On
March 6th, in anticipation of Governor Kasich’s State of the State address that
evening, cabinet directors and staff spent the day in Central Ohio highlighting
the positive impact state agencies are making in the area.
Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) enjoyed a day of events sharing how we accomplish our mission
of quality employment and increased independence for individuals with
disabilities. Here is OOD Director Kevin Miller's video message about our State of the State activities. The following events illustrate the ways OOD impacts the community.
Employer Training and
Recognition
– With participation from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
(ODJFS) and the Governor's Office of Workforce Transformation (OWT), OOD recognized local
employers for hiring individuals with disabilities. The event, held at
Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center (NHCC) – Operated by Columbus Hospitality, highlighted NHCC and The Alpha Group of Delaware, Inc. for their efforts in
training individuals with disabilities through the ACE job readiness training
program. Also honored were OOD participants who went through the training and
are working in the hospitality industry, along with one individual who is currently
in the training program. In addition, OOD held our disability etiquette training for area employers.
ODJFS Director Cynthia Dungey and OWT Director Ryan Burgess joined OOD Director Kevin Miller to recognize employers and individuals with disabilities.
OOD Job Seeker Hiring
Event at The Ohio State University’s Administration & Planning Division – Ohio State’s Administration & Planning Division recruitment team met with 23 OOD job
seekers. They held interviews for job openings and provided information on other employment opportunities. One job seeker was offered a position! The event was a great success and we are optimistic about the possibilities for the remaining job seekers who participated.
Director Kevin Miller thanks OOD and Ohio State staff for their hard work during the hiring event.
To see highlights from all of our events throughout the day visit our Twitter and Facebook pages. Check out #OHSOTS on Twitter to see what the Governor's Cabinet Directors did as they traveled throughout the Central Ohio community.
Senate
Bill 144, sponsored by Senator Dave Burke, was signed by Governor Kasich on
March 1st and will go into effect May 30th. The bill streamlines the OOD Commissioners, the
Governor's Council on People with Disabilities, and the Consumer Advisory
Committee into a single, more inclusive council that will provide feedback to
OOD on vocational rehabilitation (VR) services. The council will be named
Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities Council. The Governor will appoint members to the OOD Council by April 30th.
“Moving
to the OOD Council will improve collaboration with advocacy groups, consumers
and their families to ensure quality services for Ohioans with disabilities to
achieve meaningful employment and independence,” said OOD Director
Kevin Miller.
OOD worked with stakeholder groups to address
concerns throughout the legislative process. Proponents of the legislation
include Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI), National Alliance on
Mental Illness (NAMI), Deaf Services Center, National Multiple Sclerosis
Society, and Ohio Coalition for Education of Children with Disabilities.
The makeup of the council follows criteria established by the federal government. The council will consist of 15 members. Additionally, the existing OOD Commissioners will be rolled onto the council to serve out the remainder of their terms.
The OOD Council will meet quarterly to examine and
advise the agency regarding specific aspects of the VR program
as outlined in the federal regulations. The council will also be
responsible for reviewing state goals and priorities related to the VR services
portion of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Combined State
Plan. OOD will reimburse members for actual expenses associated with serving on
the council, such as travel and personal assistance services. For more information, visit New OOD Council Seeking Applications.
If you are interested
in serving on the OOD Council, you can find an application at Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities Council Application. To aid in the selection of council members, please specify on the
application the seat(s) for which you qualify. Questions can be directed to andrew.conners@ood.ohio.gov.
March
22nd is National Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Appreciation
Day.
Throughout the week of March 19th, OOD will be posting quotes and videos from
our counselors on social media. Make sure you are
following us on Twitter and Facebook.
Lauren Morris is a caseload
assistant in OOD’s Cincinnati regional office. See how she makes a difference
and learn something new about the work OOD's vocational rehabilitation employees do every day. To see Lauren’s video, visit A Link in the Chain: Lauren Morris.
Finding
the way around downtown Columbus is getting easier for individuals with
disabilities thanks to a $10,000 pilot grant from OOD combined with support from Columbus State Community College
(CSCC). Audio announcements ranging from pinpointing bus stops, unmarked street
crossings and temporary construction sites, along with providing indoor
navigation throughout CSCC campus buildings, is now available to anyone using a
smart phone app called BlindSquare.
“BlindSquare combines data from GPS outdoors and Bluetooth
beacons inside campus buildings for seamless navigation,” said Sarah Kelly, an OOD Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired (BSVI) program administrator who mastered the coding and other skills needed to get
this highly customized system going. The project goal is to help individuals with disabilities
navigate the campus and the surrounding area from several miles out in all
directions. Additionally, the Central Ohio Transit
Authority (COTA) has provided information on bus stop locations and bus routes
to riders in the area who utilize the BlindSquare app.
The
app is designed for travelers with wayfinding challenges, such as vision or
cognitive impairments, with the goal of facilitating independent travel. This
technology can provide an increased level of independence to students receiving services from CSCC’s Disability Services Office. For more
information, visit BlindSquare.
March is National
Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. OOD encourages you and your
community to provide support and opportunities for people with developmental
disabilities to reach their full potential. For more information, visit Ohio Department of
Developmental Disabilities.
Ohio’s first Deaf
History Month starts March 13th and runs through April 15th
to raise awareness about deaf history and culture throughout the state. Ohio Deaf
History Month's beginning date commemorates the date Dr. I. Jordan King was
elected as the first deaf president of Gallaudet University, a school for the
deaf and hard of hearing in 1988. The ending date recognizes the establishment
of our nation's first permanent school for the deaf in 1817. For more
information, visit Senate
passes legislation establishing Ohio Deaf History Month.
OOD’s
Division of Disability Determination’s (DDD) Homeless/Pre-Release/Special Projects
unit works with a variety of community partners, ranging from Cincinnati
Children’s Hospital to mental health centers, to provide timely, accurate
disability decisions for claimants who are homeless or at risk
of becoming homeless. Currently, seven OOD adjudicators serve on this team.
The
unit also collaborates with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction to provide expedited claim determinations for inmates with severe and
persistent psychological conditions that meet the Social Security Administration's disability
guidelines. The partnership strives to have benefits in place for inmates
when they are released from prison. An alliance with the Ohio Department
of Mental Health and Addiction Services is also in place to provide similar
services to patients institutionalized in state psychiatric hospitals.
In-Demand
Jobs Week is a statewide celebration of jobs, industries and skills that are
in-demand in Ohio. In-Demand Jobs Week occurs during the first full week in May
– this year, May 7-11. Community leaders statewide are encouraged to
partner to plan engaging events and activities that will inspire excitement and
awareness among students and job seekers.
What is an In-Demand Job?
An in-demand job or
occupation is a job that has a sustainable wage and a promising future based on
the projected number of openings and growth.
The following
criteria were used to define an in-demand job in Ohio:
- Median wage of more than $13.47 per hour
- Annual growth in the number of jobs greater than the statewide average of 50
- Annual job openings greater than the statewide average of 230
To
learn more about how you can get involved, visit In-Demand Jobs Week.
Connect to OOD on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to see items like this USA Today article focusing on individuals with disabilities finding work. #ConnectToOOD #OODWorks
Please share this publication and
encourage others to subscribe to the OOD Focus e-newsletter on
our website. Also, be sure to join
us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn.
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