The Access Center

06/05/2026

🌟 Championing Change: Your Guide to Legislative Advocacy 🌟
Ever heard the saying, “If you don’t like the law, change it”? Now’s the time to embrace that advice! Legislative advocacy provides a unique chance to collaborate with lawmakers on important issues. It’s crucial for individuals with disabilities and their advocates to make their voices heard. Your input can shape public policy!
📌 Tips for Effective Advocacy:
- Build strong connections with your legislator and their team to enhance your influence.
- Attend city council meetings to engage actively in local governance.
- Understand your issue thoroughly and be ready to explain it clearly.
- Set clear and specific objectives for effective communication.
- Learn the legislative process to navigate it with confidence.
Ready to connect with your senator or representative? Reach out by email, mail, or phone. Discover your local legislators at legislature.ohio.gov and start making an impact today! For additional tips and support, contact The Access Center at 937-341-5202 or [email protected].

06/05/2026

📢 Speak Up and Make a Difference! 🌟

Wondering how you can make a difference for Ohioans with disabilities? Help protect our right to live in and be a part of Ohio's beautiful communities. The Access Center urges you to contact your legislators about House Bill 795. Advocates gathered on June 3rd, but we need your voice in Columbus every day as this bill is being discussed.

Share what Medicaid means to you and the vital role paid family caregivers play in the disability community. Highlight the importance of independence over institutions. Let's slow down this bill to ensure thorough discussion and safeguards.

Tell your story and ensure your representatives don’t look away. Find your representative here: https://ohiohouse.gov/members/directory. Your voice matters! 🗣️

06/03/2026

Help Increase Our Visibility!

Since 1984, the Access Center has been dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities to achieve independence in the community. We offer essential services such as Information & Referral, Peer Support, Independent Living Skills Training, and Advocacy on individual, self, and systemic levels. Our Individual Transitioning services help ease the journey to independence.

Additionally, through our REDI Program, we provide recycled medical equipment, supporting health and accessibility needs. Our Youth Transitions initiative and the Think This is Easy? program raise awareness and understanding of disability challenges.
Despite our long-standing presence, many people are still unaware of the services we offer. As a local non-profit, we rely on the generosity of individuals like you to continue our mission. Your donations are crucial for expanding our reach and enhancing our visibility on social media, allowing us to connect and support more people in need.
Join us in making a difference! If you would like to contribute or learn more about our work, please visit http://www.acils.com/make-a-difference/.

We also provide recycled medical equipment through our REDI Program. We work with Youth Transitions and provide Disability Awareness training through our Think This is Easy? program. As a local non-profit based in the community, donations from individuals are a vital part of our continued services.....

06/03/2026

June is Pride Month, and the Access Center wants to shine a light on the intersection between LGBTQ+ identities and disabilities—an important and often overlooked connection. 🏳️‍🌈
Did you know that over one-third (36%) of LGBTQ+ adults report having a disability, according to the Center for American Progress? For transgender adults, this number rises to over half (52%). Among LGBTQ+ youth, nearly 30% have been diagnosed with at least one disability, which is double the rate of their non-LGBTQ+ peers. 🌈
These overlapping identities frequently lead to compounded discrimination. LGBTQ+ young people with disabilities face higher rates of depression, anxiety, and su***de attempts compared to their peers without disabilities. 🏳️‍🌈

This is why ACIL proudly supports Pride Month—not just because people are people, but because acknowledging and celebrating these intersections is vital.
Let's continue to uplift and support all members of our community.

🏳️‍🌈

Photo Description : Text "Celebrate Pride Month" with a rainbow stripe on the left and six colorful hearts below, and the phrase "Be Proud. Be You. Embrace All."

06/02/2026

🚨 Hot off the presses! 🚨 Dive into the June 2026 Edition of the Access Center's monthly newsletter, Enabling Access. 🌟

This month, you'll explore ways to support the Access Center, learn how Ray-Ban Meta glasses can assist those with visual impairments, find out how to become a project STIR trainer, and get the latest updates on changes at the Dayton Children's Hospital campus. 🕶️🏥

Don't miss out—read it now and subscribe to receive it directly to your inbox every month! 📬

🔗 https://mailchi.mp/acils/enabling-access-june-2026-edition-acil-newsletter-12933988
📩 Sign up at www.acils.com/news

Enabling Access (March ’26)-Community Corner-GoBus Expands Services Making Ohio More Easily Accessible to Bus Riders GoBus Expands Services Making Ohio More Easily Accessible to Bus Riders Inter-city bus operator, GoBus, has expanded its service to connect Dayton, Springfield, Middletown and Read ...

