DD Quarterly - Winter 2011

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In this issue:

This issue of the DD Quarterly focuses on self-advocates and the self-advocacy movement. Articles include stories from self-advocates who have been advocating for several decades and those who are just beginning their journey in self-advocacy. Information about the work of several self-advocacy groups in Ohio is also included.

The Power and Importance of Self-Advocacy
Self-Advocates' Work Spans Decades
From Self-Advocate to Advocate for All
People First Annual Conference: "Blazing New Trails"
What is Self-Advocacy?
Planting the Seed of Advocacy
Passion for Self-Determination
UCEDDs Provide Employment Opportunities for Self-Advocates
Young Advocate Develops Leadership Skills
News from Ohio Legal Rights Service (LRS): LRS Provides Support to Self-Advocacy Efforts
Last Issue of the DD Quarterly
DD Quarterly Collaboration

The Power and Importance of Self-Advocacy

Self-advocacy is a human and civil rights movement led by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The movement reduces the isolation people with disabilities often experience and gives them the knowledge and tools they need to take greater control of their lives. Self-advocates know how to make their own decisions; speak up for themselves; assert their rights and responsibilities; and learn about and act on issues that affect their daily lives. Self-advocates often support and empower each other by working together informally or by joining self-advocacy organizations.

History of the Movement

The self-advocacy movement began over 35 years ago when the first People First organizations were formed in Oregon and Washington. The movement steadily spread throughout the United States and by 1990 the first national self-advocacy group was formed, Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE). Today, SABE estimates there are over 1,200 local self-advocacy chapters in the United States and over half of the states have formal state-wide self-advocacy organizations.

Self-Advocacy Pioneers

Throughout the years, self-advocates across the nation have contributed to the progress of the self-advocacy movement. There are several who stand out in the field and are considered pioneers of the movement, such as Nancy Ward. Nancy is a founding member of SABE, has been a board member of numerous national organizations and played a major part in helping establish People First chapters throughout Nebraska and Oklahoma. She currently focuses her advocacy efforts on voting rights and was an integral part of the national team that developed the Project VOTE education training program for people with disabilities.

Tia Nelis is another forerunner in the movement. She was a founding member of SABE and People First of Illinois. She is also one of the first self-advocates hired by the Institute on Disability and Human Development at the University of Illinois at Chicago where she works as a self-advocacy specialist. She focuses on conducting leadership trainings and advocating to legislators and public officials for progressive policies. To read more about Nancy and Tia, as well as other pioneers of the self-advocacy movement, read "Leaders with Developmental Disabilities in the Self-Advocacy Movement" from the Bancroft Library.

Self-Advocacy in Ohio

In April 2011, the Ohio Developmental Disabilities (DD) Network hosted a regional summit held by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD) for self-advocates and other DD Networks. The purpose of the summit was to learn how the Networks are supporting self-advocates, what is working, what can be improved and how ADD can help. Self-advocates and DD Network representatives from Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin attended the summit in Columbus, Ohio.

Chester Finn from New York and past president of SABE represented self-advocates well when he spoke at the summit. He gave the audience the following challenge: "We shouldn't wait for other people to make a difference. We should be the difference. This is a movement. If we don't care about us, who will?" ADD Commissioner Sharon Lewis reminded the audience that the most important voices at the summit were those of the self-advocates. "We are most effective when we work in coalitions. We will not succeed unless we work together," said Lewis.

The ADD Summit provided opportunities for state teams to work to identify goals to work on together. Ohio delegates talked about the value that self-advocates bring to many tables where issues are decided. The group agreed that self-advocates should not be expected to volunteer, especially when professionals at the same table are paid to be there. Instead they should be paid for their work on committees, planning bodies and related activities. The Ohio delegates also expressed the need for more jobs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and to be paid a fair wage for their work.

ADD wrote a report on the overall outcomes of the five regional summits. Read the report: Envisioning the Future: Allies in Self-Advocacy.

Advocacy United

As a result of the ADD Summit, Ohio delegates began to plan for the establishment of a broad coalition of self-advocacy organizations called Advocacy United. Members of Advocacy United first met in August and continue to meet monthly. Representatives of the self-advocacy organizations are the only voting members.

The voting members are charged with identifying issues of common interest where change is possible. Members take each issue back to their self-advocacy organizations for a vote. When the organizations are in agreement around an issue, the members of Advocacy United identify the change they want to happen, come up with a work plan and divide activities so everyone is involved.

