I am excited to announce that $56 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) money will be distributed across Ohio to provide more opportunities and better support for Ohioans with developmental disabilities and their families. With federal approval this week, these one-time funds will support various projects in key areas including support for people served and their families, the workforce, transformative technology, youth with complex needs, and the waiver modernization project.
For many people with disabilities and their families, an inclusive community starts with an accessible community, and I want to thank county boards and their local partners across Ohio who have identified ways to make this a reality for them. Thank you to Governor DeWine and the Department of Medicaid for allocating $266 million of Ohio’s ARPA HCBS funds to our developmental disabilities system, $210 million of which was distributed as lump sum relief payments to providers during the pandemic.
We worked with partners across the state to determine priority projects that could benefit the community and to develop this spending plan. Deputy Director of Policy and Strategic Direction, Steve Beha, and a lot of dedicated staff from across DODD worked on this plan to ensure funding opportunities were ready to implement once we received federal approval. These projects are in alignment with our strategic plan and come as we are rolling out opportunities and increased rates from the historic $1.5 billion investment in the DeWine-Husted budget.
We have a unique opportunity to explore new ideas and to fund projects many of us have wanted to accomplish for quite some time. Together, we will use these funds to truly make a difference by giving people with disabilities, their families, and their communities the resources needed for integration, independence, and an overall better life.
Let’s take a moment to reflect and celebrate such a significant investment and the opportunity it provides us to create a more inclusive Ohio for everyone with developmental disabilities. I look forward to collaborating with you and watching as these projects come to life all across the state.
Have a great weekend,
