Less than one year ago, the Kasich Administration and the Ohio Legislature made the most significant financial investment in the history of the Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) with almost $300 million new dollars aimed at strengthening community settings and supports while shrinking Ohio's institutional footprint.

Since then DODD has used that investment to make tremendous strides in improving the lives of people with developmental disabilities, their families and direct support professionals by

-        Designating 3,000 new waivers for people waiting for services, or people who
         want to move out of intermediate care facilities (ICFs). 

-        Increasing rates for direct support professionals by 6%.

-        Creating financial incentives to encourage ICFs to get smaller and convert  
         facility-based services into home and community-based services.

With these initiatives still in their infancy, Disability Rights Ohio (DRO) and out-of-state supporters, have filed a class action law suit that claims that DODD is not doing enough to support community based options.  We disagree.

Over the last few years, we have made more progress than ever before to strengthen Ohio's community-based system and to honor the choices of developmentally disabled citizens.  This progress has been recognized nationally by the United Cerebral Palsy's 2015 report The Case for Inclusion, citing Ohio's dramatic increase in the share of individuals and resources dedicated to community living.

The Department of Developmental Disabilities remains committed to promoting community living in a way that respects the choices of the people we serve.