I support this effort.  Reform with legislative backing, is the path forward in my opinion.   It is apparent that DODD has no serious interest in meaningful reform.   This is the only viable path.

Two years is a long time with no increases for workforce.  I fear that our gains in this area will diminish quickly.   We must make the system less bureaucratic and punitive or along with no new money, individuals with DD will experience a decrease in services and agencies will collapse.

Let the county boards eat cake.

James W. Steele, MSW
Ohio Valley Residential Services, Inc.
President & CEO
1200 Edison Drive
Cincinnati, Ohio. 45216
513-200-3695

On May 6, 2025, at 8:18 AM, Peter Moore <PMoore@opra.org> wrote:


Dear OPRA Board Members,

I hope this message finds you well.

I’m writing to share a brief update on the current state budget process and ask for your feedback on a proposed amendment regarding system reform.

As many of us anticipated following the “historic” funding increase in the last state budget, this year’s process was always going to be more challenging. We expected to hear, “Didn’t we just give you an increase?”—and that’s exactly what we’ve encountered, along with broader concerns about the economy, pressure to cut Medicaid, and uncertainty at the federal level.

Additionally, we’ve heard clearly from many County Boards that they are not willing to contribute new local dollars toward services, with some cutting back on local support due to the perception that “a dollar went to providers.”

Given this context, we were not surprised that the House-passed budget did not include the additional increases we requested through the coalition’s amendment. Early indications suggest a similar approach from the Senate. While we’re thankful there were no cuts, we’ve also been clear in our message: Without additional investment, we risk losing the ground we gained and returning to the workforce crisis levels we saw in 2023.

With many interests competing for limited resources, the key question is: How do we stand out again—like we did two years ago? What’s our strategy going forward?

Although our advocacy will continue through the remainder of this budget cycle, we are also beginning to plan for the next. As part of that planning, we’ve been exploring opportunities to pursue meaningful reforms and system improvements as a pathway to long-term sustainability. We submitted a small package of reforms to the House, which were ultimately not included.

Over the past several weeks, we’ve had productive conversations with Senator Mark Romanchuk about a broader reform strategy. He has expressed interest in leading an effort—along with three additional legislators (one more from the Senate and two from the House)—to establish a formal review process over the next two years. The goal is twofold:

  1.  Identify system savings that can be reinvested into future rate increases.
  2.  Begin to resolve longstanding challenges within our service delivery model.

Attached to this email is the  proposed reform amendment. We’d greatly appreciate your review and feedback—especially regarding the seven areas outlined. Please let us know if you have concerns or suggestions.

Thank you, as always, for your time, your leadership, and your commitment to the people we serve.

Peter Moore, President & CEO
Ohio Provider Resource Association
1152 Goodale Blvd. | Columbus, OH 43212
Office: 614.224.6772 x 113
Mobile: 614.398.8353

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