The Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council is made up of over 30 members, with the majority being individuals with developmental disabilities, and parents and guardians of people with developmental disabilities who are appointed by the Governor of Ohio. By the direction of our members, the Ohio DD Council funds grant projects that aim to enrich the lives of people with developmental disabilities with an emphasis on self-determination, diversity and inclusion. Our mission is to create change that improves independence, productivity and inclusion for people with developmental disabilities and their families in community life.

Learn more about the Ohio DD Council

Aging and Disability Transportation Forum Series

Ohio DD Council Digest is the DD Council's official blog. Each month, we aim to provide you with information and news that is important to Ohioans with developmental disabilities.

September blog: Transportation has always been an issue, especially for those who are aging or have a disability. What can be done to improve this vital need? The Ohio Aging and Disability Coalition (an initiative of the Services for Independent Living) aims to answer this question and provide information to help others to take action through a series of forums.  Read more about the Aging and Disability Transportation Forum Series.

SIL accepting applications for Leadership Academy

Services for Independent Living (SIL) is accepting applications for its Virtual Fall/Winter 2021 Leadership Academy. The Leadership Academy is an eight-week course designed to help people with disabilities gain skills needed to participate on nonprofit boards, community coalitions, task forces, and/or system change committees in a meaningful way. The goal of the academy is to increase the number of persons with disabilities prepared to engage in community leadership roles.

The Fall/Winter 2021 session will begin on Tuesday October 19, 2021 and end on Tuesday December 14, 2021. Classes will be held weekly on Tuesday afternoons from 1 pm to 4 pm. (except for Tuesday November 23rd). All classes will be held virtually on the Zoom platform. Upon completion of the Leadership Academy, SIL will work with participants to identify areas of interest and potential leadership opportunities. Please review the flyer for more details: PDF version and Word version. 

The deadline for applications is October 8, 2021. If you would like an application and/or if you have any questions, please contact Laura Gold via email at lgold@sil-oh.org or via telephone at 216-815-0015 (please leave a detailed message). 

This project was supported, in part by the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council, under grant number 2001OHSCDD from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

Ohio DD Council Releases Annual Report, Highlights Projects for Ohioans with Disabilities

The Ohio DD Council has released its Annual Report highlighting its work across Ohio to create change that improves independence, productivity and inclusion for people with developmental disabilities and their families in community life. 

The work and mission of the Ohio DD Council is driven by its Five-Year State Plan, which is developed by input from people with disabilities, family members and interested stakeholders from around the state. 

The report highlights the Council’s 20 grants, aligned with the Five-Year State Plan, that cover a wide range of areas related to issues experienced by people with developmental disabilities. The areas include: Children and Health; Leadership Development; Community Living; Outreach; Communication; Public Policy; Employment; and Technology.

The projects that resulted from these grants focused on advocacy, education, employment, transportation, community living and more, moving the needle to a more integrated and inclusive Ohio.

"We hope you enjoy reading this report, and recognize the work of the diligent and collaborative community and statewide partners the Council is fortunate to work with to build sustainable initiatives on behalf of Ohioans with disabilities and their families," Carolyn Knight, Executive Director, Ohio DD Council. 

Read Ohio DD Council's 2019-2020 Annual Report

Back to School!

Ohio DD Talks is a podcast series featuring conversations from Ohioans with developmental disabilities. New episodes are launched each month. 

Latest podcast:  In this special two-part episode, Nathan Turner speaks to parent Brian Veith about being a parent of a child with a disability, preparing for heading back to school and starting the IEP process. Watch the podcast on YouTube.