Family Caregivers Help Maintain Employment

Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities sent this bulletin at 11/06/2020 09:58 AM EST

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Personal Care Attendant Program Helps Mike to Keep Healthy and Working

Photo of Mike Robison and his wife Tanya with Text; The Personal Care Attendant Program is great for anyone who relies on an attendant

Mike Robison and Tanya, his wife and Personal Care Attendant, celebrating their 37th wedding anniversary in October 2019.

On June 29, 2012, a large storm passed through Mike Robison’s home in Johnstown, knocking down several trees and branches. The following day, Mike was clearing branches from his yard when a large tree limb fell on him. The tree limb snapped his spine, leaving him paralyzed from his sternum to his toes.

While in the Ohio State Dodd Rehabilitation Hospital, a staff member talked with Mike about the Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) Personal Care Attendant (PCA) Program, a program that helps people with disabilities with activities of daily living.

In Johnstown, Mike’s church, Faith Fellowship Church, provided significant volunteer time and money to remodel his house to make it wheelchair-accessible. Mike is grateful to the church because the home remodel could not have been done without them.

Though Mike maintained his employment with Bennett & Williams Environmental Consultants, where he provides environmental consulting services for various clientele, he initially needed help at home with cooking, cleaning, laundry, basic first aid, transportation, bowel treatment, and care for pressure wounds.

In 2014, Mike called OOD about the PCA Program. After finding out more information about the Program, he talked with his wife Tanya, who agreed to be his PCA. As Mike developed severe osteoarthritis in both shoulders, Tanya’s PCA duties expanded to include bathing, changing clothes, and getting into and out of bed.

For the past two years, he has been working with Marly Saade, a PCA Program Coordinator with the Center for Disability Empowerment. The PCA Program helps Mike to keep healthy, which keeps him working.

“The PCA Program is great for anyone who relies on an attendant for help to get through the day,” said Mike.

“Mike is a great guy. I appreciate supporting him and making sure everything is running smoothly,” said Marly.

For more information about OOD’s PCA Program, visit the Personal Care Attendant Program webpage.

November is Family Caregivers Month

Photo of young woman visiting with an elderly man and woman with masks on through a window. Text: National Caregivers Month

OOD is proud to recognize November as National Family Caregivers Month, a time to celebrate the contributions of caregivers, provide them with tools that they need, and continue to support individuals with disabilities.

OOD Continues to Assist Job Seekers

Photo of African American man looking down at his cell phone. Text: In past 33 weeks, OOD has placed 3,022 jobseekers

If you or somebody you know has a disability and would like to work, reach out to OOD today. Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors can help you explore your options. Visit OODWorks.com or call 800-282-4536 to get started.

Chicago Regional Commissioner’s Honor Award Recipients

Earlier this week, Division of Disability Determination (DDD) staff Khristine Brenning, Elizabeth Bando, Melissa Leeper, Jeff Miller, and Wendy Rutter were recognized by the Social Security Administration (SSA) with the Regional Commissioner’s Citation for outstanding achievements and service to the public.

The Regional Commissioner’s Citation is the highest honor award presented by the SSA in recognition of those employees who have made significant contributions throughout the year in assisting the region with delivering outstanding public service.

Khristine Brenning, a Senior Disability Claims Adjudicator, received an individual citation for demonstrating exceptional assistance to customers and coworkers, compassion, and a dedication to professional growth and leadership. In addition to her typical case assignment responsibilities, Khristine was an early user of the Disability Case Processing System (DCPS) when it launched in Ohio and was among the nation's first users. She also has served in the Fast track/Military Casualty Unit.

Elizabeth Bando, Melissa Leeper, Jeff Miller, and Wendy Rutter, Disability Claims Supervisors with the Training Department, received a team citation for their outstanding performance, dedication, and perseverance in developing and implementing a new training environment for staff to incorporate the new DCPS.

Congratulations!

All About Accessibility: Caregiving Tips for Families of People with Disabilities

image of a lightbulb with Text: Helpful Tips

If you are a family member who cares for someone with a disability, whether a child or an adult, juggling caregiving, everyday tasks, and personal needs can be challenging. It’s important for caregivers to stay safe and healthy in order to care for their loved ones. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers caregiving tips to provide families with information on how to stay healthy and positive.

Ohio Pandemic Relief Program

Families and small businesses can begin applying today for three critical relief programs: Home Relief Grant, Small Business Relief Grant, and the Bar & Restaurant Assistance Fund. For more information, visit BusinessHelp.Ohio.Gov.

For trusted information on coronavirus (COVID-19) in Ohio, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634).

In the News

Disability Employment: Raising Awareness

The Wright State Guardian, 11-4-20

Wheelchair Company Builds in Huron

Sandusky Register, 11-1-20

iPhones Can Now Tell Blind Users Where and How Far Away People Are

Tech Crunch, 10-30-20

SoundWatch Alerts Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing People to Important Sounds

News Atlas, 10-28-20

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Programs provided by Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) 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) 2020, OOD received $103,332,949 in federal funds. Funds appropriated by the State covered 21.3 % of the total costs, or $27,966,859. Of these federal funds, $15,499,942 is set aside for Pre-ETS. For purposes of the Supported Employment (SE) Program, the DOE SE grant funded 90% of the costs for the Supported Employment for Youth with a Disability Program up to the grant amount and 100% of the costs of regular Supported Employment program costs up to the grant amount. In FFY 2020, OOD received $369,584 for SE Youth with a Disability, and State appropriated funds paid the remaining 10%, or $41,065 of the total costs. In FFY 2020, OOD received $369,584 in regular SE grant funds. For purposes of the Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who are Blind (OIB) Program, the federal grant received from DOE in FFY 2020 paid 90% of the total costs incurred under the program. In FFY 2020, OOD received $1,148,413 in federal grant funds. Funds appropriated by the State paid over the 10% required match, or $127,601 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 2020. In FFY 2020, OOD received $641,721 in federal grant funds. Funds appropriated by the State paid over the 10% of the match required or $71,302 of the total costs incurred under the IL Program.