Advocacy United Members

Several organizations have been actively involved with Advocacy United since its start.

People First of Ohio is a statewide self-advocacy organization run by and for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. People First of Ohio believes that all people with disabilities should be treated equal and be able to speak up for what they want. People First believes that people with developmental and intellectual disabilities are leaders who work together as a team, on behalf of themselves and all members of the community. The People First representative is Bill Adams.

The Ohio Self Determination Association (OSDA) is a nonprofit organization with a mission of promoting, advocating and facilitating self-determination for all people with disabilities and their families in Ohio. OSDA believes people with disabilities should have the freedom to plan their own lives and to pursue things that are important to them. OSDA's board includes people with disabilities, family members, provider agencies, county boards of developmental disabilities and state department officials. The OSDA representative is Stephanie Barber-Maynard.

The Arc of Ohio is a statewide membership association made up of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, friends, interested citizens and professionals in the disability field. The mission of The Arc of Ohio is to advocate for human rights, personal dignity and community participation of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, through legislative and social action, information and education, local chapter support and family involvement. The Arc of Ohio representative is John Hannah.

Brown-Cooley Associates in Self-Determination provides tools for the advancement of the concepts of self-determination. Their mission is to increase public awareness; assist families in exploring options involving critical life decisions; teach individuals and families about becoming self advocates; and participate with statewide committees to promote systems change. The Brown-Cooley representative is Christine Brown.

The Ohio Olmstead Task Force is a grassroots coalition of people with disabilities of all ages, family members, advocates and organizations advocating together for the right to live, work and participate in their communities. The mission of the Task Force is to advocate for life in the community with dignity and justice for Ohioans with disabilities. Olmstead's representative is Renee Wood.

Hamilton County Leaders in Action (LIA) offers a grassroots opportunity for people served by the Hamilton County Board of Developmental Disabilities to learn and practice how to speak up about issues that matter to them. LIA members have gained local and statewide recognition for their contributions to advocacy. The Hamilton County LIA representative is Diana Mairose.

Looking To the Future

Although the self-advocacy movement throughout the country and in Ohio has made great strides over the years, self-advocates must continue to speak out in order to guarantee opportunities to live self-determined and independent lives. Self-advocates must continue to work together to enhance the voices of all people with disabilities through organizations like Advocacy United.

While the newly created Advocacy United holds great promise, individuals and other statewide organizations must embrace and financially support the mission of this group to move people with disabilities into seats of power so their voices and their issues will be heard.

Additional Information about Advocacy United

Advocacy United's Mission

"People with developmental disabilities will move into seats of power so their voices and their issues can be heard. Advocacy United envisions one common purpose: that all people with developmental disabilities will live, work and go to school where they want, the same as Ohioans who do not have disabilities."

Self-Advocates of Advocacy United believe:

They should be the leaders in promoting self-advocacy.
They are the best people to express what they need.
They have to use their voices to speak up for themselves.
Advocacy United must be run by and for self-advocates.
They should be paid for their work.
Self-advocacy organizations and Advocacy United should be recognized as a political force in a powerful disability movement. Self-advocates will lead this disability movement.
DD agencies will offer solidarity and support.
Advocacy United should empower self-advocates, and encourage ways for advocates to connect with each other, and to bring up youth leaders.
Advocacy United will combine its ideas to make self-advocates stronger. There is strength in numbers when self-advocates work on projects together.

Advocacy United receives support from the Ohio DD Network partners (Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council, Ohio Legal Rights Service, and Ohio's two University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at The Ohio State University Nisonger Center and the University of Cincinnati University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities) and the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities.

Self-Advocates' Work Spans Decades

When Renee Wood was very young she had a keen sense of injustice due to her disability and credits that for triggering her passion to work toward equality. As a child she would ask her mom why she wasn't invited to neighbors' kid's birthday parties as her sister was. She said her mom was honest and explained it was because she was disabled. Renee recalls, "I would proclaim in my five-year-old CP manner, 'It ain't fair!' and she would say that was just the way the world is and it's not going to change. I remember thinking, 'You wanna bet!'"

