily lives, the lasting impacts magnified the need for many of the essential functions performed by our organization. Read more...
July 16, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Lighting Our Path
From fighting for community living to advocating for safe returns to work, DRO empowered Ohioans with the tools to advocate for the life they deserve. All year long, their stories lit our path. Read more...
July 9, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: A Different Independence Day
Galvanized by how disposable our work appears to be to Ohio’s elected leaders, we are fueled to move forward by those for whom we advocate. Read more...
July 2, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: The Totality of our Work
The essence of DRO is rooted in the empowerment of individuals and communities throughout our state, and sharing their stories and experiences with our allies and supporters is by far the best way to understand the totality of our work. Read more...
June 25, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: You Aren't Alone
When families are trying to understand and protect their student’s right to an appropriate education, we believe that they shouldn’t be alone. Read more...
June 18, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: In Their Own Voices
This week, the Ohio Senate added an amendment to the state budget with undue and retaliatory oversight of the state’s Protection and Advocacy (P&A) organization that could have a chilling effect on DRO’s ability to protect the rights of Ohioans with disabilities. Read more...
June 11, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Floating to the Finish Line
Perhaps you heard the faint quacking earlier this week as more than 300 rubber ducks paddled down the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers near Marietta. Or, more likely, you heard us cheering along the shores, following the ducks progress and, moreover, proud to have successfully “spread our wings” with our first... Read more...
June 4, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Forming Partnerships, Filling Needs
Of all the challenges presented by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, some of the most concerning surround the interrupted educational opportunities and their impact on students who depend on special education services. Read more...
May 28, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Pushing Back, Pressing Forward
A proposed amendment to Ohio’s biennial budget presents dangerous, retaliatory complications that would jeopardize DRO’s ability to maximize our team’s work. Read more...
May 21, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: The Home Stretch
Over the last several months, Disability Rights Ohio’s work has revolved around the state’s biennial budget as we advocate to Ohio’s legislature for the rights of people with disabilities. Read more...
May 14, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Spreading Our Wings
By spreading our wings, connecting with our communities, and trying new things, we hope it’s clear just how much #AdvocacyMatters to our team. Read more...
May 7, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Magnifying the Moment
By partnering with allies and like-minded organizations across the country, our work can grow and our impact can be amplified. Read more...
April 30, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: A Matter Of Appreciation
“It's a privilege to sit at the table with other advocates for Ohioans with disabilities and to have the opportunity to offer a voice to those our society has tried to silence.” Read more...
April 23, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: A Human Connection
Recently, we began transitioning our intake system to return to live specialists answering the phones instead of the voicemail prompt. Read more...
April 16, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: The Sky Is No Longer The Limit
Stories and headlines, in attempting to project inspiration, often remark on “overcoming” or “moving past” one’s disability. Read more...
April 9, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Why we never gave up
Five years ago, we embarked on a legal journey to improve access to Home and Community-Based Services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Read more...
April 2, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Empowering People, Accelerating Change
As part of Disability Rights Ohio’s mission to advocate for the human, legal, and civil rights of Ohioans with disabilities, our work this month has focused on Ohio’s biennial budget. Read more...
March 26, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: A Month of Awareness, A Year of Work
In March, we recognize Development Disabilities (DD) Awareness Month. To our team, this period of recognition isn’t a time to stop and reflect… it’s a time to speak louder, push harder, and fight more effectively. Read more...
March 19, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Challenges and Changes
As we meet the grim anniversary of COVID-19’s arrival and the devastation it brought to our communities, the struggles and loss experienced over the past year won’t have been in vain. Read more...
March 12, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Speaking Up For Better
Moving towards a society of equity " where people with disabilities are free to live, work, learn, and go where and how they choose " isn’t a dream. This is the guiding force behind our work and the righteous drive behind our fight. There is no “good enough” when it... Read more...
March 5, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: An Attitude of Empowerment
A society of inclusion and equity cannot be possible when so often a diagnosis strips away one’s opportunity to choose where they live and receive care. Read more...
