Ohio Statewide Independent Living Council

10/22/2026

🏀 IT’S GAME TIME!
🌟 LET’S SHOOT FOR INCLUSION!

Shooting Stars is calling on athletes with disabilities and special needs, ages 10 and older, to lace up their sneakers and join us for a basketball experience designed to celebrate their abilities and create unforgettable memories!

Pathways for Inclusion is thrilled to partner with three incredible seniors from Harrison Central High School—Bailey Smith, Kamryn Crothers, and Leah Grady—as they bring their senior project to life with the first SHOOTING STARS INCLUSIVE BASKETBALL GAME! 🏀⭐

Athlete registration is officially open!

Each registered athlete will be paired with a Harrison Central High School buddy who will help coach, encourage, and assist them as they take the court to play against other Harrison Central athletes!

No basketball experience necessary—just bring your enthusiasm, your team spirit, and your biggest smile!

⏰ 1:00 PM – Athletes arrive to receive their jerseys, meet their buddies, warm up, and prepare for the big game!

📣 FAMILIES, FRIENDS & COMMUNITY MEMBERS—WE NEED YOU IN THE STANDS!

Come cheer on our Shooting Stars as they take the court for an afternoon filled with teamwork, encouragement, friendship, and FUN!

All proceeds will benefit Pathways for Inclusion, helping us continue creating opportunities for individuals with disabilities and their families in our community!

Register your athlete here:

https://www.pathwaysforinclusion.org/event-details/shooting-stars-inclusive-basketball-game

Have questions? Message Amanda through the Pathways for Inclusion page or email : [email protected].

Please SHARE this post far and wide! Tag a family, invite a friend, or help us spread the word to someone who would love the opportunity to participate.

10/22/2026

🍂 We are ONE WEEK away from our Inclusive Fall Festival! 🍂

Special Connections is thrilled to invite you to a FREE community event organized specifically with individuals with disabilities in mind. ALL ages and ALL abilities are welcome to join us for an afternoon of seasonal fun!

When: Saturday, October 24th from 1:00 - 3:00 pm
Where: 256 John Scott Hwy, Steubenville, Ohio

We have a fantastic lineup of activities planned for everyone, including:
🎯 Accessible Games
🌾 Maze Adventure
🐐 Baby Goats
🎃 Pumpkin Painting
✨ Hair Tinsel
🍎Seasonal Treats
🤝 Local Resources

We can't wait to celebrate the season with you! 🧡🍁

Want to help make the event a success?! Follow this link to view our wishlist:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1SZ7TEBBJ2TQY

10/22/2026

Promoting Independence, Dignity, and Opportunity!

Meet MOBILE (Mid-Ohio Board for an Independent Living Environment), a Center for Independent Living serving people with disabilities in Central Ohio.

MOBILE helps individuals build independence and access resources through a variety of programs and services, including:

♿ Assistive equipment loans
🤝 Peer support and independent living skills
📣 Advocacy for disability rights
🏡 Transition services to support community living
📚 Educational workshops and outreach

Everyone deserves the opportunity to live with dignity, make their own choices, and participate fully in their community.

🌐 Learn more about MOBILE’s services and resources: https://www.mobileonline.org/

Empowering people with disabilities Since 1980.Find the resources you need for you or a loved one with disabilities. Get Involved MOBILE is one of twelve Centers for Independent Living within the state of Ohio.For over forty years, MOBILE has partnered with many key national, state, city, and county...

10/21/2026

OSHIIP is here to help!

The Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP) provides free, unbiased Medicare information and one-on-one counseling to Ohioans who are eligible for or enrolled in Medicare.

OSHIIP can help with questions about:
✔️ Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage
✔️ Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D)
✔️ Medicare Supplement Insurance
✔️ Financial assistance and cost-saving programs
✔️ Long-term care insurance

📞 Call the OSHIIP hotline: 800-686-1578

You can also connect with trained volunteers, request a virtual or in-person speaker, explore free educational materials, or find Medicare counseling and webinars online.

🔗 Visit OSHIIP https://insurance.ohio.gov/consumers/medicare/01-oshiip

Share this resource with someone who could use Medicare guidance!

Ohio Department of Insurance

Free, objective, Medicare health insurance information, one-on-one counseling, and more.

10/20/2026

Did you know? 🌟

The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) Hive provides a range of free online courses designed for professionals to enhance their skills in addressing the needs of students with visual impairments. These courses are also available for parents, students, and consumers. The duration of the courses varies, offering between one to ten hours of content.

Explore more at: https://aphhive.org/home

As the largest nonprofit organization globally, the American Printing House for the Blind is dedicated to creating accessible learning experiences through various educational, workplace, and independent living products and services for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. American Printing House for the Blind

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10/19/2026

Building Career Readiness Through Inclusive Job Training and Work-Based Learning

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, in partnership with OCALI and the Southwest Region Career Pathway Support Network, is offering professional development sessions focused on evidence-based practices to strengthen employment readiness, independence, and workplace success for students with disabilities.

✨ What Works for Work will explore practical strategies, including:
✅ Apps and technology to support learning and task completion
✅ Visual schedules that promote independence
✅ Computer-assisted instruction
✅ Practical approaches to competitive, integrated employment
✅ Guided planning and real-world implementation strategies

📍 Upcoming regional sessions:

Southwest Ohio: October 23, 2026 — Butler Tech, Fairfield Township
Northeast Ohio: November 6, 2026 — Summit Educational Service Center, Cuyahoga Falls
Both sessions run from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with an hour-long lunch break. Participants who complete the session will receive documentation of four contact hours.

