Ohio Must Protect Quality Services for People with Developmental Disabilities by Investing in Medicaid

Every Ohioan deserves the opportunity to live a safe, meaningful, and fulfilling life. For thousands of individuals with developmental disabilities, that opportunity is made possible through Medicaid-funded supports and services delivered by dedicated providers across our state.

While conversations about developmental disability services often focus on where people live, the more important question is how well they are supported. Whether services are provided in a congregate setting, a shared home, or another residential model, quality care depends on one critical factor: sustainable Medicaid funding.

Resident Home Association (RHA) provides supports and services in  congregate settings which remain an important option for individuals who choose this type of living arrangement or whose medical, behavioral, or personal support needs make it the best fit. These homes offer much more than a place to live. They provide stability, community, skilled care, and opportunities for individuals to build relationships, pursue personal goals, and participate in their communities.

None of this happens without the professionals who make these services possible.

Direct support professionals, nurses, managers, and support staff work around the clock—365 days a year—to ensure individuals receive compassionate, person-centered care. They assist with daily living, administer medications, respond during emergencies, encourage independence, and help people live with dignity and purpose.

Yet providers throughout Ohio continue to face an unprecedented workforce crisis. Competition from other industries, rising operating costs, and years of inadequate reimbursement have made it increasingly difficult to recruit and retain the qualified professionals individuals deserve.

The reality is simple: quality services cannot exist without a stable workforce, and a stable workforce cannot exist without adequate Medicaid funding.

Every year, providers absorb higher costs for wages, health insurance, utilities, food, transportation, regulatory compliance, technology, and home maintenance. At the same time, Medicaid remains the primary payer for developmental disability services. When reimbursement rates fail to reflect the actual cost of providing care, providers are forced to make difficult decisions that ultimately threaten access to services.

This is not just a provider issue. It is a community issue.

When providers struggle to hire staff, families wait longer for services. Existing employees work additional hours to cover staffing shortages. Individuals experience disruptions in care and fewer opportunities to participate in community activities. In the worst cases, providers may be forced to reduce capacity or close programs altogether.

Ohio has made tremendous progress in supporting individuals with developmental disabilities to live and thrive in their communities. Preserving that progress requires continued investment.

Strong Medicaid funding allows providers to:

• Recruit and retain qualified direct support professionals.

• Offer competitive wages and benefits.

• Maintain safe, accessible homes.

• Invest in training, technology, and innovation.

• Expand access to services for individuals and families.

• Deliver the person-centered supports that Ohio values.

This investment pays dividends far beyond the developmental disability system. It strengthens families, creates stable jobs in every community, reduces avoidable healthcare costs, and helps individuals achieve greater independence and improved quality of life.

As state leaders make decisions about Ohio's future, they have an opportunity to reinforce a simple but powerful commitment: every person with a developmental disability deserves access to high-quality supports, regardless of the setting they call home.

Medicaid is more than a line item in the state budget. It is the foundation upon which thousands of Ohioans build their lives.

By investing in sustainable Medicaid funding, Ohio invests in its workforce, its communities, and, most importantly, the people whose lives depend on these essential services.

Quality care is not achieved through mandates alone. It is built through partnerships, supported by dedicated professionals, and sustained through thoughtful public investment.

Now is the time to strengthen that investment and ensure Ohio's developmental disability system remains strong for generations to come.

Contact your federal and state representative and congressman and let your voice speak for those who can’t.