Weekly Focus, January 15, 2015

An update and information report for doctors who provide consultative exams for OOD’s Division of Disability Determination
Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities

Kevin L. Miller, Executive Director

January 15, 2016

The mission of the Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities Agency is to ensure individuals with disabilities achieve quality employment, independence and disability determination outcomes.

What's Inside:

Disability Awareness Training for State Agencies

WIT Windmills 01132016
James Clinkscale, Diversity & Inclusion Manager, and Kelly Jordan, Business Sourcing Analyst, conduct Windmills training on Wednesday

 

In partnership with the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) Human Resources Division, OOD offered disability awareness training to human resources administrators and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) officers from State of Ohio agencies this past Wednesday.  The sessions focused on the role human resources and EEO personnel can play in reducing barriers during the application and employment process for people with disabilities seeking state positions.

 

This training was a specific recommendation of Governor John Kasich’s Workforce Integration Taskforce (WIT) which was charged with making recommendations aimed at reducing barriers to employment for Ohioans with vision, hearing or combined vision/hearing loss.

 

Among other activities, morning and afternoon groups participated in a brainstorming session called “Pick a Disability.”  This involves a hypothetical situation of selecting one disability to take on for the rest of one’s life, and choosing another disability to avoid at all costs.  Participants voice their perceptions of the selected disabilities, which reveal thinking and knowledge patterns around specific physical or invisible limitations.  Afer, the words participants offer in describing their image of specific disabilities are discussed in the context of the hiring and workplace setting.

 

This "Pick a Disability" module is one of about a dozen that are part of a program known as Windmills, a training focused on the attitudes and perceptions we hold of people with disabilities, and how these affect interactions in the workplace.  OOD’s Business Engagement Unit provides Windmills training to employers around Ohio, upon request.  The interactive program enhances awareness of cultural diversity, examines personal attitudes and biases toward people with disabilities, and provides information to better understand the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  Visit our webpage at http://ood.ohio.gov/employers for inquiries.  For a short history of the Windmills program and a summary of modules, see http://damonbrooks.com/windmills-modules/#content

 

The Workforce Integration Task Force Report is available online at http://www.ood.ohio.gov/Portals/0/News%20and%20Press%20Releases/Workforce%20Integration%20Task%20Force%20Report%20FINAL%2012302014%20Web.pdf (PDF version) or download the text only and BRF formats here: http://www.ood.ohio.gov/Portals/0/WITFinalReport12302014%20Accessible.zip

 


OOD Launches Provider Search

At OOD, we believe strongly in customer choice and transparency.  We understand that the people we serve expect and deserve to have access to the information they need to make an informed decisions for themselves and their loved ones.  It is with this in mind that we have been working to develop an online search tool and provider scorecard to bring increased transparency and informed choice to the process of choosing a provider.

 

We are proud to announce that OOD will be launching our new online Provider Search tool Tuesday, January 19th.  This online tool will allow staff and vocational rehabilitation (VR) participants to research available providers in their area.  Searches can be targeted by a specific VR service, or by county, city, address, provider type (i.e. Employment First) or provider name. 

 

The OOD Community Rehabilitation Program (CRP) Scorecards will also be part of this new tool.  The scorecards will enable participants, VR Staff, and CRPs to review provider scorecards, which offer demographic information on who the provider serves in terms of disability type, geographic area, etc.  If a CRP provides job development services, there will also be information about placements (top occupations and average time to place an individual in a job).  Scorecards will be updated twice a year, with scorecards for new providers added during these updates.

 

Informational sessions for providers will include a demonstration of the tool and a Q&A with Jim Gears, as well as information on the new Provider Management Program (PMP) that the CRPs now use to maintain their information and provider agreements.

 

Provider Informational Sessions


DDD Quarterly Awards

The Division of Disability Determinations (DDD) would like to congratulate our quarterly award recipients who are recognized for their superior performance, ability to be customer focused, inventiveness, creativity, teamwork, and leadership skills.

 

 

Mary Walcutt (DCA3)

Kim Bavis (DCS)

Jeff Miller (DCS)

Don Solt (DCS)

Jenny Fleming (DCS)

Heather Wright (DCA2)

Teresa Mercurio (DCA3)

Jennifer Leeper (DCA2)

Ameenah Joseph (DCA2)

Jennifer Smith (DCA2)

Nicole Martin (DCA3)

Rebecca Sprang (DCA2)

Amy Nelson (DCA3)

Bethany Burke (OA3)

Karen Heibutski (DCS)

Khalilah Breathett (DCA2)

Kim Robertson (DCA3)

Kurt Dickman (DCA3)

Jaime McVay (DC Supervisor)

Amy Wobser (DC Supervisor)

Scott Maietta (DC Supervisor)

Kristen Caldwell (DC Supervisor)

Michelle Rinehart (DC Supervisor)

Justin Helinski (DC Supervisor)

 


Did You Know? About Ohio's Combined State Plan

As part of the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), states are required to submit a combined workforce plan.  This week, Ohio released its draft of the Combined State Plan for a 30-day public comment period.  The plan aligns a number of the state’s largest workforce programs, including vocational rehabilitation, behind one strategic vision to better connect businesses to qualified workers (including workers with disabilities).  Public forums will run January 26-28 at various venues throughout the state.  

 

To view the draft plan, offer comment, or register for an upcoming public hearing, visit: http://workforce.ohio.gov/Initiatives/CombinedStatePlan.aspx


OOD by the Numbers

Vocational Rehabilitation

                                                                              Current            FFY2016

 

Individuals in Job Ready Status:                       3,606                2,011

(For county level information

and map visit our website)

 

Individuals Employed:                                         1,846                1,855

(Employed, not yet successfully closed)

 

Successful Closures:                                                                    2,104

(Employed for over 90 days,

case closed successfully)

 

Disability Determination

(FFY2016 as of 01/01/16)

 

Applications Received:                                             54,917

 

Determinations:                                                          58,136

 

Productivity Per Work Year (PPWY)                          375.8

(Total number of cases processed divided

by the number of work years funded)


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