These learning opportunities are designed for job training coordination instructors, intervention specialists, job coaches, paraprofessionals, and other professionals supporting transition-age students with disabilities.

🔗 Read the announcement and register:

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s Office of Career-Technical Education is partnering with OCALI and the Southwest Region Career Pathway Support Network to host two upcoming professional development sessions. These learning opportunities are designed for job training coordination (JT...

10/19/2026

What Is an Invisible Disability?

Invisible disabilities aren't always visible. A person may seem healthy while facing challenges that impact daily life, work, or social interactions.

These disabilities can be physical, mental, neurological, or cognitive, and experiences vary for each individual. Examples include:
🧠 Mental health: Depression, anxiety, PTSD.
💙 Chronic illnesses: Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus.
🧩 Neurological: Epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, brain injury effects.
📚 Learning/developmental: ADHD, dyslexia, autism.
🩺 Other conditions: Diabetes, Crohn’s disease, certain heart issues.

Key points to remember:
🔸 You can't always tell if someone has a disability by appearance.
🔸 Invisible disabilities may affect energy, focus, memory, and daily activities.
🔸 Needs can fluctuate daily.
🔸 Everyone deserves kindness and respect without needing to prove their disability.

Learn more from @@3724229695017405389997843 : https://invisibledisabilities.org/what-is-an-invisible-disability/

The Invisible Disabilities Association defines an invisible disability as symptoms such as debilitating pain, fatigue, dizziness, cognitive dysfunctions, brain injuries, learning differences and mental health disorders, hard of hearing, vision impairments, addictions, phobias and more. They are not....

10/18/2026

🌟 DID YOU KNOW? DISABILITY INCLUSION BENEFITS EVERYONE!

Many accessibility features we use every day were designed to remove barriers for people with disabilities, but their benefits extend far beyond the disability community!

Think about it:

📺 Closed Captions: Support people who are Deaf or hard of hearing and help others follow videos in noisy environments.

🚪 Automatic Doors: Improve access for wheelchair users and make entering buildings easier for people carrying groceries, pushing strollers, or using mobility aids.

🎤 Voice Recognition: Helps people with limited mobility use technology and provides convenient hands-free access for others.

♿ Curb Cuts: Make sidewalks more accessible for wheelchair users while also benefiting people using walkers, strollers, and carts.

Accessibility isn’t a special privilege. It’s an essential part of creating communities where everyone can participate!

💙 At ACIL, we advocate for a world where accessibility is the standard, not an afterthought.

When we remove barriers, we create opportunities for everyone!

10/18/2026

We are officially ONE MONTH AWAY from the Accessible Expressions Ohio 2027 call for art deadline!

Enter now for the chance to have your art travel all across Ohio art galleries where it will be on display to the public!

What is Accessible Expressions Ohio?
Accessible Expressions Ohio is a statewide adjudicated exhibition featuring art from artists with disabilities from across the state. Artists can enter in the youth, emerging, or professional categories, and enter under a special theme category. Cash prizes are awarded in each category, including a Best in Show.

We are thrilled to announce this year's opening reception will be held at the Firelands Associations for the Visual Arts (FAVA) in Oberlin, Ohio!

We are also excited to announce that this year's special category is "Community Connections." Community is built through encouragement, mentorship, shared experiences, creativity, mutual support, and more. Artists are invited to explore the people, places, and moments that foster belonging, growth, and connection.

Who can apply?
Any Ohio artist living with a disability may apply. Disclosure of the disability is not required.

How do I apply?
To apply for the Accessible Expressions Ohio Call for Art, artists should fill out the online AEO application at this link: https://airtable.com/appW1LuhfSHhTjt3e/shrYAPSa3HUI3ZJgZ

Upon request, Word and PDF versions of the applications are available both by email and by mail.

Have any questions? Wish to request a different version of the application?
Contact Lina Stavrova at [email protected]

10/18/2026

Disability Rights Advocacy: Every Voice Matters!

Disability rights advocacy promotes equal opportunities, dignity, independence, and full participation for people with disabilities.

Advocates work to remove barriers, challenge discrimination, and advance accessibility and inclusion in employment, education, healthcare, transportation, and housing.

At its heart, disability rights advocacy recognizes that disability is a natural part of human diversity. It centers the voices, choices, and lived experiences of people with disabilities while promoting self-determination and equal rights.

💬 Types of Disability Advocacy:
🔸Individual Advocacy: Helping people navigate benefits, accommodations, and services.
🔸Self-Advocacy: Supporting people in expressing their needs, choices, and rights.
🔸Group Advocacy: Bringing people together to share experiences and seek change.
🔸Citizen Advocacy: Participating in community decisions and public policy discussions.
🔸Systemic Advocacy: Promoting changes to laws, policies, funding, and accessibility.

🌟 Why Does It Matter?
Disability advocacy amplifies the voices of people with disabilities, challenges discrimination, helps navigate complex systems, and drives broader change through public awareness, legal action, and collaboration.

Everyone deserves the opportunity to be heard, make choices, and participate fully in their community. Together, we can help build a more accessible and inclusive world!