The Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council (DD Council) is committed to self-determination and community inclusion for people with developmental disabilities.

Our Mission

Our mission is to create change that improves independence, productivity and inclusion for people with developmental disabilities and their families in community life in Ohio.

Our Members

The Ohio DD Council is made up of over 30 members, with the majority being people with developmental disabilities, and parents and guardians of people with developmental disabilities who are appointment by the Governor of Ohio.

What We Do

The DD Council meets throughout the year to discuss disability-related issues and to identify grant projects that can improve supports and services for Ohioans with disabilities.

Click here to learn more about the Ohio DD Council

2019 DD Awareness and Advocacy Day Theme: Supports Matter!

The Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council is proud to join with the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, the Ohio Provider Resource Association, the Ohio Association of County Boards of Developmental Disabilities, and the Ohio Self Determination Association in announcing the 2019 DD Awareness and Advocacy Day Theme: Supports Matter! The event will be held Tuesday, March 5, 2019. Registration will be opening soon. For latest updates, go to the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OhioDDAwareness/.

You are welcome to download and use the "Supports Matter" logo for your website, newsletters, and social media. Click here to see the logos you can download. 

Mark Seifarth Receives Synergy Award

Mark Seifarth, former Ohio DD Council Chairperson, was in for more than he bargained for while presenting as part of a panel of speakers during DD Council’s December meeting. Much to his surprise, Dana Charlton, executive director of the Ohio Self Determination Association (OSDA) showed up at the end of the panel discussion to present Mark with this year’s Synergy Award. Those considered for the award are people or organizations who demonstrate a strong commitment to collaboration across systems and stakeholders.

“[Mark Seifarth] is someone who champions inclusion, and we are honored to present this award to Mark for his work for the disability community,” said Charlton.

Carolyn Knight, Ohio DD Council’s executive director said, “I’ve known Mark for many years and have seen the incredible work he has done advocating for the rights of people with developmental disabilities. Mark served on our Council for two terms and is our immediate-past chairperson. His leadership in that capacity helped to empower our members and further Council’s goals.”

Steve Oster, representing PAR, and Dana Charlton, representing OSDA decide and present the Synergy Award which is named after an annual conference, called the Synergy Conference. This conference is “a single conference recognizing that the power of one is multiplicative when people and organizations partner together to promote a common interest,” said Charlton. For more information about the Synergy Conference, go to https://www.synergyohio.org/.

Congratulations, Mark!

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Thank you, Director Martin!

2019 is here, and with it, many new changes in the State of Ohio. We will welcome a new Governor and a new administration. And with that, a new Director at the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD).

Director John Martin visited the Ohio DD Council at its last meeting of 2018 as he wraps up a successful, decades-long tenure working on behalf of Ohioans with disabilities.

In his visit, he commended the work of Council members and recounted all that DODD has been able to accomplish for people with disabilities.

Some notables included:

• 1,000 people moved out of ICFs (intermediate care facilities for people with developmental disabilities) and into community settings
• 24,000+ people received services through Medicaid Waivers
• 3,000+ people with developmental disabilities are now working
• Ohio became the first “Technology First” state in the country

We thank Director John Martin for his tireless work on behalf of individuals with disabilities in Ohio and wish him well on his retirement.

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The Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council conducts outreach activities to identify individuals with developmental disabilities and their families who otherwise might not come to the attention of the Council. This population is considered to be the unserved or underserved population.

Reaching out to the unserved and underserved enables individuals and families to obtain services, individualized supports and other forms of assistance including access to special adaptation of generic community or specialized services.

Learn more about why the Ohio DD Council considers outreach as an important part of its work, and how the Council ensures that the unserved and underserved populations are considered in its work. 

Click here to learn more about Outreach to the Unserved and Underserved