February 26, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: An Uphill Battle
A troubling new study is shedding light on just how deeply-rooted implicit biases may be within our system of healthcare against people with disabilities. Read more...
February 19, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: The Symptoms and the Cause
When faced with a serious diagnosis, common sense dictates that addressing only the symptoms and not the disease is not a cure. Read more...
February 12, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Hanging in the Balance
Every two years, the state of Ohio goes through an important, priority-altering task: setting the state’s budget. Read more...
January 29, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: A Shot of Hope
Since the arrival of effective, approved vaccines at the end of last year, the monumental task of production, distribution, and prioritization has been underway. Read more...
January 22, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Giving Voice To The Silenced
As imperfect as our systems of justice may be, we believe that the principles behind them- liberty and justice for all- are inherently good. Read more...
January 15, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Reflections Of A Dark Day
This week, we all watched in horror as an armed mob overtook the U.S. Capitol building for the first time in more than 200 years. Read more...
January 8, 2021Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Glancing Back, Charging Forward
There’s little doubt that this past year was the most challenging most of us have lived through. From the first days of 2020, however, we had much to celebrate as we stepped ever closer towards our vision of a truly equal society. Read more...
December 23, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: In All Fairness
As the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccines arrive in Ohio, one question is on everyone’s mind: who is in line? Read more...
December 18, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Amplifying Change
While not a topic an organization like ours has focused on in the past, we believe it is incredibly important to acknowledge that a free and equal society cannot be realized until these mechanisms of systemic discrimination are diagnosed and eliminated. Read more...
December 11, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: The dark before the dawn
As we move into what could be a dark winter, there are several actions that people with disabilities can take to help alleviate complications down the road. Read more...
December 4, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Forward Together
As we enter this time of appreciation and giving and prepare to send off a year that many would rather forget, it’s important that we pause and reflect on all that was accomplished in 2020. Read more...
November 25, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Better at Home
The Home and Community Based system in Ohio needs additional funding from the state to continue supporting the independence and safety of older Ohioans and people with disabilities. Read more...
November 20, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: A Needed Change
The facts are inescapable: Data shows that marginalized groups are at high risk for police use of force and death by police"including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and people with disabilities. Read more...
November 13, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Answering the Call
We don’t measure our success in election outcomes, we measure it in election participation. Read more...
November 6, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: This Is It
Over the last few months, we’ve committed a great deal of our team’s time and energy to ensuring each and every Ohioan with a disability has an opportunity to be heard in this election. Read more...
October 30, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Eleven Days
The decisions we make in eleven days will have an impact for years to come. With so much at stake, it’s critical that every voice is heard and every vote is counted. Read more...
October 23, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Empty Classrooms, Unique Solutions
Adapting to online school can be hard for all children, but what if your child’s academic success depended on seeing their teachers and peers face-to-face? Read more...
October 16, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Taking Action, Not Sides
Through the haze of negative campaign ads and catchy one-liners, it can be difficult to figure out exactly where the candidates stand issues of importance to Ohioans with disabilities. Read more...
October 9, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Listening, Learning, Adjusting
Every day that goes by brings with it new challenges and new obstacles for Ohioans with disabilities. Read more...
October 2, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Safer at Home
Thousands of Ohioans face barriers leaving institutions in favor of community care. Read more...
September 25, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Plan Your Vote
We want to ensure that every voice is heard once the ballots are counted, and PLAN YOUR VOTE will help Ohioans across the state participate in this historic election. Read more...
September 18, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Fighting for Peace of Mind
Earlier this year, a concerned family reached out to Disability Rights Ohio on behalf of their son Tanner, who has autism. Read more...
September 11, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Decoding Medicaid Managed Care
Much like parents, managed care providers can have trouble working through the complex Medicaid managed care system. Read more...
September 4, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Back to School, Far from Ordinary
When a child’s future is at stake, no decision should be taken lightly. Read more...
August 28, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Growing Our Impact
It’s often said that challenges create champions. The hardships we’ve seen in our clients’ experiences, our communities, and our own homes over the last 6 months haven’t deterred us Read more...