Early Years

Renee moved out on her own in 1979 and applied for a summer youth job through a government jobs program. She was accepted and was to work at a park. "I took a cab to work the first day and when I showed up alongside 20 people without disabilities I got 'the look,'" she said. She was escorted to a building and then waited several hours until being taken back home. Not letting this experience of discrimination get to her, the next day she interviewed at the Northwest Ohio Developmental Center for an assistant supervisory position and was hired the same day with higher pay than she would have made working at the park. Eventually she left the Center to attend college.

Working as an Advocate

Renee worked on and off after college in various part-time positions, most of them at the Ability Center of Greater Toledo. When she wasn't employed, she volunteered to help people who were homeless. In 2000, she was hired into a full-time permanent position at the Center as a disability rights advocate. "This is where I developed my expertise in housing and transportation. I also developed a wealth of knowledge in transitioning people from nursing homes to community settings," she said. While working full-time, she went back to school to get her Bachelors degree with two minors, moved out of government-funded housing and met her future husband.

She now works for the Toledo Diocese as an accessibility consultant. "This job allows me to further develop my skills while allowing me personal time to work for justice in the community, plus it gives me the time to think, write and enjoy life," said Renee. Currently, she is also a member of ODDC.

Vision of True Equality

When Renee thinks about her vision of the future she said, "I would like to put flesh on the skeleton." She explained that the skeleton is the laws we have, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, the Fair Housing Act and the Olmstead decision. She realizes that these laws are not perfect, but feels they are the tools to be used when necessary. "It's time to move from 'being included' to 'full equality' — our rightful place in society," she said. "Being fully equal is when accommodations become a means of respect rather than something that has to be done because the law requires it. True equality is the goal rather than just inclusion. When one has equality, they are included," she concluded.

From Self-Advocate to Advocate for All

After being elected for the third time as a board member for People First of Ohio, Bill Adams finds himself looking back over the past six years and says he likes the changes that have taken place in his life. "When I first became involved with People First in 2005, I was mainly concerned about my own future. But the more I became involved with People First, the more I wanted to change lives for the better for all Ohioans with disabilities — not just me," said Bill.

Bill's involvement with People First began with attending board member meetings and helping change documents by putting them in people first language. He was also involved in an initiative to remove the term "mental retardation" from the names of state and county agencies. Bill said, "The more I became involved, the more I witnessed people who had the chance to step out of their comfort zone — to expand their wings — to try something new to help People First and, more importantly, to help build more confidence in themselves."

Advocating at the State Level

Bill has had opportunities to advocate for statewide changes for people with disabilities. For example, he was the representative from People First of Ohio on the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities Futures Committee. The purpose of the Committee was to shape the direction of statewide services. This was the first time he worked with superintendents, legislatures and other government officials. "I was very nervous at first, but that nervous feeling went away throughout the months I worked with the Committee and I was able to give my opinion and suggestions just like everyone else," said Bill.

After his work with the Futures Committee, Bill was asked to be on the advisory board of the Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI). The goal for the board is to find ways to improve the lives of children and adults with autism and other disabilities. Bill said, "Since I use a communication device, one of my roles on the board is providing information and input on assistive technology." Bill is also the representative from People First of Ohio for Advocacy United.

Bill has come a long way since 2005 and never thought he would use his self-advocacy skills to help the lives of so many others. He has been able to expand the way he helps people because of the support and training he has through the self-advocates of People First. Bill summed up his thoughts this way: "I may not be able to look into the future, but based on my past, the future looks bright for me."

People First Annual Conference: "Blazing New Trails"

People First of Ohio will hold its annual conference March 22-24, 2012 at the Roberts Convention Centre in Wilmington, Ohio. Sessions will include voting, employment, transition, leadership, Medicaid Buy-In and much more! Richard Devylder, Senior Advisor for Accessible Transportation, United States Department of Transportation will speak at the conference. Registration is $165.00 which includes all meals. Scholarships will be available. The hotel is $99.00 per/night (Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn) and parking is free. More information will soon be available on the People First of Ohio website.

What is Self-Advocacy?

by People First of Ohio

Self-advocacy is:

Learning how to speak up for yourself;
Making your own choices about your own life;
Learning how to get facts so you can understand things that you want to know more about;
Finding out who can help you;
Knowing your rights and responsibilities;
Problem solving, listening and learning;
Asking others when you need help and friendship; and
Learning about what you want in your life (this is also called self-determination).

Now that you know what self-advocacy is, how do you become an effective self-advocate?

