Encourage DD boards adopt an advisory board of self-advocates

hcr44_00_IN

As Introduced

136th
General Assembly

Regular
Session
H. C. R. No. 44

2025-2026

Representatives
Rader, Odioso

Cosponsors:
Representatives Piccolantonio, Somani, Miller, J., Upchurch, Bryant
Bailey, Sims, Lett, Synenberg, Brennan, Russo, Cockley

A
c o n c u r r e n t R E S O L U T I O N

To
encourage all county boards of developmental disabilities in Ohio to
adopt an advisory board composed of self-advocates with developmental
disabilities.

BE
IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF OHIO (THE
SENATE CONCURRING):

WHEREAS,
According to the Arc of the United States and the Institute on
Community Integration, self-advocacy is a civil and human rights
movement led by people with intellectual and developmental
disabilities to exercise their rights as citizens by communicating
for and representing themselves, with supports in doing so, as
necessary; and

WHEREAS,
Many supporters of the self-advocate movement endorse a "nothing
about us without us" message to affirm that people with
disabilities should be included in all spaces where decisions about
people with disabilities are made, including in the public policy
decisions that affect them; and

WHEREAS,
In November 2023, the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental
Disabilities created an advisory group called the Leadership Council;
and

WHEREAS,
The Leadership Council's mission is to modify and improve ease of
access to services, facilities, and programs being provided by the
county; and

WHEREAS,
The Leadership Council has adopted the motto of "If it's for us,
bring it before us"; and

WHEREAS,
The Leadership Council is comprised of five to seven members, all of
whom have a developmental disability and are served by the County
Board; and

WHEREAS,
The Leadership Council promotes self-advocacy and includes elected
leadership positions for people with developmental disabilities,
including the ability to serve as the Chair, Vice Chair, or Secretary
of the Council; and

WHEREAS,
The Leadership Council establishes its own bylaws regarding how it
governs itself and engages with the County Board; and

WHEREAS,
The Leadership Council has worked on disability inclusion curriculum
and provided feedback on services, technologies, and advocacy events
administered by the county to improve their quality; and

WHEREAS,
The Leadership Council also provides feedback to external community
organizations, such as the local board of elections, regarding the
disability perspective on the organizations' services and processes;
and

WHEREAS,
The Leadership Council has worked directly with Cuyahoga County Board
of Developmental Disabilities staff, including a designated Americans
with Disabilities Act coordinator, to further improve accessibility
to its properties and programs; and

WHEREAS,
The Leadership Council provides an important perspective that the
County Board may otherwise have not considered; and

WHEREAS,
The accessibility of County Board projects has improved since the
creation of the Leadership Council; and

WHEREAS,
The Leadership Council has been a positive addition to the community
and provided people with developmental disabilities an opportunity to
directly engage with policies that impact them; and

WHEREAS,
Ability should not be a barrier to participation in a self-advocacy
board and boards should include participants who use an advocate or
caretaker; and

WHEREAS,
Communities across Ohio can look to the Leadership Council at the
Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities for guidance on
how to include people with developmental disabilities in leadership
and promote self-advocacy; now therefore be it

RESOLVED,
That we, the members of the 136th General Assembly of the State of
Ohio, encourage all county boards of developmental disabilities to
adopt an advisory board composed of self-advocates with developmental
disabilities to provide feedback on county board projects and
initiatives; and be it further

RESOLVED,
That the Clerk of the House of Representatives transmit duly
authenticated copies of this resolution to the leadership of each
county board of developmental disabilities and the news media of
Ohio.