August 14, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Advocacy Through Research
A deeper understanding of any problem creates better solutions. We’re proud to have just announced the results of a three-year study we completed with our partners at the Ohio Brain Injury Program on people with Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) living in Ohio nursing facilities. Read more...
August 7, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Another Year of Differences Made
The strength of an organization lies in its results, and 2019 was a historic year for Disability Rights Ohio and the communities we serve. Through advocacy, assistance, and action our work made it possible for more Ohioans to live, work, learn, and go where they wanted. Read more...
July 24, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Leading the Charge to Protect Equal Access to Care
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, there have been very serious concerns across the country about equal access to life-saving health care for people with disabilities. Read more...
July 13, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: When keeping her family together was at risk, we helped her fight
Angela didn’t give up and neither did we, because #advocacymatters. Read more...
July 2, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Bringing Abuses to Light
Earlier this week, we released the results of our nine-month investigation into Sequel Pomegranate, a residential treatment facility for children in Columbus. Our findings were shocking: Serious and systemic cases of abuse and neglect, violations of safety and treatment standards, inappropriate use of restraint, peer-to-peer bullying and staff intimidation, and... Read more...
June 26, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: COVID-19 and Racial Equality
Today, Disability Rights Ohio submitted testimony to the Minority Health Strike Force. The Strike Force was created by Governor DeWine to examine the impact of COVID-19 on minority populations and report on solutions to address the health disparities in our state. Read more...
June 19, 2020Read More
Moving Forward Together
At Disability Rights Ohio, our vision is to create a society where all members are equal participants: where members of any minority enjoy the same rights as the majority. We recognize the impact of generations of oppression and systemic injustice in our work. Read more...
June 9, 2020Read More
How School Closures Are Impacting Special Education. What You Need to Know. #AdvocacyMatters
Have you been trying to teach your kids from home? For parents trying to navigate home schooling AND access to special education services for their children, it's even more difficult. Read more...
April 17, 2020Read More
They Said He Couldn’t Return Home; We Fought for His Right to Live in his Community. #AdvocacyMatters
Last winter, Francis contacted Disability Rights Ohio for help leaving a nursing facility. Francis has physical disabilities and had been stuck unnecessarily in a nursing facility for years. This restrictive setting was stifling for him; he lost his independence and autonomy and became depressed. Francis desperately wanted to return... Read more...
March 10, 2020Read More
She was banned from a local pool because of her disability. We helped her get the access she deserved. #AdvocacyMatters
Traci had been using a local recreational center's pool for prescribed physical therapy sessions to treat her spina bifida. After just three weeks, though, the rec center revoked her access to the pool because of her colostomy bag. Read more...
August 30, 2019Read More
Tyra hadn't received the education she needed. Our advocacy got her into the right program. #AdvocacyMatters
When her family resettled in Ohio as refugees from Zimbabwe two years ago, Tyra looked forward to receiving the quality of education she was unable to access for years in exile because she was deaf. She and her family began working with Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) to find... Read more...
August 16, 2019Read More
Her guardian wasn't listening. We raised her voice. #AdvocacyMatters
Megan lived independently with her boyfriend of six years and received regular visits from her private agency guardian. One day, the guardian thought she saw a "crack pipe" in the couple's apartment and ordered Megan to take a drug test. Read more...
August 2, 2019Read More
He wanted to live with his family. We made sure he kept the funding to do so. #AdvocacyMatters
Nicholas was excited when he received an Individual Options (IO) waiver so he could live in his community with his brother and sister-in-law. But then he and his family had difficulties finding service providers that could give him the 24/7 care he needed. When his county's Board of Developmental Disabilities... Read more...
June 28, 2019Read More
He needed surgery to keep his job. We helped him get assistance to pay for it. #AdvocacyMatters
Daniel was happy to start his new job on an assembly line. One month later, his cataracts caused him to miss the holes for the nails he was inserting. He was written up and told unofficially that if he couldn't see, he would be let go. Read more...
