Director Miller Advocates for “More Inclusive Ohio” at AIM Hire
 The “Building an Inclusive Ohio” panel at the May 2019 AIM Hire Summit. From left to right: Ronald Todd II, Minority Affairs Liaison for Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and panel facilitator; Gina Cheverine, VP of Inclusion and Strategic Partnerships, Greater Cleveland Partnership; Kevin Miller, Director, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities; and Tiffany Polite, Ph.D., University Innovation Alliance Fellow, The Ohio State University.
On May 16, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) Director Kevin Miller took part in the “Building an Inclusive Ohio” panel discussion that was part of the AIM Hire: Workforce and Education Conference. Co-sponsored by Ohio Excels, a new nonpartisan coalition of business leaders and the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, the conference took place at the Sheraton Capitol Square in Columbus. The event brought together Ohio business and education leaders to strengthen collaboration and better prepare students and employees for success.
Ohio Excels recognizes the important role it must play in addressing Ohio’s education and workforce challenges. One of those challenges is inclusion of all Ohioans in the new economy, including minorities, women and those with disabilities.The purpose of the panel was to educate audience members about why it is critical to build a more inclusive Ohio.
“There are 1.6 million Ohioans who self-identify as having a disability, and 870,000 of them are eligible to work,” stated Director Miller as he opened the panel. “Our job at OOD is to help them find their purpose, participate in their communities and achieve financial independence. Work should always be the first option.”
Director Miller went on to share that one of Governor Mike DeWine’s top priorities is for Ohio to be a disability inclusion state. He pointed out that the Governor’s proposed budget for OOD supports this priority by investing in funding for direct services for students with disabilities who are working toward a credential or college degree that will help ensure they earn higher wages and meet the demands of tomorrow’s labor market.
“One of the first things we need to do is change tactics and the mentality regarding job possibilities for those with disabilities,” said Miller. “In order for Ohio to be an inclusion state, we are going to have to break stereotypes.”
Director Miller challenged employers to hold up the mirror to their organizations. He explained that the State of Ohio had to look at its own record and ask, “Why don’t we have more people with disabilities working for us? Were we doing everything possible to ensure our agencies were accessible to job seekers with disabilities?”
He went on to explain the benefits of an inclusive workforce. “When you hire people with disabilities, both production and retention goes up,” said Miller. “We need to raise disability awareness in the workplace to promote inclusion and diversity,” he added.
Dana’s New Beginning
 After struggling with a mental health disability, Dana was able to restart her life and career with the help of Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities. Watch a video about her experience.
Ohio’s Innovative Approaches Featured at National Conference
 Last month, OOD leadership participated in the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) Spring Conference. Kristen Ballinger, Deputy Director of Employer and Innovation Services, and Jon Hackathorn, Business Relations Manager, presented on Innovative Approaches to Business Partnerships. They described two examples in which OOD has embedded a staff person to facilitate recruitment and retention of talented individuals with disabilities. Following the presentation, Kathy West-Evans, Director of Business Relations for the CSAVR, said “This is why I asked Ohio to come to share information with all of you about their innovative partnerships with business!” OOD leaders were approached by professionals from Georgia, Minnesota, Indiana and Michigan, who wanted to learn more about the model.
 Danielle Fedak received a job on the spot at a recent hiring event.
McDonald’s franchisee, Tomtreyco, Inc., worked with OOD staff in Youngstown to hold a hiring event earlier this year in January. The employer, so pleased with the results, reached out to OOD again in April to help fill vacancies for the newly remodeled McDonald’s in Canfield.
“By partnering with OOD, we have been able to maintain our staffing levels, grow our company and provide employment opportunities to people who may not get to work otherwise,” said Michaela Morris, Human Resource Specialist and People Ambassador for Tomtreyco, Inc. “Individuals with disabilities have a place in each of our restaurants and help us serve our communities,” Morris added. “It's all about finding their niche.”
Dan Williams, an OOD job developer in Youngstown, immediately began working to put this event together. With the cooperation of other staff in Youngstown and Business Relations Specialist Ron Klonowski, the hiring event took place on May 3 at the Mahoning County OhioMeansJobs (OMJ) Center. Interviews, exclusively for those with disabilities, were held in the morning. In the afternoon, Mahoning OMJ job seekers participated in interviews. Seven OOD participants interviewed, and three were offered jobs that same day. Two candidates required further consideration due to scheduling and availability, and one candidate interviewed for a management position.
Danielle Fedak was one of the OOD participants who received a job on the spot. She said, “It felt pretty great to be hired! I was surprised at how fast it happened, but I was so glad that I got the job!”
Williams explained, “Even though this was a smaller event than ones we have had in the past, the fact that the employer reached out to us, and we quickly worked together, makes this one of our most successful hiring events. With help from our partners at OMJ, job seekers got hired right on the spot.”
 Scott Wade and Keith Adams
Earlier this month, two staff with the Division of Disability Determination (DDD) were recognized by the Social Security Administration as recipients of the 2019 Commissioner’s Honor Awards for outstanding achievements and service to the public during Federal Fiscal Year 2018.
“This is a well-deserved honor for both Scott Wade and Keith Adams,” said Director Kevin Miller. “They have gone above and beyond in their duties by enhancing our technology systems to serve claimants as efficiently as possible.”
Scott Wade received the Commissioner’s Commendation Team Award in recognition of his extraordinary teamwork and special assistance to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. “I am honored to have been asked to assist in helping Puerto Rico’s Disability Determination Services after Hurricane Maria and the great damage it caused,” said Wade. “I consider myself lucky to be part of OOD, an organization that helps so many people,” he added.
Wade has been with DDD for 23 years. He began his career in vocational rehabilitation prior to joining the information technology (IT) staff. As part of IT, Wade has supported a range of customers and developed programs and methods to aid OOD and disability determination offices in other states. Currently, Wade is Systems Architect/Consultant, working on a new Case Processing System that will be used nationally.
Keith Adams received the Commissioner’s Disability Program Leadership Award in recognition of his overall commitment to providing excellent service, contributions and teamwork in the national rollout of the Disability Case Processing System (DCPS). As one of the original members of this team, Adams provided feedback, participated in beta testing and provided training on DCPS to new staff members. “It is a great privilege to receive the Disability Program Leadership Award,” said Adams. “There are so many individuals who have put in hard work designing, improving and rolling out DCPS, and I am truly honored to be recognized for my efforts with the system.”
Adams has been with DDD for ten years and currently serves as a Senior Disability Claims Adjudicator. Previously, Adams was a member of the Anti-Fraud Work Group from 2011-2013 which achieved the highest savings to the Social Security program in 2011/2012. The Anti-Fraud Team received the spring 2013 Employee Excellence in Service Award for their work in this area. Adams has also been a member of the Fast Track team since 2016, accurately processing Quick Disability Determination, Compassionate Allowances and Military Casualty Claims for DDD.
All About Accessibility: Social Media
 Social media platforms can be challenging for people with disabilities to access, but there are best practices to promote accessible posts. It is important for businesses, organizations and agencies to promote accessibility in their social media strategies. After all, an effective organization depends on engaging customers and clients as well as having a diverse, well-prepared workforce. Accessible information and technology are essential for both.
Check out the Federal Social Media Accessibility Toolkit Hackpad, created by multiple agencies including the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, for information about writing in plain language as well as accessibility tips for Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, Instagram, Vine, blogs and other social media platforms. The guide also includes real-life examples, training suggestions and additional resources to ensure that social media content is usable and accessible to all.
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