Health and Disabilities Basics: Overview of Health Coverage, Programs and Services (Nisonger OH UCEDD)

April 29, 2014

The Ohio Disability and Health Program (ODHP) consists of Nisonger Center at The Ohio State University, the University of Cincinnati University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, the Ohio Department of Health, and the Ohio Colleges of Medicine Government Resource Center and is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to improve the health and well-being of people with disabilities (PWD) in Ohio. The overarching goals of the program are to promote health, improve emergency preparedness initiatives, and to increase access to healthcare for Ohioans with disabilities. ODHP works to include PWD in ongoing state prevention, health promotion, and emergency response activities.

As part of the program, ODHP worked with the Health Policy Institute of Ohio (HPIO) as a member of an advisory committee to develop a series of three briefs focused on people with disabilities and their health. The purpose of the series of briefs on disability is to provide insight into insurance and coverage options for people with disabilities, outline challenges to access to care for this population, highlight health disparities, discuss barriers to achieving optimal health, and provide an overview of potential policy options. HPIO is the state's trusted source of information and leadership on health policy issues and its mission is to provide nonpartisan, unbiased research, analysis and communication that enable policymakers to make the most informed decisions possible on matters that affect the health of all Ohioans. HPIO's primary audience is state public policymakers. HPIO has released the first brief, "Health and disabilities basics: Overview of health coverage, programs and services" (http://www.healthpolicyohio.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/DisabilityBasics_Overview.pdf), which provides an excellent overview of health coverage, programs, and services for people with disabilities, and also contains information on disability demographics, scope issues, and eligibility.

For more information on ODHP, please visit: http://nisonger.osu.edu/odhp