Weekly Focus - April 15, 2016

Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities sent this bulletin at 04/15/2016 02:12 PM EDT

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

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:

The Market Opens in Akron
Commissioner’s Panel on Disability Inclusion
Four DDD Staff Earn LeanOhio Camo Belts
Janet Cool Recognized by Ohio Senate
Did you know? Anne Sullivan
OOD by the Numbers

The Market Opens in Akron

Christy Hauck, BEP manager, Steve Weaver, BEP operator, Mindy Duncan, deputy director, BSVI

Visitors and neighbors of the Oliver Ocasek Building in downtown Akron have a new option for lunch and snacks. The Market, which held its grand opening on Wednesday, is part of OOD’s Business Enterprise Program (BEP) which provides entrepreneurial opportunities for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. The location, in the building’s lobby with a nearby atrium, is ideal for workers and visitors alike seeking a wide variety of snacks, lunch items (including healthy options), Dunkin’ Donuts coffee, health products or the local newspaper.

Mindy Duncan, deputy director, Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired (BSVI), and BEP staff joined operator Steve Weaver and his wife for the ribbon cutting and grand opening. Visitors received free coffee mugs and prizes as part of the celebration. Many on hand noted the convenient location and were excited about having healthy snack and lunch options in the building.

For more photos from Wednesday’s event please visit our Facebook page.

Commissioner’s Panel on Disability Inclusion

At the upcoming commissioners meeting on April 20th, three of Ohio’s leading employers: American Electric Power (AEP), Huntington Bank, and The Ohio State University will be joining Business Relations Manager, Jon Hackathorn on a panel to share with the Commissioners how their disability inclusion practices impact their day to day operations.

Holly Antos, AEP, is also Vice President of the Ohio Business Leadership Network (OHBLN) and will talk about how the OHBLN 2016 strategic mission is designed to provide its members the most up to date information on disability inclusion practices. Sarah Eleck and Karis Spence will talk about Huntington’s Employer Resource Group for Disability Inclusion and its impact on Huntington’s corporate culture. As a federal contractor Ohio State is subject to the 503 rules and Terra Metzger will share information about their self-identification campaign for workers with disabilities. Ohio State is focused on providing any necessary accommodations for those employees to help them succeed. OOD thanks these employer partners, and OHBLN members, for sharing their time and valuable information. We look forward to a productive panel and Commissioners meeting.

Four DDD Staff Earn LeanOhio Camo Belts

Tom Melfo, Rita Gram, Jaime McVay, Justin Helinski, Cyndal Glass

Supervisors Cyndal Glass, Rita Gram, Justin Helinski, and Jaime McVay from the Division of Disability Determination (DDD) were presented their LeanOhio Camo Belts from DDD Assistant Deputy Director, and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Tom Melfo.

LeanOhio Boot Camp is an intensive weeklong training that teaches Lean methods and tools. In order to receive their Camo Belt certification, participants had to use their new knowledge and skills immediately. Each of these belt recipients worked on a project designed to improve a process at DDD that would design and/or implement a simplier, faster, better, less costly method.

Congratulations Cyndal, Rita, Justin, and Jaime on achieving this LeanOhio milestone and for the work that you are doing to streamline and improve operations at OOD.

Janet Cool Recognized by Ohio Senate

Kevin Milstead, assistant deputy director DAS, Senator Charleta Tavares, Janet Cool, Irene Barnett, immediate past president OCPM Society, Director Kevin Miller

Last fall at the Ohio Certified Public Managers (OCPM) Annual Conference, Janet Cool, manager of OOD’s Monitoring and Compliance Unit, was selected as the 2015 Ohio Certified Public Manager of the Year.

On Wednesday, Janet was recognized on the floor of the Ohio Senate by Senator Charleta Tavares for this honor. Senator Tavares presented Janet with a resolution from the Ohio Senate and highlighted the important work Janet does every day here at OOD and her work with the OCPM Society.

Congratulations again to Janet and thanks for your efforts.

Did you know? Anne Sullivan

Anne Sullivan, the gifted teacher of individuals who are blind and who famously broke through to Helen Keller and taught her how to speak, read and write, was born 150 years ago this Thursday. Sullivan lost most of her eyesight to disease while growing up, which made it easier for her, at age 20, to relate to her famous pupil. Their story was portrayed in the 1962 award-winning film “The Miracle Worker,” based on The Story of My Life, the 1902 autobiography of Helen Keller. (SOURCE: The Good News Network)