June 21, 2019Read More
She was told to graduate before she was ready. We helped her stay in the programs she needed. #AdvocacyMatters
Morgan was heading into her fourth year of high school. She was excited to attend a "social graduation," where she would walk across the stage with her class but would then remain in school to obtain needed services as part of her IEP transition plan. Under IDEA, students with disabilities... Read more...
May 31, 2019Read More
Her baby was taken from her because of her disability. We filed a brief in support of her right to parent. #AdvocacyMatters
Jenna, an independent woman with an intellectual disability, was excited about being a new mother following the birth of her baby daughter. However, while still in the hospital recovering from the delivery, child protective services removed the baby from Jenna's custody and placed her with a foster family. Read more...
May 3, 2019Read More
He wasn't receiving the accommodations he needed to succeed. We got him back on track to graduate. #AdvocacyMatters
Michael is a long-time nurse who is currently enrolled in a program to become a nurse practitioner. As a person who is hard of hearing, Michael requires speech-to-text technology and captioned videos to access class lectures and materials. When these accommodations were not provided, however, Michael began to struggle in... Read more...
April 26, 2019Read More
Her service dog was denied entry at a JFS office. We opened the doors. #AdvocacyMatters
Lynn's service dog is trained to help her manage the symptoms of her PTSD. When making trips to her local Job and Family Services (JFS) office, security staff asked Lynn twice to provide proof of her dog's status as a service animal. Both times, they ultimately refused to allow her... Read more...
April 19, 2019Read More
Gabe went from struggling to all As and Bs, with help from DRO. #AdvocacyMatters
When Gabe started second grade, he was really struggling in school. He was getting speech therapy, but his mother knew he was not progressing academically like he should. She asked the school to provide additional services, but they refused. She then requested a re-evaluation for Gabe, which was also refused.... Read more...
April 12, 2019Read More
DRO's new annual report highlights the importance of the P&A system
Our new Annual Report shows what we did, but it also paints a portrait of what life for Ohioans with disabilities would be if there were no P&A and CAP. Hundreds of people would be denied services without recourse. They wouldn't receive information about how to challenge those decisions. Read more...
March 29, 2019Read More
He wasn't getting enough time out of his cell. His complaint to DRO led to systemic policy change. #AdvocacyMatters
David has a diagnosed mental illness and has been placed in solitary confinement in a state correctional facility. He felt his mental health was deteriorating and believed that he was not getting enough out-of-cell time in line with state prison policy. He attempted to advocate for himself, but he wasn't... Read more...
March 22, 2019Read More
He needed additional services to keep him safe. One email from DRO changed the outcome. #AdvocacyMatters
Ben had a Level 1 Medicaid waiver, which provided some services, but not enough to keep him from wandering away from his home at night sometimes, which put him at risk. His father had applied to get him placed on a SELF waiver three times, but the county board of... Read more...
March 15, 2019Read More
DRO seeks to better help clients through trauma at OVWA training #AdvocacyMatters
On February 21 and 22, DRO's Victims of Crime attorney Sarah Hill and advocate Basil Stolar attended a training hosted by the Ohio Victim Witness Association (OVWA) to learn about working with individuals who have experienced trauma. Read more...
March 1, 2019Read More
A veteran was at risk of losing her support dog. We stepped in to help. #AdvocacyMatters
Claire, a veteran diagnosed with PTSD, has three support dogs that help her manage the symptoms of her disability. However, her Homeowners Association (HOA) accused her of violating their two pet policy. Read more...
February 22, 2019Read More
He was facing expulsion. We kept him in school. #AdvocacyMatters
When Caleb started having behaviors at school, he was removed from his school's general education program and placed in a behavioral program. Another conflict got the seventh-grader suspended due to aggressive behavior, and the school moved to expel him. Read more...
February 15, 2019Read More
Things at her workplace were changing. We stepped in to help her maintain her routine. #AdvocacyMatters
Jenny had worked two-hour shifts at a café for 16 years and with her own transportation arranged. However, when the café started operating independent of the county board of developmental disabilities, Jenny was told that she would have to work five-hour shifts and use the company’s transportation instead. Read more...
February 1, 2019Read More