[Ohio-talk] State lawmakers to remove provision targeting Disabilitie Rights Ohio

[Jordy D. Stringer]

The Columbus Dispatch

Posted Jun 6, 2019 at 5:43 PMUpdated at 6:17 AM

Disability Rights Ohio,
 an independent nonprofit organization that serves as the state’s federally
designated advocate for people with disabilities, likely will continue in
that
role.

State Sen. Bob Hackett, R-London, said Thursday that lawmakers will remove
a provision in the budget bill that would have created a joint legislative
committee
to examine whether a new entity should be designated as the state’s
protection and advocacy system.

Disability Rights has held the position of Ohio’s overall protection and
advocacy organization since 1980.
“It really did come out of nowhere,” Michael Kirkman, Disability Rights
executive director, said of the proposal. “No one takes credit for it.”

Kirkman said last week that his best guess was that someone wanted to
retaliate because of his organization’s aggressive investigations and
litigation,
sometimes against the state.

For example,
Disability Rights sued the state
three years ago in federal court, saying that Ohio’s disabilities system
violates the federal Americans with Disabilities Act by making it difficult
for
people to get the services they need to live and work in their communities.
The case is expected to be settled soon.

Protection and advocacy systems — there are more than 50 nationwide — were
established in the 1970s after investigations exposed terrible conditions
and
human-rights violations among people living in various institutions
throughout the country.

Governors are required to designate a system in the state that advocates on
behalf of people with disabilities, and Disability Rights is the nation’s
largest
provider of legal advocacy services for people with disabilities.

-- 

Jordy D. Stringer, Executive Director

Southeastern Ohio Center for Independent Living, 418 South Broad Street
Lancaster, OH 43130

E-mail: jssocil at gmail.com

Phone: (740) 689-1494 EXT (11)


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