#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
Protecting Your COVID-19 Relief Check
With a new round of Government COVID-relief payments hitting bank accounts in the new year, it’s important for people with disabilities, and especially people living in long term care facilities, to understand their rights when it comes to those payments. Read more...
January 14, 2021Read More
DRO Announces Results of Probe into Cuyahoga County Corrections Center
DRO’s recently published policy paper, “Pervasive Healthcare and ADA Compliance Issues at Cuyahoga County Corrections Center,” outlines its findings established through site visits, meetings with administrators, and more than 160 inmate interviews. Read more...
January 12, 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
DRO Advocates for Rapid Inclusion of All Ohioans With Disabilities as State Develops Its COVID-19 Vaccination Plan
Disability Rights Ohio and its partners urge the Ohio Department of Health to consider its recommendations as it formulates the state’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan. Read more...
December 15, 2020Read More
NEWS ALERT: DRO Applauds Action Taken to Shut Down Sequel Pomegranate
“DRO has been aware of the systemic failures at Sequel Pomegranate for some time. It’s why we worked hard to ensure the children were removed from the facility.” Read more...
December 14, 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
NEWS ALERT: Hospital Visitation and COVID-19
If you have a disability, hospitals are required to make reasonable accommodations to their visitor policy for you. Read more...
December 9, 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
NEWS ALERT: What to know about rationing of care and COVID-19
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to set new records for cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, it’s incredibly important for all Ohioans with disabilities to understand their rights when it comes to receiving care. Read more...
December 2, 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
DRO, other organizations form Home and Community-based Services Coalition
Advocates call for a system that affords all Ohioans the opportunity to thrive and stay connected and engaged in their communities. Read more...
November 18, 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
Disability Right Ohio Examines the Impact of Police Use of Force on People with Disabilities
Newly published policy statement sheds light on ways that large police budgets can be reinvested into community-based services and supports that address the root cause of systemic oppression Read more...
November 12, 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
Helping Us Rise
All of this life-changing work wouldn’t have been possible without our army of supporters. As we continue to maximize the impact we can make on the lives of people with disabilities in Ohio, we’re ready to tackle whatever challenges come our way. Read more...
October 14, 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
DRO Joins 50 Organizations and Individuals to Send Letter to Governor DeWine Advocating for Expanded HCBS Services
Advocates express need to expand in-home care for older adults and people with disabilities as long-term care facilities struggle to combat COVID-19. Read more...
September 23, 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
Disability Rights Ohio reacts to controlling board decision
Our organization has serious concerns as to the negative impact this decision will have on election access for thousands of Ohioans with disabilities. Read more...
September 14, 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
Disability Rights Ohio calls for paid postage for Absentee Ballots
Disability Rights Ohio recently reached out to members of the Ohio Controlling Board to express the importance of prepaid postage for absentee ballots in the upcoming general election. Read more...
September 10, 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: Calm in the Crisis
By rallying our allies, engaging our stakeholders, and partnering with state leadership, we were able to affect real changes and protections. Read more...
August 21, 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
DRO names new Legal Advocacy Director
In this role, Kevin Truitt will provide leadership and strategic direction for all of DRO’s advocacy work including planning, leading and coordinating complex litigation, serving as lead counsel on significant legal actions, and supervising attorney team leaders. Read more...
August 13, 2020Read More
DRO names new Policy Director
Advocacy group taps experienced analyst with keen understating of state and federal legislation and issues impacting policy decisions Read more...
August 12, 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
DRO and the Ohio Brain Injury Program Collaborate on Three-year Study of Traumatic Brain Injury Patients Residing in Nursing Homes
Data provides key recommendations to policymakers to help TBI patients overcome barriers and live in their communities with support Read more...
August 5, 2020Read More
Help Shape Our Future: Fill Out DRO's Priorities Survey
Disability Rights Ohio strives to provide support to as many people as possible. In order to maximize our impact with the resources available, we seek community input every year to focus our priorities on issues where we can have the most effective impact. Read more...
July 31, 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
Disability Rights Ohio releases 2019 Annual Report
We will continue to work tirelessly advocating for all Ohioans with disabilities, no matter what else comes our way. Read more...
July 21, 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
DRO Investigates Systemic and Cultural Issues at Sequel Pomegranate Health Systems
Disability Rights Ohio (DRO) applauds the recent administrative action taken by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) against Sequel Pomegranate’s residential treatment facility in Columbus, Ohio. Read more...
June 22, 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
Remembering Sue Willis: The Sue Willis Endowed Camper Scholarship Fund
Last month, the Disability Rights Movement lost long-time advocate Sue Willis. Sue was one of DRO’s founding board members, a communications expert, and professional advocate. To honor Sue, her family is setting up a scholarship with Recreation Unlimited in Sue’s name. Read more...
