 Jennifer Taggart is ready for work at the Pleasantview Care Center in Parma.
Jennifer Taggart of Strongsville came to Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) in September 2018, after completing an internship in communications. Jennifer was seeking assistance in finding a full-time job and began working with Susan Hayes, OOD Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, and Eric Hibinger, Job Placement Supervisor with United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Cleveland.
OOD provided Jennifer with rehabilitation technology equipment and training, online certifications related to her job goal, job search skills, interview preparation, job development, and on-the-job supports.
Last summer, Jennifer began looking for a job in one field, and when inspired to expand her area of interest, got a job at Pleasantview Care Center in Parma.
"Jen was highly motivated and always professional. We were excited when she landed the job at Pleasantview Care Center," said Susan.
As a part-time receptionist at Pleasantview, Jennifer's responsibilities include answering phones, data entry, sorting mail, and other office duties. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jen has continued her work since she is an essential employee. She helps conduct screenings of everyone who enters the building to help keep residents safe.
"It is very humbling to have Governor DeWine and Dr. Amy Acton call nursing home employees 'heroes' when I am doing what I've always done," said Jennifer. "I also feel lucky to be working at a time when others are losing their jobs."
Jennifer has frequently told her mom, Cathy Taggart, that her favorite part of her work is interacting with the residents, providing help, or encouraging family members. "Jen has always had a heart for encouraging others," Cathy said. "We are so proud she found a job that allows her to share her compassion when people need it most.”
"Having a disability (cerebral palsy) is what helps me relate to and connect with the residents," said Jennifer. "l know what it feels like to navigate the world with physical challenges, as many of our residents do."
If you have a disability and want to work, visit www.oodworks.com.
 The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) joined with Governor Mike DeWine and RecoveryOhio to launch a new, toll-free Careline to provide emotional support for Ohioans who are experiencing stress, anxiety, fear, sadness, and loneliness amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Ohioans may call 1-800-720-9616 to connect with trained counselors for 24/7 support. The Careline is staffed by credentialed counselors who have been trained to provide free, confidential support for a wide range of needs, including mental health concerns, substance use, problem gambling, and more. Individuals experiencing an acute crisis can still reach out to the Ohio Crisis Text Line (keyword 4HOPE to 741 741) or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255). Find more information at http://mha.ohio.gov/careline.
 In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month this May, OOD is hosting a free Webinar for employers, “Mental Health Disabilities in the Workplace.” The free web-based training will take place Thursday, May 14, 2020 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Learn what barriers and limitations employees with mental health disabilities encounter at work and what reasonable accommodations are available to enable job performance. The training will include a discussion on the interactive process, proper communications, confidentiality, and a Q&A.
The training will be hosted by OOD’s Worksite Accessibility Specialist, Julie Zeigler Wood, Occupational Therapist Registered/Licensed.
The training will take place as a Microsoft Teams Live Event. You can view the training through your web browser, and you do not need to have Microsoft Teams to participate. Here is the link to join the training.
You will not need to pre-register for this training, but please respond to this brief survey to let us know you’ll be joining us. This will assist us in making sure we are sharing any updates, attachments, and resources before and after the event.
OOD is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, and programs in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and other applicable laws. To request an accommodation based on a disability, please contact Chris Glover at Chris.Glover@ood.ohio.gov by May 7, 2020.
For trusted information on coronavirus (COVID-19) in Ohio, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634). Be sure to check frequently for new resources. Recent additions include the Stay Safe Ohio Order, Responsible Restart Ohio, Continued Business Closures, and Find Local Health Districts.
A State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL) must reflect the needs of individuals with significant disabilities in the state. To accurately describe the complexity of the challenges and barriers encountered both individually and at the systems level requires a thoughtful, organized approach.
The Plan outlines the goals and objectives of the Independent Living Program for the next three years, as well as the steps we will take across the state to support and achieve them.
The primary duty of the Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC) is to jointly develop the SPIL with the Centers for Independent Living (CILs) in the state, after public input from individuals with disabilities, other stakeholders, and all segments of the public are considered. The SPIL reflects the state’s commitment to comply with all applicable statutory and regulatory requirements during the three years covered by the Plan.
Your voice is important! Comments are needed by May 20, 2020 in order to finalize the plan due to the Administration for Community Living (ACL) on June 30, 2020. Ways to provide comments include:
- Visit the Statewide Independent Living Council website
- Email comments to PlanComments@ohiosilc.org
- Call to leave comments at 614-892-0390
- Mail comments to 670 Morrison Road, Suite 200, Gahanna, Ohio 43230
The Ohio Digital Library is always open. No library card? No problem! It just takes a few seconds to sign up using your mobile number and start borrowing free digital titles.
OverDrive is a free service offered by the Ohio Digital Library (and other libraries) that lets you borrow digital content (like ebooks and audiobooks). Every OverDrive collection is slightly different because each library or school picks the digital content they want for their users. Check out an introduction to OverDrive, which is supported on a variety of devices (Android, Apple, Chromebook, Kindle, Libby, and more).
Also, OverDrive is compatible with native screen readers on desktop and mobile devices. Learn more about OverDrive accessibility features.
The Coronavirus.Ohio.Gov website includes a dedicated webpage with a collection of the most recent news releases from Governor DeWine, the Ohio Department of Health, and slides used in COVID-19 Daily Briefings by Governor DeWine and Amy Acton, MD, MPH, Director of the Ohio Department of Health. Also included on this page are a selection of curated news stories about COVID-19.
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