05/31/2026

As a Center for Independent Living (CIL) we strongly reject this statement because it fundamentally conflicts with the philosophy, history, and legal foundation of the Independent Living Movement.

The image attributes a statement to the chair of the Ohio House Medicaid Committee suggesting that if home care waivers cost more than institutional care, Ohio should consider moving more people into long-term care facilities.

The Independent Living Movement was built on the principle that people with disabilities have the right to live in the community, direct our own lives, and make choices about where and how we live. The mission of the Access Center for Independent Living (ACIL) is to ensure that people with disabilities have full and complete access to the community in which they reside.

For decades, people with disabilities were routinely segregated in nursing homes, state institutions, and other congregate settings simply because society assumed disability automatically required institutional care. The disability rights movement fought to change that.

The question should never be: "Where can we place the disabled most cheaply?"

Instead, the question should be: "How do we ensure that people with disabilities have the same rights, freedom, dignity, and community participation as everyone else?"

The cost of someone's freedom should not determine whether they are allowed to live in their own home.

The United States rejected this approach in the landmark Supreme Court case:

Olmstead v. L.C. The Court held that unnecessary institutionalization is a form of discrimination under the ADA. The decision recognized that people with disabilities have the right to receive services in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs.

Individuals with disabilities should not lose their freedom because support services cost money. The purpose of HCBS is to ensure that people can live, work, and participate in their communities instead of being segregated in institutions. Community living is a civil right, not a luxury.

We urge you to contact Ohio State Representative Jennifer Gross and tell her why this statement is unacceptable.

You can contact Ohio State Representative Jennifer Gross (R-West Chester) through her Columbus office using the following methods:

• Phone: (614) 466-8550

• Email: [email protected]

• Fax: (614) 719-6955

• Mailing Address:
Ohio House of Representatives
77 S. High St., 13th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215

05/29/2026

05/29/2026

🌟 Share Your Story with ACIL! 🌟
Has the Access Center for Independent Living (ACIL) helped you find housing, access resources, or gain independent living skills? We want to hear from you! 🙌 Since 1984, we've been empowering individuals in Dayton and beyond. Now, we're turning to YOU to help spread the word!
We’re excited to feature YOUR stories on our social media platforms, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok. Whether it's a personal success story or an advocacy issue close to your heart, we want to highlight your experiences to inspire others. 💪✨
Ready to share your journey or talk about an important cause? Reach out to our Independent Living and Communications Specialist, Allison Boot, at 937-341-5202 Ext 114 or email [email protected].
Let’s show the world that individuals with disabilities can thrive and lead fulfilling lives! 🌟

05/28/2026

May 15th to June 15th is Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month.

Living with Tourette’s can be incredibly challenging.

It’s not just about the visible tics; it's the ongoing effort beneath the surface.

Many children and adults spend their days suppressing tics, particularly in environments like school, work, or public places. This can lead to significant stress, anxiety, and both mental and physical exhaustion.

The urge to tic can build up, becoming uncomfortable or painful, and when suppression ends, tics often intensify and become more frequent. This can leave individuals feeling drained, overwhelmed, and misunderstood.

Living with Tourette’s can impact confidence, energy levels, and emotional wellbeing, especially when others don’t understand that tics are involuntary.

Tourette’s is not a choice.

Tics cannot be controlled.

Understanding makes a real difference.

Kindness, patience, and support matter every day.



Image Description :Teal ribbon design with "No One Fights Alone" text, conveying a message of hope and support for those with Tourette Syndrome.

05/26/2026

May is Mobility Awareness Month 💜

The Access Center is celebrating the diverse ways individuals navigate the world using wheelchairs, walkers, scooters, canes, prosthetics, and other mobility aids that promote independence and self-determination. Mobility encompasses access, autonomy, and the fundamental right to traverse our communities without obstacles.

This month, we pay tribute to the individuals with disabilities who depend on mobility aids, the advocates striving for accessible environments, and the ongoing efforts to ensure that mobility is recognized as a civil right. Everyone deserves the freedom to move through the world safely and with dignity.



Image Description :Illustration posters showing diverse people walking, wheeling, and signaling mobility needs, “National Mobility Awareness Month”.