 William Fliehman working at Applebee’s.
William Fliehman of Zanesville enjoys being around others, watching movies, and shopping. He knew as a teenager that he wanted to work in food service. He completed the restaurant and food service operations program at the Mid-East Career and Technology Centers in Zanesville.
William has Laurence-Moon syndrome, a rare genetic condition that impacts his vision and intellectual functioning.
The Muskingum County Board of Developmental Disabilities referred William to Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD). He began working with Hollie Hendricks, OOD Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, and made clear his goal to work in food service. Hollie helped set up orientation and mobility assessments to better understand assistance that would benefit William at home and work.
William selected RHDD-Creative Employment Solutions as his provider, and Nicole Smith, Employment Services Administrator, began working with William on job development. Because of his visual disability, several potential employers expressed concern about hiring William for safety reasons. Nicole and Tina Allison, Certified Employment Support Professional, reached out to a manager at Applebee’s on William’s behalf, and proposed several ideas to enable him to perform the job safely. The manager decided to give William a chance.
Allie Embree, Certified Employment Support Professional, provided job coaching on-site to help William learn the job. Applebee’s provided accommodations including brighter lighting and stationary work. A talking scale purchased by OOD helps William pre-portion food. Nicole explained that coworkers look out for William. “He has a great support system there,” Nicole said.
John Fliehman is William’s father. He said, “This job is what William needed. It gives him a sense of accomplishment.”
William receives supported employment from the Muskingum County Board of Developmental Disabilities, which means he continues to receive long-term, ongoing support for as long as needed. Kelly Jackson is William’s Employment Navigation Specialist. “William is the friendliest person. He is an awesome guy,” Kelly said.
William said, “I like my friends I work with. We all have a good laugh. I like all the tasks I do.”
 Work provided Steven Pryce with a new start.
Today Steven Pryce from North Canton is happily employed in a manufacturing position with the auto industry, but that wasn’t always the case.
After college, Steven was diagnosed with schizophrenia and began a long journey of coming to terms with having a mental health disability. He had ups and downs with medication and tried different kinds of mental health treatment.
Once he found stability, Steven wanted to work. He was able to get a peer support job and helped maintain apartments. “I left this job and started working with an employment agency, and OOD was right next door. I’m so glad they were there,” said Steven.
Steven worked with Raenell May, OOD Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, on career exploration. They planned a course of action and investigated the employment fields of retail, manufacturing, and insurance. Steven chose to pursue work in a factory. “We provided Steven with job coaching to help him get and keep the job. We provided him with information about the Americans with Disabilities Act and his choices regarding disclosure. We also helped him with interpersonal skills,” said Raenell.
“Steven was capable and a quick learner when it came to his job,” said Gary Breen, Job Developer with Creative Rehab, who provided Steven with job coaching. “I worked with him on interpersonal skills and problem solving so the job was more manageable and less overwhelming. As he got more comfortable, his confidence grew,” Gary said.
“I found so much support from OOD, and they gave me options," said Steven. "They are there for people with disabilities, no matter what the disability.”
Steven worked hard, made it through his four-month probationary period, and was hired in a permanent position. Today he works on assembly and distribution. He was recently given an award for perfect attendance five years in a row. In his spare time, he enjoys writing and was recently published by the Akron Beacon Journal, describing his experience with schizophrenia.
Raenell explained, “We rarely get to find out what happens after we close a person’s case. Steven has kept us informed about how he is doing, and it is wonderful and rewarding to know that he is successful and is doing well.”
If you have a disability and would like to work, visit www.OODWorks.com or call 800-282-4536 to get started.
 Teresa Gray, Rhonda Tanner, Darin McCoy, and Tom Melfo.
The OOD Division of Disability Determination (DDD), in agreement with the Social Security Administration (SSA), determines medical eligibility for Ohioans who apply for Social Security disability benefits. DDD is federally regulated and receives 100% of its funding from SSA. Under SSA, disability is based on an individual’s inability to work.
“Our staff do a good job understanding the sense of urgency that people need to get a decision quickly on their cases,” explained Rhonda Tanner, DDD Deputy Director.
Tune in to episode 13 of OOD Works Podcast to hear from Rhonda and DDD Assistant Deputy Directors Tom Melfo, Teresa Gray, and Darin McCoy.
 The Ohio Association of the DeafBlind will present a workshop on Saturday, March 7 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Columbus Colony Housing 2 Multi-Purpose Room at 1105 Colony Drive, Westerville, Ohio 43081. “Feeling Through,” a film about the unlikely connection between a teen without a home and a deaf-blind man, will be featured. The workshop discussion will center on “Empowering the Deaf-Blind to Succeed.” The co-chairs strongly encourage registering as soon as possible. Please contact Donna Schultz at Donna.Schultzdb@gmail.com and Bryan Grubb at brgms415@gmail.com for more information.
The National Weather Service created symbol-supported weather safety materials specifically for individuals with disabilities. These materials help inform individuals with disabilities about dangerous weather conditions and important safety precautions. Visit https://www.weather.gov/wrn/intellectualdisabilities to learn more.
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