boy on adult changing table Pressalit 3000 with his mom
boy sits next to pressalit 3000 changing table
Ohio Chapter
The Ohio Chapter of the Changing Spaces Campaign is led by Advocates and Jennifer Corcoran and Kim Kirkwood.
Contact us to join our advocacy efforts in Ohio!
Email: ChangingSpacesOH@gmail.com
Facebook: Changing Spaces Ohio - Adult Changing Table Awareness
Instagram: @ChangingSpacesOhio
Twitter: @Dignity_in_OH
Grant Opportunities
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$4.4 Million in grant funding became available in Spring 2024 for funding accessibility projects around Ohio! These funds are available through the Ohio county boards of Developmental Disabilities. Contact your county board of DD today to inquire about grant funding to cover the cost of a universal changing table for your business, park, or building!
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The Ohio Department of Development is offering $10 Million in grants for county and independent fairs to make improvements in access. Consider applying for grant funds to cover the cost of an accessible family restroom with a universal changing table.
50% Matching Grant Up to $5,000 for schools, public agencies, businesses and not-for-profit organizations in Delaware County, Ohio.
How Can You Help?
Spread Awareness
Tell people in your community about the need for universal changing tables. Find informational pamphlets you can take with you in our advocacy toolkit.
Advocate
Encourage your local parks, zoo, museums, libraries, etc. to install universal changing tables. Direct them to our website to learn more.
Donate
Make a Donation to Inspired Access Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded to raise funds to install universal changing tables.
Advocacy In Ohio
The Ohio Chapter led by advocates Jennifer Corcoran and Kim Kirkwood-Boulter. They were inspired to start this advocacy because of their own struggles to care for their sons while away from home.
Both advocates are mothers to sons who have a disability, and have the need for accessible changing spaces.
Jennifer Corcoran began advocating for adult changing stations in Ohio when she collaborated with her representatives to introduce concurrent bills in the Ohio Senate and the Ohio House of Representatives. Unfortunately, neither bill passed, but this action led to Jennifer being part of the International Code Council's A117.1 committee to develop building code for Adult Changing Stations. These standards will be published in the 2024 International Building Code, and serve as a model for adult changing stations across the USA.
Jennifer is working with her county board of Developmental disabilities to install over 10 universal changing tables in the Dayton, Ohio area.
Kim Kirkwood-Boulter began advocating in the Central Ohio area due to not being able to find a dignified and safe place to change her son while attending doctor's appointments. She is focusing her advocacy locally in Central Ohio, and statewide by reaching out to the Ohio Governor's office, and the Ohio Department of Transportation. Kim is also focused on building resources for the national Changing Spaces Campaign such as the Universal Changing Table map.
Together, Kim & Jennifer hope to grow the Ohio campaign and spread awareness of this issue across the state.
Recent Developments:
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In Spring of 2024, grant funding became available to the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities. The Ohio County Boards of DD had the opportunity to apply for funding to install universal changing tables in their counties. 49 out of 88 counties applied for funding, and were awarded a grand total of $4.4 Million dollars granted toward installing universal changing tables throughout our communities! Grant funding can also be used toward mobile changing units such as the Momentum Refresh.
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In December 2022 Changing Spaces Ohio Leaders established a nonprofit, Inspired Access Foundation, to raise funds to install more universal changing tables around Ohio, as well as to provide adaptive equipment and other items to increase community accessibility and inclusion. Please donate to support the installation of more universal changing tables! (All donations go to Inspired Access Foundation, a 501C-3).
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January 2023 we met with officials from the Ohio Department of Transportation to discuss making Ohio's highway rest stops more inclusive by adding adult changing tables. This will allow people to travel throughout our state and be able to use the restroom while they travel. Since then, ODOT has committed to installing adult changing stations in 28 new Ohio rest stops by 2026! Read all about this exciting development in the Columbus Dispatch article here.
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In 2023 Changing Spaces Ohio began partnering with Accessible Ohio, an initiative through Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, to consult with businesses on how to become more accessible to all.
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In April 2023 Changing Spaces Ohio presented to the Ohio County Boards of Developmental Disabilities to encourage them to advocate for universal changing stations in their counties. Since then, many county boards of DD have taken up this cause and have purchased mobile changing units to be set up at outdoor community events such as festivals, as well as installing permanent changing stations in their buildings.
All Videos
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In 2022 Kim reached out to the Ohio State University to encourage them to incorporate adult changing stations into their University-wide building standards. The University will be installing two adult changing stations in the new medical tower in OSU Hospital, and, in 2023, added universal changing stations into their building code for all public buildings across campus. They hope to install between 3-8 universal changing tables per year.
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In February 2023 Governor DeWine announced the proposed state budget for 2024. In the budget he specifically listed adult changing tables as a priority. The budget has been passed by the The Ohio House of Representatives, and is now in the hands of the Ohio Senate. Kim Hauck, Director of the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities is committed to working with partners across the state to offer support from the budget for more universal changing tables. We will have an update around the end of July, 2023 on whether DODD will be providing a grant opportunity.
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In 2022, Nationwide Children's hospital committed to including adult changing stations in all new buildings as they expand their campus and renovate. This is now part of their internal building standards, which exceeds the minimum requirement by the state of Ohio. Thank you Nationwide Children's!
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In November 2022 Kim and Jennifer petitioned the Ohio Board of Building Standards to adopt new building code for adult changing stations. The board was very receptive unanimously approved the proposed additions to the building code! This will go into effect in Ohio in March 2024. The Ohio Building Code will require NEW assembly and mercantile buildings with 6 or more male and female water closets to include a family restroom with a height-adjustable adult size changing table inside. It will also include the following to have an adult changing station: new highway rest stops, schools that have a public assembly function, such as a large auditorium or gym used by the public, and large college classroom buildings.
Adult Changing Table News in Ohio
News Stories About Our Advocacy
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ODOT adding adult-sized changing tables in 28 highway rest areas by 2026
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Ohio disability-rights group advocates for more public adult changing tables, The Columbus Dispatch
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Advocates push for more adult disability resources and accessibility, WKEF Dayton News
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Bill seeks to make Ohio restrooms more accessible, Cincinnati public radio
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WRGT-TV/WKEF-TV: Dayton Metro Library increases accessibility with these universal changing table
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WHIO-TV: Local libraries install equipment to make restrooms more accessible
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WDTN-TV: ‘Accessibility to all’: Dayton Metro Library unveils new adult changing tables
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Dayton Daily News: Dayton Metro Library unveils universal changing tables
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WDTN-TV: Ohio Statehouse works with Montgomery County to install universal changing table
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WDTN-TV: It’s really important; Adult changing tables being installed in the Miami Valley
Get Involved!
Take advantage of our pre-made flyers and form letters to use while advocating.
Learn more about the mission of the Changing Spaces Campaign and what we advocate for. We also discuss applicable laws and building codes.
Connect with us on social media and share your story. View up to date information on the latest developments in our campaign.
View where universal changing tables are located across the USA.
Contact
Jennifer Corcoran and Kim Kirkwood
Ohio Chapter Leaders
Email: ChangingSpacesOH@gmail.com
Instagram: @ChangingSpacesOhio
Twitter: @Dignity_in_OH
Facebook: Changing Spaces Ohio - Adult Changing Table Awareness
LinkedIn: Kim Kirkwood-Boulter Linked In
Jennifer Corcoran
Kim Kirkwood