Ohio’s county boards of developmental disabilities have diverse policy interests, and many issues before the Ohio General Assembly will impact the DD system in some way.

OACBDD PAC supports an extensive advocacy agenda by promoting and contributing to the campaigns of those legislators who advance county board priorities. Current public policy issues include:

• Supporting the DD system workforce: The DD system is facing an unprecedented workforce shortage, which threatens the ability of people served by county boards of DD to secure necessary services. Every person served through our system deserves consistent, high quality services, provided in a way that promotes human dignity.

• Modernizing county purchasing authority: County boards of DD should be allowed to conduct their business in a way that conforms with modern economic norms by using credit cards with adequate oversight mechanisms in place. Current practices in many counties force individual board employees to use their personal credit cards to facilitate some county board business, which undermines county government accountability and transparency.

• Providing public meeting flexibility: County boards of DD, along with many other local boards and commissions, need more flexible Ohio public meetings laws to allow members to participate in meetings virtually while still being counted present and able to vote. Such flexibility is consistent with modern business practices and fosters a more open, accountable, and transparent system.