#AdvocacyMatters: Budget Reflections

July 11, 2025 / #AdvocacyMatters

Every other year, Ohio’s legislature completes a budget process that outlines the state’s spending priorities for a two-year period. The budget begins with a proposal from the Governor, which then makes its way through both the Ohio House and Senate for changes and discussion before being signed into law. This cycle’s proposal from Governor DeWine focused on eight themes: kids, economy, workforce, higher education, natural resources, health, mental health, and public safety.

Throughout, our team hosted regular live webinar events with advocates to help inform and empower them to be a part of the process.

Last week, Governor DeWine signed the most recent budget into law. This new budget represents a mixed bag of results including things like $200,000 for the DeafBlind Fund and funding for direct care worker wages allocated in the previous budget, but also concerning measures like an amendment to audit the age, blind, and disabled enrollment in Medicaid and trigger language that would remove 700,000 people from Medicaid if the federal government reduces Medicaid spending.

Formal adoption of this budget doesn’t mean our advocacy is ending. Rather, our work is just beginning to protect the Medicaid program for those covered under Medicaid expansion, establishing a commission to review implementation of direct care worker wages, eliminating subminimum wage, and advocating for a robust and well-funded mental health system.

Moving forward, we encourage everyone to continue meeting with their legislators to share their stories. Together, we’ll continue to advocate for a better disability system in Ohio.

#AdvocacyMatters