June 11, 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
A Message of Solidarity from DRO's Executive Director, Kerstin Sjoberg
As an organization whose very existence is rooted in protecting the human, civil, and legal rights of all Ohioans, Disability Rights Ohio recognizes that the path to securing those freedoms and protections can be vastly different experiences based on nothing more than the color of one’s skin. Read more...
June 2, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: A May Like No Other
DRO_AM_5.29.20 As Mental Health Awareness Month draws to a close, it’s easy to feel we’re leaving May with just as many questions as we began with. While we find ourselves in a world full of uncertainty, being aware of our mental health is more important now than ever. Disability Rights Ohio spent... Read more...
May 29, 2020Read More
DRO Releases Compensatory Education and ESY Fact Sheet
One of the most important things you can be doing for your child’s education is preparing for your child’s eventual return to a more typical school environment. An important part of this is making sure you and the school have a plan for how distance learning will be implemented... Read more...
May 27, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: Standing Up For Those Being Pushed Into Nursing Homes in the Age of COVID-19
Imagine, in the middle of a global pandemic, being forced into a nursing home for the care you need instead of being connected to the home and community-based services you prefer. Long before the outbreak of COVID-19, Ohio’s system for evaluating people with intellectual, developmental, or psychiatric disabilities before and... Read more...
May 22, 2020Read More
Honoring a Champion: Sue Willis, Lost but Never Forgotten
This week the Disability Rights Movement lost a champion, Sue Willis. Sue was a powerful figure who always spoke up. Her loss is being greatly felt by all those who loved her and worked with her. Read more...
May 21, 2020Read More
DRO News Alert: New Legislation Could Have Dangerous Implications for People with Disabilities
The Ohio Legislature is moving very quickly on two proposed laws that would have a detrimental impact on Ohioans with disabilities, particularly individuals seeking medical care and employees with disabilities. Read more...
May 19, 2020Read More
DRO Continues Fight Against Care Rationing Because #AdvocacyMatters
Like so many others, Disability Rights Ohio is apprehensive as Ohio begins to “reopen” amidst the ongoing health crisis created by COVID-19. We don’t yet know how lifting stay at home measures will impact both the outbreak here and the potential need for acute care across the state. With this... Read more...
May 15, 2020Read More
Community Integration: A Safer Solution to Ride Out the Pandemic #AdvocacyMatters
“My sister is just so much happier. You can see the difference.” You can hear the relief in Cathy Jordan’s voice when she talks about her younger sister Caryl. Today, Caryl, who was born with an intellectual disability, lives in a small, community-based group home in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. The staff... Read more...
May 8, 2020Read More
DRO Submits Amicus Brief on Elkton Federal Correctional Institution
Elkton Federal Correctional Institution is one of the deadliest COVID-19 prison outbreaks in the county. 35% of Elkton’s population is over 65 and/or has a disability, which significantly increases the chance of infection"especially in Elkton’s overcrowded cells. Elkton’s response to this crisis simply isn’t enough: inmates can’t social distance, adequately... Read more...
May 1, 2020Read More
DRO's Response to the COVID-19 Correctional Facility Outbreak #AdvocacyMatters
The news from Ohio’s correctional institutions is alarming. Nearly 80% of inmates in two Ohio prisons have been diagnosed with COVID-19. That’s 3,500 people. That makes Marion Correctional Institution the nation’s biggest viral hotspot. It is clear to DRO that the response by Ohio’s correctional institutions is not enough to... Read more...
April 27, 2020Read More
Community Integration Class Action Lawsuit: Final Approval Granted for Settlement
DRO is pleased to announce that the Honorable Judge Sargus granted final approval to a comprehensive settlement agreement in this class action lawsuit on Friday, April 24th, 2020. Read more...
April 24, 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
#AdvocacyMatters: DRO Voting Round-Up
COVID-19 has wreaked havoc with all aspects of our lives, including voting. If you’ve already voted, well done! If you didn’t vote early for the March 17 primary election, the Ohio legislature has passed a bill that extends the opportunity to vote by mail to April 28, 2020, the date... Read more...
April 10, 2020Read More
What are the COVID-19 Relief Bills?
The Ohio General Assembly and Congress recently finalized legislation to provide relief to individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic which included a $2 trillion stimulus package impacting daily life for people with disabilities. Read more...
April 6, 2020Read More
#AdvocacyMatters: DRO Weekly COVID-19 Round-Up
The COVID-19 crisis presents challenges that most of us have never experienced. For Ohioans with disabilities, the outbreak, and measures implemented to slow it, are even more difficult. Disability Rights Ohio (DRO) is seeing first-hand how this crisis is further isolating our clients. Read more...
