Public Policy

The overarching goal for OPRA's policy and advocacy initiatives is to ensure that OPRA Members ave the resources to provide necessary long-term care to Ohioans with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

As a Member of OPRA, you have the opportunity to stay informed on changing state and federal rules and laws, to weigh in on major policy issues and to provide direct feedback to public officials on the changes they propose and enforce. 

Legislative Advocacy: OPRA Members provide services in nearly every state and federal legislative district. Maintaining strong relationships with state and federal legislators is a key objective of the OPRA policy and advocacy team. Whether a legislator is serving their first or last term, it is important to keep legislators well educated on the pressing issues of the field. OPRA Members also have the unique ability to influence their elected officials through the efforts of the OPRA PAC.

Regulatory Advocacy: As providers governed by state and federal regulation, OPRA closely watches the changes in these regulations so Members can adequately prepare their services. OPRA maintains close working relationships with the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD), the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM), Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD), the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). 

Public Policy in Action

OPRA participates in the public policy process through state-department led work groups, providing written and verbal testimony on proposed rules and laws, and meeting with regulators and lawmakers.