Ohio Disability and Health Program

The Ohio Disability and Health Program (ODHP) is a grant-funded state program with the goals to promote health, improve emergency preparedness, and increase access to care for Ohioans with disabilities. With funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ODHP will:

• Develop and enhance program infrastructure and capacity
• Improve state level health surveillance and monitoring activities
• Increase awareness of health-related disability policy initiatives
• Increase health promotion opportunities for people with disabilities to maximize health
• Improve access to health care for people with disabilities
• Improve emergency preparedness among people with disabilities
• Effectively monitor and evaluate program activities

ODHP is a partnership amongst the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), the two Ohio UCEDDs (University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disability) at the Ohio State University Nisonger Center and the University of Cincinnati (UC UCEDD), and the Ohio Colleges of Medicine Government Resource Center (GRC). Another key collaborator for this program is the disability community; a Disability Community Planning Group (DCPG) is an advisory panel that has been formed to guide and assist in program activities.

In addition to these seven goals, ODHP serves as a resource to the state and is well positioned to provide Technical Assistance related to disability and health for businesses, organizations, and people with disabilities in Ohio.