Know yourself. Know what you need and how to get what you need.
Know what you do well and make your own goals.
Know your legal rights and responsibilities and let others know about them.
Continue learning and teach others about what you have learned. This includes learning and teaching about social, behavioral, personal care, health and safety, cooking, communication and transition skills.
Be a part of your community and let your community know what you can do. Go out into the community, like the grocery, bank, mall, post office, and movies and try going somewhere new every week with a friend.
Make a plan for your future. Make sure your plan is "person-centered" which means it is about you, your dreams and your goals. Be creative with your plan and lead your meetings.
Find someone to be your peer mentor. This is someone who knows how to be a self-advocate.
They know how to speak up for their self and can help you to do this too. And if you are a peer mentor, remember to tell others that they are doing a great job so they will feel good about themselves.
Know and practice using your rights so you will be treated as an equal in the community.
Speak up, be heard, be polite and thank those who have helped you.
Advocate for your right to full integration, independent living (choice of where you live and who you live with) and equal opportunity.

Advocacy is your ticket to a full life ... just like everyone else! (Sadie Hunter, Executive Director of People First of Ohio)

Planting the Seed of Advocacy

by Shari Cooper

Nine years ago I was approached by a lady on the elevator at an advocacy conference. She smiled at me and said "I think you would be a good member on the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council." I remember thinking "what in the world is that, and who is this lady!" It turned out that she happened to be a staff member of Council, and I'm so glad she took time to enlighten me while on the short ride to the third floor. She gave me the information; I did my research and became a member. What I didn't expect is how much I would learn, and how much more of a stronger self advocate I would become.

The very first meeting I attended was a bit overwhelming. There were self-advocates and parents together making motions, discussing, and voting on issues that were going to improve the lives of people with disabilities. It was helpful to have our sister agencies working with us providing current updates. In my first two years on Council there was a lot of information to process and I was a little shy, but the Council as a whole was very encouraging and actually wanted me to share my input, so I did.

I reviewed several successful grants, witnessed the creation of the nationally known E-Diversity Newsletter and the continuous success of Project Search. Just knowing I had a role in the decision making process on some of these outstanding grants makes me so proud. By my third year on Council I was stronger, wiser and ready to become a leader and everything turned out pretty well for me. My time on Council was filled with many great experiences. I had a chance to be the Secretary of Council, a part of the Nominating Committee and Chair the Leadership Committee. I was very excited and humbled for the opportunity to be mentored for a position at the national level. In 2008, I was elected to the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) Board of Directors, and I was pleasantly surprised a year later to become Vice Chair of NACDD.

As my term comes to a close, I'm sad, but ready for my next assignment. I feel better equipped to further my advocacy journey. I was recently appointed to the Governor's Council on People with Disabilities. I am looking forward to learning more about the Governor's initiatives and also sharing my input for solutions. I am truly going to miss the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council and all the life-long friends I've met over the years. I just want to say thanks to ODDC for planting a seed in me of knowledge, strength and leadership. I will continue to bloom wherever the universe takes me!

Passion for Self-Determination

"My passion is advocating for change and for choices for people with disabilities," said Christine Brown, who began advocating for people with disabilities nearly 20 years ago. Christine remembers the first major issue she worked on. She was trying to improve a town's transit options for people with disabilities. "It took three years working with the mayor, but my self-advocacy leadership skills made it happen," said Christine.

In 2004 Christine started a business called Brown-Cooley Associates in Self-Determination, named after herself and fellow advocate Steve Cooley. Christine kept the business active despite the death of her partner. She works with county boards of developmental disabilities (DD) and local officials to foster awareness on issues that affect people with disabilities. Her goal is to reach out to all 88 counties. Christine said, "I will never quit on that goal to teach all county boards about the principles of self-determination."

Christine is involved with several organizations and projects to promote concepts related to self-determination, including the Ohio Self Determination Association (OSDA). "I work day and night trying to spread the word on OSDA," said Christine. She is the representative from Brown-Cooley for Advocacy United, sits on the Self Advocate Advisory Council for the Franklin County Board of DD and recently joined the Central Ohio Transit Authority board. Christine has also received numerous awards: the Self-Advocate of the Year Award from Ohio Public Images, the Individual of the Year award from PAR and the 2006 Steven R. Cooley Presidential Award from OSDA.

