Today, Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted introduced budget recommendations for state fiscal years 2022 and 2023 which continue investing in Ohio’s future. The Governor in his conference said that the budget “invests in Ohio’s people, its businesses, its communities – with the goal of Ohio emerging even stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic”.

Watch Governor DeWine's latest press conference announcing the budget recommendations here.

Included in the Governor’s budget recommendations are funding and initiatives important to Ohioans with developmental disabilities, their families, and the system that supports them.

• Maintains FY21 Medicaid reimbursement rates for home and community-based services (HCBS) and Intermediate Care Facility (ICF) services.
• Continues investment from the previous budget that doubled funding for Part C Early Intervention to support Ohio’s children and families.
• Satisfies the Ball v DeWine settlement agreement by maintaining funding for 700 state-funded IO waivers as well as continuing to support affordable housing and integrated day and employment services.
• Provides $1M in new funding to bolster the state’s efforts in the use of innovative technology for more Ohioans with developmental disabilities to be more fully integrated into their community and experience greater independence.
• Increases investment in supports for multi-system youth and their families by $10.5M over the biennium by repurposing funds previously sent to counties to supplement family supports efforts.

Director Jeff Davis commented, “I am grateful for Governor Mike DeWine’s continued support of Ohioans with developmental disabilities and our professional support system.”

He continued, “This budget maintains priorities of the governor’s first budget and allows us to continue to move forward together on our initiatives. I am appreciative to be able to continue investments in our early intervention program, to create further investment in youth with complex needs, and to maintain reimbursement rates for our provider community.”

With the introduction today, the budget process has formally started. Learn more about Governor DeWine’s budget at https://budget.ohio.gov/. DODD will provide more information and updates on the progress of the bill until it is finalized on July 1, 2021.