April 3, 2020Read More
DRO Update on COVID-19 "Stay at Home" Order
While Disability Rights Ohio has moved our operations remotely, we continue to monitor the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 on the care and wellbeing of people with disabilities in Ohio. We are also pleased to see that the Governor's "Stay at Home" Order recognizes other social and health services that our... Read more...
March 23, 2020Read More
Update on DRO's Public Intake Process
DRO has closed our physical office to the public but we are continuing to provide information and advocate for our clients through remote operations. Read more...
March 20, 2020Read More
DRO Files Brief on March 17th's Primary
Late yesterday, DRO filed a friend-of-the-court brief in Ohio’s Supreme Court advocating to protect the safety and rights of people with disabilities during the election process. Read more...
March 18, 2020Read More
Polls are Currently Closed but DRO's Voter Hotline is Open Tomorrow
DRO's Voter Hotline will STILL BE OPEN from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. 3/17 please call 800-282-9181 Read more...
March 16, 2020Read More
A Message to Disability Rights Ohio’s Supporters Regarding COVID-19
While we work to address the systemic issues, DRO will continue to advocate for its clients to ensure no one is left behind and all rights are upheld. DRO’s intake operations will continue during the coronavirus outbreak, especially as changes to public services, voting, and schools develop. Read more...
March 13, 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
Doe v. State of Ohio Lawsuit Granted Final Approval
A federal judge has granted final approval to the comprehensive settlement agreement in the class action Doe v. State of Ohio lawsuit. The settlement reached will improve integration and academic achievement of Ohio students with disabilities. Read more...
March 2, 2020Read More
Nearing the End: An Update on DRO's Special Education Class Action
A fairness hearing for Doe v. Ohio took place on February 11, 2020, and the following day the Magistrate Judge issued her strong recommendation for approval of the settlement agreement. With partners from the Bazelon Center and the law firm of Steptoe and Johnson, DRO negotiated this comprehensive settlement on... Read more...
February 14, 2020Read More
Amy Price, Advocate and Abuse and Neglect Team Leader
After serving over 30 years in nonprofit management, leadership and advocacy, Amy Price joined Disability Rights Ohio as an advocate on the Abuse and Neglect team in April 2019. In September of 2019, Amy accepted a position as the Team Lead for DRO’s Abuse and Neglect team, exemplifying her commitment... Read more...
January 23, 2020Read More
Disability Rights Ohio Names New Executive Director
Columbus, Ohio-January 16, 2020-Disability Rights Ohio (DRO) has named Kerstin Sjoberg its new Executive Director. Sjoberg replaces Michael Kirkman who is retiring after almost 40 years of advocacy for people with disabilities. Sjoberg will assume the Executive Director role March 1, 2020. She has served as DRO's Director of Advocacy... Read more...
January 16, 2020Read More
Important Update Regarding the Proposed Settlement in DRO's Community Integration Class Action Lawsuit
At a hearing in December 2019 to discuss the recent settlement agreement, the Judge asked DRO and the State to include language that addresses concerns of guardians who, while not part of the class itself, are concerned about their family members potentially losing institutional care in Intermediate Care Facilities (ICFs).... Read more...
January 10, 2020Read More
Disability Rights Ohio Attorney Alison McKay Appointed to Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities Council
COLUMBUS, OHIO (December XX, 2019)" Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has recently appointed Disability Rights Ohio’s (DRO) Alison McKay"attorney and Team Leader of the Client Assistance Program"to the Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities Council (the Council). The Council consists of 15 members who provide feedback to the state agency Opportunities for... Read more...
December 20, 2019Read More
Sandra's new home and health services were threatened. We gave her the tools she needed to get them back. #AdvocacyMatters
Sandra, an older adult, had recently experienced homelessness but was able to find a home and get necessary health services from an Ohio PASSPORT waiver. However, once she had the resources, the state told Sandra that she no longer qualified for these services. Read more...
December 13, 2019Read More
DODD Waiver Waiting Lists
Many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities need and want services through Medicaid home and community-based waiver programs. These programs"the Individual Options, SELF, and Level One waivers"provide funding so that people can get the services and support they need in their own homes and communities instead of in institutions or... Read more...
November 27, 2019Read More
Update in Special Education Class Action Lawsuit
On November 15th, Judge Michael H. Watson granted preliminary approval for a settlement agreement in the Doe v. State of Ohio special education class action lawsuit. DRO and it's co-counsel worked with the Ohio Department of Education to reach a settlement that will improve the State’s support for special education... Read more...
