Honoring Direct Support Professionals

Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities sent this bulletin at 09/10/2021 10:00 AM EDT

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Honoring Direct Support Professionals

Photo of two women and a man with play button superimposed. "There are people out there who truly care and are willing to help."

Direct Support Professional (DSP) Recognition Week is September 12-18, 2021. These professionals are the heart and soul of support for people with disabilities. We thank and celebrate them for their dedication.

Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) partners with 320 providers across the state to help individuals with disabilities obtain and maintain employment and gain independence. These providers offer vocational rehabilitation services such as training, job development, and job coaching for individuals with disabilities.

“These caring professionals help individuals realize their full potential. Their dedication helps people with disabilities fully engage in their communities,” said OOD Director Kevin Miller.

Watch a video to learn more about DSPs and the individuals they have supported.

OOD Assists Job Seekers

Photographic with man and woman looking at a calculator. Text: In August, 2021 we helped 531 people reach their goal of employment

During COVID-19, OOD staff have used telework to serve Ohioans without interruption. This has included Vocational Rehabilitation services so that Ohioans with disabilities could continue their pursuit of employment.

In August 2021, OOD helped even more Ohioans (531) reach their goal of employment compared to the pre-pandemic month of August 2019 (472), demonstrating a continued commitment to helping Ohioans with disabilities find their purpose and fulfill their potential.

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.

Free Webinar for Employers

Photographic show woman looking at a computer screen Text: Digital Accessibility and Accommodations

OOD is pleased to offer Digital Accessibility and Accomodations, a free training for employers on Wednesday, September 22, 2021 from 10 – 11 a.m.

In this training you will:

Learn about best practices for ensuring access to the digital environment for applicants and employees with disabilities.
Identify guidelines and tips for making the digital environment accessible for everyone.
Understand why it is important to include a reasonable accommodation statement in key areas of the digital environment.
Identify aspects of the digital environment accessed in the hiring process and in the workplace.
Learn common reasonable accommodations for a variety of disability types to enable access to the digital environment related to work.

The training will be hosted by OOD's Worksite Accessibility Specialist, Julie Wood, OTR/L, ADAC and Career Development Specialist, Dustin Schwab.

You will not need to pre-register for this training, but please respond to this 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.

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.

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 September 17, 2021.

This Program has been approved for 1.00 HR (General) recertification credit hour toward aPHR™, aPHRi™, PHR®, PHRca®, SPHR®, GPHR®, PHRi™ and SPHRi™ recertification through HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®).

The use of this official seal confirms that this Activity has met HR Certification Institute’s® (HRCI®) criteria for recertification credit pre-approval.

Trusted Coronavirus Information

Ilustrated graphic showing a test tube with the word coronavirus on it and red illustrated cells in the background

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

All About Accessibility: Learn Sign Language

photographic in black and white showing photos of the signs for O-h-i-o

Caption: Hands signing the word Ohio.

September is International Deaf Awareness Month, the perfect time to learn American Sign Language (ASL). Read an article from HearingLikeMe.com for information on different types of sign language and suggested ways to learn ASL.

In the News

Hillsborough County Introduces Buccaneers Wheelchair Football Team

Ohio News Times, 9-9-21

More Celebrities are Coming Out as Autistic - That Makes a Huge Difference

The Washington Post, 9-8-21

Deaf Community Responds to 'CODA': What the Movie Gets Right and Misses

Today, 9-8-21

CDC Rolls Out New COVID-19 Resources for People With IDD

Disability Scoop, 9-7-21

Helping People with Disabilities Find Jobs is Mission of Nonprofit Worker

Columbus Dispatch, 9-5-21

Professor Michael Schor Featured on Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities Podcast

Ohio University News, 8-27-21

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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.