Christine enjoys all of life's many experiences including all the joys and challenges that come with it. But Christine emphasizes that no matter what, she is always thinking about ways she can improve the lives of people with disabilities.

UCEDDs Provide Employment Opportunities for Self-Advocates

Ohio's two University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs) know first-hand the value of a self-advocate's perspective and experiences. In fact, they have taken steps to employ self-advocates with disabilities to help improve the Centers programs.

Nisonger Center UCEDD

Lindsay Gantzer is an office intern for the Nisonger Center where she provides administrative support to the Center's programs and represents Nisonger at selected community events. Lindsay likes working at Nisonger, stating that it is a place where people with disabilities can learn new skills that help in other areas of life. "I like working with everybody and I have the freedom to do what I want and make the choices I want," she said. For example, her co-workers comment that she is self-motivated and has a knack for coming up with unique solutions to organize tasks.

Lindsay also takes pride in using her self-advocacy skills in her personal life. She has been a speaker at the Best Buddies conference, played team sports at the Special Olympics and is involved with Nisonger's E-Mentoring program and Next Chapter Book Club.

Her intern position is made possible through Nisonger's competitive employment opportunity internship program which focuses on hiring people with disabilities who have strong communication and self-advocacy skills.

University of Cincinnati UCEDD

Brady Sellet, self-advocacy coordinator at the Cincinnati UCEDD, has lived in the same neighborhood his whole life. He recalls the first time he voted. "As a wheelchair user I was not really concerned about getting in the building because I was so familiar with my community and knew there would be neighbors there for support if I needed it. Although the standard voting booth was too high for me to reach, I was able to vote sitting down using a clipboard, a simple accommodation," he said. However, by working with people with other types of disabilities, Brady has learned that voting does not always come so easily so he added voting to the many other areas where he provides advocacy.

For example, he recently was a "tester" for an online voting tutorial that teaches people with disabilities about their right to vote and the voting process. He, along with several other testers, reviewed the content and the design to make sure it is accessible and easy to use. "Our recommendations will help create a training program that people with disabilities can use to become educated and informed voters," said Brady.

Brady is also providing staff support for a voting project at the Cincinnati UCEDD run by graduate students of the L.E.N.D. program (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopment and Related Disabilities).

"It is my hope that with important projects like these in Cincinnati and other efforts across the state all Ohioans of all types of disabilities will feel as comfortable as I did when I cast my first ballot," said Brady.

Young Advocate Develops Leadership Skills

Tonya Dillon knows what she wants and is not afraid to speak out. However, she was not always comfortable in the role of self-advocate. "In the past, there were times when I felt very frustrated and angry," said Tonya. She knew what she wanted, but she was not able to communicate this to others. "Sometimes I gave up because it was easier that way," she said.

Becoming Involved

Tonya heard about meetings to start a local chapter of People First and she was excited about becoming a member. "I told my friends about it and asked them to go to the meetings with me," she said. Tonya started participating at the meetings and leading discussion groups. Then she campaigned and was elected as treasurer for the chapter. "I was afraid to take on the responsibility because I had never done anything like that before, but I jumped in with both feet," Tonya said.

Leader in the Making

Over the past year, Tonya has gained enormous self-confidence and pride in her role as a treasurer. "It's been wonderful and I've learned a lot. I've learned that you can actually go out and speak up for yourself and others who cannot speak," said Tonya. She has attended leadership trainings and several conferences around the state. "I like to go to all the conferences because I get to know and visit with new people," she said.

In addition, she has taken on the responsibility to help lead employment focus groups as part of the "Employment Call to Action" for People First of Ohio. Tonya said she never misses a meeting and volunteers for every opportunity to talk about People First, self-advocacy and the rights of people with disabilities.

Currently Tonya is coaching other self-advocates on communication skills, and is a strong role model for the group. "I would like to see other members become more involved and take on additional responsibilities," said Tonya. "I am going to keep speaking to people and ask them to become involved."

Diana Shannon from the Licking County Board of Developmental Disabilities and People First Advisor contributed to this article.

News from Ohio Legal Rights Service (LRS): LRS Provides Support to Self-Advocacy Efforts

This issue of the DD Quarterly highlights a very important subject, self-advocacy. While self-advocacy continues to gain importance and recognition at the state and national levels, in many states, including Ohio, it has for far too long been given only lip service. Little, if any, formal action has been taken to support self-advocates and to build a strong self-advocacy movement.

