By Olivia Minnier

Delaware County Board of Developmental Disabilities’ Outreach Advocate has made a significant impact on the Delaware community and the state at large three years into her position.

Courtney Hines has been DCBDD’s Outreach Advocate since 2021, she said she felt her position was a great way to utilize the advocacy skills she was already developing in her personal life after she entered adulthood.

“I started needing to advocate for myself and started realizing that there are so many steps that you have to learn, not only navigating the typical 18-year-old stuff but also learning the disability world and navigating that by yourself and learning that a lot of stuff is not perfect,” she said.

Hines said she considers her first real advocacy experience to be all of the choices she had to make when deciding to move out on her own.

“That was a big part of advocating for myself. Picking out (my own) staff, picking out the roommates I wanted, picking out where I wanted to live. Did I want to live in an apartment or a house? That was probably the first big thing I advocated for,” she said.

Kim Kirkwood, Co-Chapter Leader of Changing Spaces Ohio, a national group that advocates for accessible restrooms with universal changing tables, said Hines’ lived experience is invaluable.

“She has a unique perspective as someone who is a wheelchair user and lives with a disability. The knowledge she can share about how to make places more accessible and inclusive comes from her own experience, and from getting to know so many others in the disability community that have all different kinds of needs,” she said.

Courtney has worked with Kirkwood and Changing Spaces Ohio in an advocacy capacity on behalf of DCBDD helping to get universal changing tables installed in 29 Ohio rest stops. In addition to adding an additional voice to Changing Spaces advocacy work, Kirkwood said working with Hines has inspired her on a personal level.

“Courtney has inspired me personally with her spirit and her positivity. Despite our best efforts to advocate for more accessibility, we are not always immediately successful. Sometimes there are roadblocks that come up. Despite this, Courtney never gives up or gets discouraged. She always perseveres and continues using her voice to represent people with disabilities in Delaware County, and their families,” she said.

Additionally, Courtney leads Courtney’s Corner, an informational, informal, family-focused discussion of lessons learned during the transition to adult life for DCBDD; she leads Advocacy Roundtable, where advocacy groups in the area to come together to discuss their successes and challenges; she has participated in Developmental Disability Awareness & Advocacy Day at the Ohio Statehouse, participates in walk audits with the Delaware Public Health District and Ohio Wesleyan students, has given feedback about accessibility for businesses such as COSI, and has spoken with Ohio representatives such as Beth Lear (R-Galena) about a variety of issues.

Chase Waits, DCBDD’s Director of Communications & Community Engagement, said Hines’ passion comes through during her advocacy work.

“Courtney’s dedication, empathy, and genuine advocacy skills have been integral in making our community a more supportive place for individuals with developmental disabilities. Her efforts to lessen and remove barriers have driven real progress and have made a tangible difference in the lives of countless people. We are fortunate to have such a passionate and committed advocate leading the way.”

Hines said she has quite a few additional goals she wants to accomplish as an advocate, such as helping to change the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements, but feels proud of the impact she has already been able to have through her work.

“It’s been a real privilege to have been Outreach Advocate and it’s been really great to see how much my advocacy has helped other advocates and parents,” she said.