Honoring Direct Support Professionals

Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities sent this bulletin at 09/09/2022 10:00 AM EDT

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Honoring Direct Support Professionals

Photos of 10 Direct Support Professionals with Text: Direct Support Professionals and a small play button

Direct Support Professional (DSP) Recognition Week is September 11-17, 2022.

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 more than 300 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 skilled professionals help individuals with disabilities achieve their career goals,” said OOD Director Kevin Miller. “Their dedication helps people with disabilities gain independence and make a lasting impact in their community.”

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

OOD Assists Job Seekers

Photo graphic of young Asian man and Text: In August 2022, we helped 456 people reach their goal of employment

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

Graphic of 11 individuals with various disabilities Text: The Employers' Reasonable Accommodation Handbook Session three mental health Disbailities

Wednesday, September 14, 2022

10 - 11 a.m.

OOD is pleased to host a six-part webinar series – The Employers’ Reasonable Accommodation Handbook. In Session Three: Mental Health Disabilities, learn best practices for navigating the interactive process with employees who have mental health disabilities, ways to foster a disability-inclusive workplace, and ideas for providing effective reasonable accommodations.

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

Please respond here to let us know you're attending. This will assist us in making sure we are sharing any updates, attachments, and resources before and after the event. If you have already registered to attend this webinar series, you do not need to register again. You have the option to register for one or all upcoming webinars in this series. All webinars begin at 10 a.m.

Session Four: Neurodiversity at Work, October 19, 2022

Session Five: Sensory Disabilities, November 17, 2022

Session Six: What Can I Ask and Why?, December 14, 2022

The webinars will take place as Microsoft Teams Live Events. You can view the training through your web browser, and you do not need to have Microsoft Teams to participate. Click here to join Session Three.

Each webinar in this series has been approved for 1.00 HR (General) re-certification credit hour toward aPHR™, aPHRi™, PHR®, PHRca®, SPHR®, GPHR®, PHRi™, and SPHRi™ re-certification through HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®) and 1.00 SHRM Professional Development Credit (PDC) hour toward SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP®. While this training is not pre-approved for CESP Continuing Education (CE) credit, it aligns with CESP content, and verification of attendance will be provided upon request. These credits are available for attendees of the live broadcast.

Graphic of HRCI and SHRM Credential Seals

Disability Voting Rights Week

Photo cover of Director Miller at Secretary of State's booth at the Ohio State Fair and a play button

The American Association of People with Disabilities is coordinating Disability Voting Rights Week, September 12-16, 2022, to make a concerted effort to get people with disabilities registered to vote and prepared to cast a ballot in November. The REV UP campaign encourages individuals to “Register! Educate! Vote! Use your Power!”

Watch a video of Director Miller encouraging individuals with disabilities to have their voice heard.

Information from Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose is available at VoteOhio.gov.

Financial Support for College Students with Disabilities

On August 24, 2022, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced that he is investing an additional $2.1 million to assist Ohio college students with disabilities.

OOD will provide all eligible college students with disabilities up to $1000, while participating in OOD services, to be used for tuition or educational expenses during the 2022-2023 school year.

Watch WCMH Channel 4 Columbus’ story about the announcement, and learn more on the OOD website.

All About Accessibility: Free Naloxone

September is Recovery Month, the perfect time to check out the RecoveryOhio website. You will find statewide resources in one convenient location to better help individuals looking for substance use disorder and mental health information. Visit RecoveryOhio.gov.

RecoveryOhio recently announced the creation of Naloxone.Ohio.gov, a new resource that provides Ohioans with a simplified process for obtaining free naloxone, a life-saving drug used to reverse an opioid overdose. The new website makes requesting naloxone as seamless as possible for all Ohioans, whether they are a first responder, community member, or distribution site, and enhances access to prevention and treatment information.

In the News

Ohio is Helping People with Disabilities Find Jobs

IdeaStream Public Media, 9-3-22

Funding Will Assist Ohio College Students with Disabilities

The Register-Herald, 9-5-22

Ohio Initiative to Increase Financial Support for College Students with Disabilities

The Wright State Guardian, 9-8-22

I'm Blind and Didn't Tell Anyone When I Interviewed for My Tech Job

Insider, 9-8-22

iPhone 14 Gets Startup Sound to Help Blind Users

Macworld, 9-8-22

This Machine Shop Hires the Blind to Make Aerospace Parts

WKYC, 9-7-22

Housing Nonprofit, Ice Cream Truck Provide Opportunities to People with Disabilities

WKRC, 9-6-22

Ohio Bill Could Raise Wages for People with Disabilities

WCMH, 9-6-22

Family Dinners are Incredibly Lonely for Deaf People Like Me - They Don't Need to Be

USA Today, 9-6-22

ABLE Accounts Can Help People with Disabilities Save Tax-Free

Consumer Reports, 9-5-22

Local Woman Shares Experiences Navigating Workforce in Wheelchair

KIRO, 9-3-22

Without Limits: Art, Chronic Illness, & Disability (Exhibition)

Arts In Ohio, 9-3-22

Fath Family Donates $3 Million to Hyde Park School for Children with Disabilities

The Cincinnati Enquirer, 9-2-22

Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities

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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) 2021, OOD received $105,851,903 in federal funds. Funds appropriated by the State covered 21.3 % of the total costs, or $28,648,609. Of these federal funds, $15,877,785 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 2021, OOD received $299,041 for SE Youth with a Disability, and State appropriated funds paid the remaining 10%, or $32,933 of the total costs. In FFY 2021, OOD received $335,518 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 2021 paid 90% of the total costs incurred under the program. In FFY 2021, OOD received $1,139,118 in federal grant funds. Funds appropriated by the State paid over the 10% required match, or $126,568 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 2021. In FFY 2021, OOD received $638,013 in federal grant funds. Funds appropriated by the State paid over the 10% of the match required or $70,268 of the total costs incurred under the IL Program.