Earlier this year, LRS and the Developmental Disabilities (DD) Network hosted a regional summit on self-advocacy, convened by the federal Administration on Developmental Disabilities (see article: The Power and Importance of Self-Advocacy). During the summit delegates agreed, as did delegates at the other four summits, that an important step in acknowledging self-advocates as equal and respected partners is to add a "fourth prong" or new title to the DD Act to complement the three major components: Protection and Advocacy Systems (P&As), Developmental Disabilities Councils, and University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs). Self-advocates emphasized that their work would help bind the other three partners and strengthen the DD Act.

At the summit, Ohio self-advocates agreed to create a broad coalition of self-advocacy organizations. They envisioned that self-advocates will take charge of the coalition and become a powerful force for change, empowerment and civil rights. LRS and the rest of the Ohio DD Network strongly support this activity and are committed to work together to further grow self-advocacy as the "fourth prong" of the Network. Toward this end, LRS, as Ohio's P&A, will continue to provide significant support to self-advocates in the form of legal services and funding for scholarships and other expenses related to education.

Support Must Go Beyond the Network

Ohio is overdue in supporting self-advocates and their organizations at levels that allow them to grow and thrive. Organizations need resources if self-advocates are to have meaningful voices at state and local policy tables. Self-advocacy organizations should have the resources to employ self-advocates, and to grow and mentor leaders and members. Like other professionals, they should be paid for all aspects of their work, including to participate on committees and planning bodies, with travel expenses and other needed supports. Support from LRS and the DD Network is essential but not enough. Financial support from the DD boards, providers and other agencies is needed for self-advocates to have a significant voice at all tables where decisions are made that effect their lives.

In 2012, LRS and the DD Network will continue to work with groups such as Advocacy United and People First of Ohio to look for ways to expand self-advocacy opportunities and to seek the support of both public and private organizations to build an effective and vibrant self-advocacy movement in Ohio.

LRS' Mission and Vision

The mission of LRS is to protect and advocate, in partnership with people with disabilities, for their human, civil and legal rights. Moreover, we envision a society in which people with disabilities enjoy the same rights and opportunities as all people. As an advocacy agency, we believe its our duty to advocate the ultimate right, which is the right for people with disabilities to make a choice and to have that choice heard and considered. People with disabilities have the right to pursue their individual hopes, dreams and goals, and in that regard LRS seeks to enhance and protect personal autonomy as people with disabilities strive to become free from the isolated status they are often forced to live.

Last Issue of the DD Quarterly

by Carolyn Knight, ODDC Executive Director

The Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council (ODDC) would like to inform our readers that this will be the last edition of the DD Quarterly.

ODDC began this publication nearly 20 years ago. It was originally produced by The AXIS Center and for the last five years, the Ohio Legal Rights Service has produced the newsletter in collaboration with the Ohio DD Network partners.

Stay up-to-date with ODDC by visiting the ODDC website or our Ohio DD Network Facebook page.

Thank you very much for being a part of the ODDC family and for helping us improve the lives of people with disabilities one step at a time.

DD Quarterly Collaboration

The DD Quarterly newsletter is an ongoing collaboration among the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council, Ohio Legal Rights Service, the Nisonger Center and the University of Cincinnati, University Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities.

Contact Information

DD Quarterly is produced by the Ohio Legal Rights Service.

Ohio Legal Rights Service
Attn: Kim McConnell
50 W. Broad Street, Suite 1400
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Voice: (614) 466-7264 or (800) 282-9181
TTY: (614) 728-2553 or (800) 858-3542
Fax: (614) 644-1888
Email: Newsletter@olrs.state.oh.us

About ODDC

The Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council is a group of 35 people, appointed by the governor, who plan and advocate for Ohioans with disabilities. ODDC receives federal funds and distributes those funds by awarding grants for projects and activities that create visions, influence public policy, pilot new approaches, empower individuals and families, and advocate system change. Contact information for ODDC is: 899 E. Broad Street, Suite 203, Columbus, OH 43205, Voice phone: (614) 466-5205 (800) 766-7426 (Toll free in Ohio); TTY: (614) 644-5530; Fax: (614) 466-0298; Web site: www.ddc.ohio.gov

DD QuarterlyWinter 2011