Our Mission

The mission of the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council is to create change that improves independence, productivity and inclusion for people with developmental disabilities and their families in community life in Ohio.

Who We Are

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 appointed by the Governor of Ohio.

What We Do

The Ohio 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 developmental disabilities. We fund projects that enrich the lives of people with developmental disabilities with an emphasis on self-determination, diversity and inclusion.

Council wraps up 2019 with retreat

In early December, the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council held its annual retreat meeting, a time for Council members to hear from advocates, experts and others about emerging issues, future plans and accomplishments related to improving services and supports to people with developmental disabilities. All presentations were highly informative and provided an opportunity for Council members to voice their opinions and share their own stories and ideas.

Guest speakers included Christopher Milo, Council members, and representatives from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (including Director Jeff Davis), Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, the Ohio Provider Resource Association and the National Association of Council on Developmental Disabilities.

Read more about the retreat

Council launches Food Desert article series

The Ohio DD Council presents Ohio’s Food Desert Crisis, an article series that aims to educate and inform people about food deserts and their impact on low-income communities affecting unserved and underserved individuals across Ohio, including those with developmental disabilities.

There are four articles in the series:

• Recognizing a Food Desert
• Impact of Food Inaccessibility
• Impact on Physical and Behavioral Health
• Community-Minded Solutions

Read the first article of this series, Recognizing a Food Desert, here: https://ddc.ohio.gov/food-desert-series-1

The State of Tech information brief series now available in printer-friendly version

The Ohio DD Council's online information brief series, The State of Tech, is now available in PDF as an easy-print option for you to print for yourself and share with others. 

The series was launched in the summer of 2019 and aims to educate and inform people about the impact of technology advances and the digital divide on Ohioans with developmental disabilities. When talking about technology and people with developmental disabilities, people often think of assistive technology, such as screen readers and switch-enabled devices. In recent years, advancements in mainstream technology have made off-the-shelf tech devices, such as smartphones and voice assistance devices, usable by people with disabilities. The Ohio DD Council wrote this four-part series to help bring more awareness about this issue.

Download the PDF of the entire series here: The State of Tech

Read more News and Announcements

March 4, 2020

Legislative Advocacy Day
Ohio Statehouse
Columbus, Ohio

March 5 - 6, 2020

Regular Council Meeting
Crowne Plaza North - Worthington
6500 Doubletree Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43229

2020 Meeting Schedule

• DD Council Connection: Information about Council's members, grantees, publications and more.
• ReachOut e-Diversity News: Information about Council's outreach efforts to the unserved and underserved populations.
• This Week in Public Policy: Summary of policy and legislation in Ohio and at the federal level of interest to people with disabilities. 

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Interested in family support trainings, transition bootcamps, assistive technology fairs, guardianship workshops, and much more? Check out the events being offered by disability-focused agencies and organizations throughout Ohio.

Events Calendar