November 15, 2019Read More
National Celebration of Pro Bono Week: Spotlight Interview with Erwin Dugasz
DRO is continuing to celebrate the work of our pro bono volunteers. These voluntary legal services are an integral part of the judicial system, and those who volunteer are using the law to protect the most vulnerable people from being exploited or forgotten. To learn more about pro bono work... Read more...
October 25, 2019Read More
National Celebration of Pro Bono Week: Spotlight Interview with Maria Carr
This week, DRO is celebrating all the hard work that our legal pro bono volunteers complete each year. Pro bono work, at its core, is voluntary legal work done “for good” as its Latin translation suggests. To learn more and better applaud these attorneys, paralegals and law students, we sat... Read more...
October 23, 2019Read More
Settlement in Community Integration Class Action Lawsuit Receives Preliminary Approval
DRO is pleased to announce that the judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio has granted preliminary approval of a settlement in our community integration class action lawsuit, Ball v. DeWine. The public will have the opportunity to submit comments on the Settlement Agreement... Read more...
October 18, 2019Read More
Take our survey about Ohio's new waiver waiting list system
The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities last year unveiled a new rule governing waiting lists for Medicaid waiver programs for people with developmental disabilities. People are now being assessed by their County Board to determine their level of need for waiver services. We want a better idea of how this... Read more...
September 13, 2019Read More
DRO applauds charges brought against man accused in death of man with disabilities
On February 15, 2018, Jerrold Duskey and another resident were physically assaulted at ResCare/Redbluff, a 12-bed Intermediate Care Facility (ICF) in West Carrollton, Ohio, where they lived. Mr. Duskey later died, and the facility has since been closed. Read more...
September 6, 2019Read 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
Disability Rights Ohio welcomes new special education fellow
Disability Rights Ohio is pleased to announce the arrival our new special education fellow, Aileen Brock, recent graduate of the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. She joins DRO thanks to generous funding from The Columbus Foundation's Henry E. Coyle Targeted Fund and the Ingram-White Castle Foundation that allows... Read more...
August 23, 2019Read More
New Facebook Live Event: Negotiation Skills for Parents
In our next Facebook Live event, two of our special education attorneys will provide an overview of our popular Negotiation Skills for Parents booklet, which is available on our website at https://www.disabilityrightsohio.org/negotiation-skills-for-parents in English, American Sign Language, Spanish and Somali. Read more...
August 21, 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
Now Streaming: DRO 101 - Advocacy for Kids with Disabilities
On August 1, we hosted the first in our series of Facebook Live events to help families of children with disabilities better understand how Disability Rights Ohio helps students access special education and transition services in Ohio. Read more...
August 9, 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
Disability Rights Ohio, Buckeye Ranch reach agreement on access to children at the facility
Disability Rights Ohio and The Buckeye Ranch are pleased to announce a settlement agreement that will allow for a strong working relationship between the organizations as they seek to ensure the safety and care of children with disabilities. The settlement outlines DRO's access authority and the means by which its... Read more...
August 1, 2019Read More
Help us set our priorities for 2020
Disability Rights Ohio strives to provide support to as many people as possible. In order to maximize our impact with the resources available, we seek community input every year to focus our priorities on issues where we can have the most effective impact. Read more...
July 26, 2019Read More
Help us provide feedback about Medicaid Managed Care in Ohio
A managed care plan is a health insurance company the Ohio Department of Medicaid pays to provide health care services to some people. In Ohio, most people who have Medicaid must join a managed care plan to receive their health care. Ohio is in the process of changing the way... Read more...
July 19, 2019Read More
DRO's victims of crime advocacy leads to the conviction and sentencing of abusive Cambridge Developmental Center employee
Yesterday, Dianna Stein, a former employee of the Cambridge Developmental Center, was sentenced to 59 months in prison for the abuse of Bradon Conway, a man who lived under her care in the facility. This extraordinary outcome was made possible thanks to the diligent work of DRO staff through its... Read more...
July 11, 2019Read More
Columbus Police Department revises policies for transporting arrestees with mobility impairments
Disability Rights Ohio (DRO) is pleased to announce its dialogue with the Columbus Police Department (CPD) has led to revisions in policies for transporting arrestees who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices to detention facilities. Read more...
July 9, 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
Happy Anniversary, Olmstead!
Twenty years ago, on June 22, 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court made a decision that has undoubtedly positively altered the lives of people with disabilities and their families. Read more...
June 18, 2019Read More
Submit Your Comments on Community Employment and Equal Pay
The U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Office of Disability Employment Policy is seeking comments from the disability community about Section 14(c) of the Fair labor Standards Act, which allows for subminimum wages for people with disabilities and the use of sheltered workshops. Read more...
June 14, 2019Read More