Weekly Focus February 24, 2017

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

February 24, 2017

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:

Ohio Community Centers for the Deaf Meet at OOD

CCD Meeting
Director Kevin Miller speaking to leadership of the Community Centers for the Deaf.

 

Yesterday, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) Director Kevin Miller addressed the leadership of the Ohio Community Centers for the Deaf at their quarterly meeting and provided updates on a variety of issues. Director Miller discussed OOD’s 2018-2019 Executive Budget proposal and explained that the agency expects to receive funding that will allow the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program to continue services without a wait list. In addition, OOD anticipates to maintain partnerships and provide opportunities to build on the agency’s successes.

 

OOD partners with the Ohio Community Centers for the Deaf in order to provide useful interaction to assist individuals with hearing loss, potential employers and communities to ensure individuals are fully integrated into competitive employment and other activities.

 

For more information, visit http://ood.ohio.gov/Community-Centers-for-the-Deaf.


OOD Staff Participate in Blind Spot: A Matter of Perception

Blind Spot
OOD Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Bernadetta King uses tactile models to observe abstract paintings.

 

Blind Spot: A Matter of Perception event was held last weekend at the Massillon Museum. OOD staff attended the event and enjoyed the 10 abstract paintings. They were translated into sonic iPad touch screen apps and tactile models. Typewritten and Braille labels produced by the Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired enhanced the experience for participants.


Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

 

OOD has a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) on our website that help employers who are interested in integrating individuals with disabilities into their workforce. For example:

 

Q: I have an employee who has become disabled, how can OOD help me

     so that I can retain this employee?

A:  A rehabilitation professional will assist you and your employee in

     determining the appropriate type of accommodation so that the

     employee can stay on the job.

 

Q: What kinds of jobs are suitable for employees with disabilities?

A:  People with disabilities can perform almost any type of job – from

     unskilled labor to technical and professional duties. OOD provides

     assessments, career counseling, rehabilitation and job training for a full

     range of occupations. We also counsel people to choose careers in

     which their disability won’t restrict job performance.

 

For a full list of FAQs, visit http://www.ood.ohio.gov/Employers/FAQ.


Have a Disability and Want to Work?

 

If you have a disability and want to work, visit OODWORKS.com today to get started on your journey to employment.


PsyberGuide: Your Go-To Guide To Mental Health Apps

A website called PsyberGuide is an unbiased online guide to mental health apps and technologies. PsyberGuide provides expert and crowd-sourced ratings dedicated to providing information to people who have mental health issues by using nonclinical jargon to help manage mental health conditions. For more information, visit http://psyberguide.org/.


Did You Know? There is an Organization that Helps Ohioans with Disabilities Acquire Assistive Technology


Assistive Technology of Ohio (AT Ohio) is a federally funded nonprofit organization that is part of the College of Engineering at The Ohio State University. AT Ohio helps Ohioans with disabilities learn about or acquire devices and equipment or services to function independently. For more information, visit https://atohio.engineering.osu.edu/.


OOD By the Numbers

 

Vocational Rehabilitation

 

                                                                 Current                     FFY2017

Individuals in Job Ready Status:           3,174                        2,724

For county level information

& map, visit our website.

 

Individuals Employed:                            1,934                        2,203

Employed, not yet

successfully closed

 

Successful Closures:                                                               2,551    

Employed for over 90 days,

case closed successfully

 

                                         Disability Determination

                                (FFY 2017 as of 2/17/2017 – Week 20)

 

Applications Received:                                                          67,819  

 

Determinations:                                                                      72,702

                                                                       

Productivity Per Work Year (PPWY)                                       355.3

Total number of cases processed divided

by the number of work years funded 


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