Casey Proves He Can; Partnership with Bob Evans Restaurants; September is Service Dog Awareness Month; Apprentice Ohio Helps Students "Earn While They Learn"; OOD Annual Report for State Fiscal Year 2019; All about Accessibility: Using Alexa to Play Podcasts; Stay Tuned for Direct Support Professionals Week; In the News

Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities sent this bulletin at 09/06/2019 11:14 AM EDT

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Casey Proves He Can

Photo of Casey Hutson standing in front of his home

Casey Hutson in Lorain, Ohio.

Before his family moved to Ohio from another state several years ago, Casey Hutson was told he would never be able to secure competitive employment.

He was referred to Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) while a junior at Avon High School. Working with Mariella Ramaley, senior vocational rehabilitation counselor, Casey participated in Summer Youth Work Experience in 2016 and 2017. These early work experiences set the stage for acceptance into Project SEARCH at Mercy Health in Lorain in 2018.

Casey continued to do well as a participant of Project SEARCH. In March 2019, Casey and his team felt he was ready to obtain competitive employment. He began working with Liz Wilson, job developer with OakLeaf Partners/United Cerebral Palsy. The job developer assisted Casey with completing an application for a positon in the maintenance department at a nearby high school. He interviewed in April and got the job.

Casey proved the naysayers wrong. Not only did he get the maintenance job, but he is thriving in his fulltime position, receiving good wages and benefits.

“I am beyond excited Casey was able to obtain a full-time job, with great benefits, after graduating high school,” said Ramaley. “Casey has always been motivated, dedicated, and puts forth his best effort. He has a great team of people working with him, including his father who has always been supportive. Everyone played an integral role in helping Casey succeed.”

Individuals interested in getting started with OOD can visit OODWorks.com or call 800-282-4536.

Partnership with Bob Evans Restaurants

Two Bob Evans employees working at a grill

The Business Relations Team at OOD partners with more than 500 Ohio employers to source candidates for in-demand jobs. The team also provides no-cost disability etiquette and awareness training and worksite accessibility services to strengthen employers’ efforts to be a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Watch a video that explains how Bob Evans Restaurants turns to OOD when they are looking for employees with great customer service skills and heartfelt hospitality.

Are you an employer interested in partnering with OOD? Call the Hiring Ability Hotline at 866-895-0058 to speak to an OOD representative and start a partnership with the agency.

September is Service Dog Awareness Month

Photo of blind man with his service dog and the text: and these incredible animals are making thousands of lives better and safer

September is National Service Dog Awareness Month, a time designated to raising awareness and showing appreciation for the extraordinary work service animals do every day for the people in their care. Watch a video to learn more.

ApprenticeOhio Helps Students “Earn While They Learn”

A unique partnership between ApprenticeOhio and community colleges across Ohio is providing opportunities for Ohio students to become skilled workers through apprenticeships. The program, founded two years ago with help from a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, is called the Ohio College Apprenticeship Consortium. Currently, 238 registered apprentices are part of this grant project with nine participating community colleges: Columbus State Community College, Cuyahoga County Community College, Edison State Community College, Lorain County Community College, North Central State College, Rhodes State College, Sinclair Community College, Stark State College, and Washington State Community College.

“The colleges supply an invaluable business service to employers by providing administrative oversight and technical classroom instruction for apprentices to gain nationally-recognized credentials through the Registered Apprenticeship model,” said Ryan Thompson, Assistant Deputy Director, Office of Workforce Development, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Participating students complete pre-apprenticeship and registered apprenticeship programs in occupations identified by local businesses as needing workers. A combination of classroom and on-the-job training helps apprentices gain the skills that the employers are looking for in fields such as manufacturing, computer programming, construction, healthcare, and business. Each new registered apprentice is eligible for up to $2,500 in tuition reimbursement as well as the opportunity to earn a paycheck.

A student who is receiving services from OOD may also be eligible to participate in the Ohio College Apprenticeship Consortium. Currently, there are more than 600 registered apprenticeship sponsors in Ohio. Students or employers interested in getting involved can visit Apprentice.Ohio.gov.

OOD Annual Report for State Fiscal Year 2019

Photo of OOD's Annual Report Cover featuring five people with disabilities

Now available: the OOD Annual Report for Federal Fiscal Year 2018 and State Fiscal Year 2019. Check it out to learn more about efforts over the last 12 months to assist Ohioans with disabilities in achieving quality employment, disability determinations, and independence.

All About Accessibility: Using Alexa to Play Podcasts

Photo of an Alexa speaker tower on a shelf with plants and a mirror

Did you know you can use verbal commands to play podcasts on the Amazon Alexa device?

Alexa defaults to the TuneIn Live skill (an app that gives Alexa an added ability) for listening to podcasts. To get started, open the Alexa app on your smartphone. From the top-right menu, select “skills” and search for “TuneIn Live.” Enable this skill by clicking the “enable” button.

To use your voice to play a podcast, simply say, “Alexa, on TuneIn, play podcast OOD Works,” (or whatever the name of whatever podcast you would like to hear).

If you are interested in learning about alternatives to TuneIn Live, such as AnyPod, check out an article by the-ambient.com.

Stay Tuned for Direct Support Professionals Week

Graphic featuring image of a mega phone and the words: STAY TUNED

National Direct Support Professionals Week is September 8-14. Next week’s OOD Works e-Newsletter will honor the important role Direct Support Professionals have in helping people with disabilities live, work, and enjoy life more independently in the community.

In the News

Akron Marathon Charitable Corporation Announces the First-Ever Sensory Inclusive Marathon Becomes First-Ever Sensory Inclusive Marathon

PR Newswire, 9-4-19

Parenting with a Disability Makes Me Feel Like an ‘Impostor’ as a Mother

The Washington Post, 9-4-19

Leveling the Playing Field, Video Games Empower People with Disabilities

WV Public Broadcasting, 9-4-19

Work Opportunities Expanding for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities

Columbus CEO, 9-3-19

Disabled Workers Bring a Range of Strengths and Assets to the Job

New York Post, 9-3-19

The Dignity of Disabled Lives

The New York Times (opinion), 9-2-19

Employers can Benefit by Hiring People with Intellectual Disabilities

USA Today, 9-2-19

The Career Path Less Taken

WOSU, 9-1-19

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Programs provided by the Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities are funded, in whole or in part, with federal grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). For purposes of the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Program, including Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS), OOD received 78.7% of its funding through the DOE VR grant. In Federal fiscal year (FFY) 2018, OOD received $100,336,097 in federal funds. Funds appropriated by the State covered 21.3 % of the total costs, or $27,155,767. Of these federal funds, $15,050,415 is set aside for Pre-ETS. For purposes of the Supported Employment Program, the DOE VR grant funded 100% of the costs for the Supported Employment for Youth with a Disability Program. In FFY 2018, OOD received $303,725. The grant also funded 95% of the Supported Employment Program (non-Youth). In FFY 2018, OOD received $303,725 and the State appropriated funds paid the remaining 5% or $33,747 of the total costs. For purposes of the Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who are Blind (OIB) Program, the federal grant received from DOE in FFY 2018 paid 90% of the total costs incurred under the program. In FFY 2018, OOD received $1,174,400 in federal grant funds. Funds appropriated by the State paid 10% or $130,489 of the total costs incurred under the OIB program. For purposes of the Independent Living (IL) Program, the federal grant received from HHS paid 90% of the total costs incurred in FFY 2018. In FFY 2018, OOD received funding of $632,411. Funds appropriated by the State paid 10% or $70,268 of the total costs incurred under the IL Program.