 Lisa McGuire was born with retinitis pigmentosa, and over time, her vision slowly decreased. When she was no longer able to read print materials with eyeglasses, she reached out to Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD).
In 2010, Lisa met with Bernadetta King, an OOD Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor. Bernadetta helped Lisa retain her job as a medical transcriptionist by introducing her to assistive technology. When Bernadetta was promoted to another position at OOD, Lisa began working with Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Christine Strahler.
In 2017, Lisa found herself unemployed after the company she was working for experienced a cyber-attack. Lisa reconnected with Christine, who supported her with a vocational goal of medical coding.
Lisa attended Purdue University Global and received a certificate in medical coding. However, Lisa needed to pass the medical coding certification exam. Christine connected Lisa with Tiehan Liu, Ph.D., with Ohio Job Connection. With Dr. Liu’s assistance, Lisa passed the exam, becoming the first person with a visual disability to pass the medical coding certification exam nationwide.
In 2018, Lisa applied for a job at the Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital at Dover and was hired. She needed assistance reading text on the computer screen. Dr. Liu worked with Josh Penso, Manager of Information Systems at Union Hospital, to install screen reader technology.
“Lisa does a great job for us,” said Kevin Milligan, Director of Union Physician Services. “She is a leader in our department. We had a good experience with getting her onboarded.”
Lisa has been on the job for more than two years. “OOD has helped me so much in reaching my goals,” she said. “Work is extremely important to me, and I am so grateful for all of the opportunities I have been given.”
“Lisa has always been an active participant in the process and can advocate for herself when needed,” said Christine. “She has taught me a lot which has helped me be a better counselor and stronger advocate for my participants. Her motivation and drive to succeed is an inspiration to all.”
If you or somebody you know has a disability and would like to work, visit OODWorks.com or call 800-282-4536.
 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.
 Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Andrew Saul recently announced OOD’s Division of Disability Determination (DDD) staff received the 2021 Commissioner’s Honor Award, the highest SSA honor for excellence, awarded for superior public service.
Over the last two years, DDD updated to a new Disability Case Processing System (DCPS). In June 2020, DDD began to rely on the new system and phase out the older version. Exceptions to the new system led DDD, in conjunction with various SSA partners, to quickly form a team to address barriers, process exceptions, and ensure all customers receive timely service. The DDD team learned and used the Modernized Integrated Disability Adjudicative System case processing system to address the resulting challenges while providing internal support to the intake/closure department, consultative exam scheduling, and medical/psychological consultant reviews.
According to SSA Commissioner Saul, “Their commitment and dedication to the project has resulted so far in hundreds of Ohioans, whose disability cases cannot be processed in DCPS, receiving prompt service as well as saving more than $500,000 by not renewing the older system.”
Ten of the members of this team (left to right, top to bottom), Isaac Sneed, Matthew Welsh, Deborah Sedwick, Derek Chrisman, Frederick Schindler, Jamie Dyer, Orlando Rodriguez, Jennifer Koppelman, Justin Blaskie, and Andrew Schwochow, are OOD employees.
 All Ohioans 12+ are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. The Ohio Department of Health offers a fact sheet on frequently asked questions for parents, guardians, and youth ages 12-17 eligible for the Pfizer vaccine. Schedule vaccinations at GetTheShot.coronavirus.ohio.gov.
Ohio Vax-A-Million is a public outreach campaign consisting of a series of statewide drawings to increase awareness of the availability and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and provide incentives to Ohioans to get a COVID-19 vaccination. Make sure you are entered by visiting OhioVaxAMillion.com today!
Ohioans 12 to 17 years of age, who have received at least their first COVID-19 vaccination, may enter for a chance to win one of five four-year full-ride scholarships, including room and board, tuition, and books, to any Ohio state college or university.
Ohioans 18 years of age and older who have received at least their first COVID-19 vaccination if receiving the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or one dose if receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, have a chance to win one of five, $1 million prizes.
Ohio Vax-a-Million is an opt-in program. Ohioans will be asked to register for the drawings by visiting OhioVaxAMillion.com or by calling the Ohio Department of Health Call Center at 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634) between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily. Registration is quick and easy. To be eligible for the final drawing, you must submit an entry through OhioVaxAMillion.com by June 19, 2021, 11:59:59 p.m.
Winners are announced each Wednesday. A listing of TV stations where the announcement is available is at OhioVaxAMillion.com. The winners are also posted on OhioVaxAMillion.com after the announcement. The final announcement will take place on Wednesday, June 23, 2021.
For trusted information on coronavirus (COVID-19) in Ohio, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634).
 Plain language is a way of sharing information that helps your audience understand it the first time they read it. By using plain language, you can communicate well with clients and customers, providing them with information that is accessible and simple to understand.
The Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN) is a working group of federal employees from different agencies and specialties who support clear communication in government writing. PLAIN suggests various resources for learning how to use plain language, including videos, online training, toolkit, and tips. Visit PlainLanguage.gov.
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