In this final episode of the season, host Shari Cooper looks back at everything Ohio DD Talks covered in 2026 — from loneliness and advocacy to workforce shortages, board service, writing books, and financial planning for people with disabilities.

Rather than one guest conversation, this recap pulls clips and reflections from across the season, revisiting the voices and stories that shaped the show this year.

Host: Shari Cooper

Key Topics

Episode 1 – Inclusion Seekers Summit: The season opened with a conversation on community building and loneliness, a challenge many people with disabilities face but rarely talk about openly. Dr. Murphy's ”take five” idea stuck with listeners: five minutes of solitude for reflection, five minutes to help someone, and five minutes to connect with someone else.

Episode 2 – DD Advocacy and Awareness Day: A look back at the energy of Advocacy Day at the Statehouse, where attendees met with elected officials and state leaders including Governor DeWine and Director Nash. One advocate, Krystal, shared how she raised concerns with her legislator about a busy road in her county with no sidewalk, a real safety issue for people who walk or use wheelchairs to get to the store.

Episode 3 – The Power of Advocacy: This episode dug into Ohio's workforce crisis in finding and keeping DSPs and SSAs, roles that are among the lowest paid in the system despite their impact. It also covered the strain on case managers juggling 30 to 40 cases at once, and the confusion families face navigating agency rules, Medicaid rules, and the question of who is really in charge of their services.

Episode 4 – DD Council Board Members: Four Ohio DD Council board members shared what serving means to them, including how their backgrounds in independent living philosophy and their local communities across Ohio's 88 counties shape the decisions the Council makes.

Episode 5 – Memoirs & Magic: Shari sat down with two other authors with developmental disabilities to talk about why writing their stories mattered, what they hope readers take away, and the challenges of getting a book made. A favorite moment: hearing about young readers seeing themselves reflected in book covers for the first time.

Episode 6 – Ohio STABLE Accounts: The season closed with a look at STABLE accounts, which let people with disabilities save over $2,000 without risking their benefits. Guests shared how the accounts have funded real milestones, including a wheelchair-accessible van, along with the peace of mind of building a financial future.

Why It Matters

Every episode this season came from a different corner of the disability community, but the throughline was the same: people showing up for each other with care, honesty, and hard-won expertise. This recap is a reminder of just how much ground got covered, and an invitation to go back and listen to the full episodes if any of these moments caught your attention.

Resources and Links

• Ohio DD Council Website
• STABLE Account Website