Rebecca Schoch enjoys being with others. However, she shared that her school years were challenging because of her inability to hear. The public schools Rebecca attended did not offer classes in American Sign Language (ASL), nor did they offer interpreters for her classes.
After high school, Rebecca found a program that helped her learn ASL. The language has benefitted how she communicates with others and her life overall.
In addition to not being able to hear, Rebecca has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and depression. While working a third shift job in February 2021, Rebecca found herself struggling to multitask, sleep, and connect with others. She began to think that a third-shift job was limiting her ability to maintain friendships and take advantage of needed downtime.
In May 2021, she reached out to Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) for assistance. She worked with Trista Thompson, OOD Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, who is fluent in ASL. Trista connected Rebecca with Dr. Budzenski at the University of Toledo, Department of Psychology for a specialized assessment to determine what type of work would be a good fit for her.
Following the assessment, Trista connected Rebecca with Hilary Wier, Employment Services Manager at Deaf Services Center in Columbus. Hilary, who is also fluent in ASL, provided career exploration and services to assist Rebecca in preparing for, getting, and keeping a job.
Rebecca found a job at Mercy Health-St. Anne Hospital in Toledo, Ohio as a PyxisTM (a medication management software) Supply Technician. She gathers supplies and instruments for case carts, prepared with all the supplies required by a surgical team’s procedure with a patient. Rebecca’s efforts help keep surgical teams aligned and focused on what matters most—patient care.
“OOD has helped with getting the right support for me to be successful,” said Rebecca. “I look forward to going to work every day.”
“It was wonderful to work with Rebecca and watch her take advantage of OOD services to assist in such a wonderful outcome,” said Trista. “Her bubbly personality, can-do attitude, and willingness to explore other possible career paths supported her success.”
If you or somebody you know has a disability and would like to work, visit OODWorks.com or call 800-282-4536.
In honor of International Deaf Awareness Month, OOD has unveiled a new video in American Sign Language to highlight deaf services. The video features Trista Thompson, Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor with OOD.
Help us spread the word!
You can share this video by copying (Ctrl+c) the video link https://youtu.be/z1e3kktmtkY and pasting (Ctrl+v) into the social media platform of your choice. If you would like, you can add the following suggested post language by copying and pasting it into the platform or creating your own post.
Post idea: @OhioOOD and partners around the state help Ohioans who are deaf or have hearing loss decide on a career, learn how to become employed, train for a new job, and more. Learn more at bit.ly/2Sdu9Rm.
Did you know that Ohio has played an important role in the development of American Deaf history? Columbus is home to the fifth oldest residential school for children who are deaf or hard of hearing, which was established in 1829. William Ellsworth Hoy was born in Houckstown, Ohio in 1862, attended the Ohio School for the Deaf and played professional baseball for the Cincinnati Reds. He was widely regarded as the most accomplished deaf player in Major League Baseball history. The National Association of the Deaf was founded in Cincinnati in 1880. Akron was home to the Goodyear Silents (1915-1927), the first and only deaf semi-professional football team.
Today in Ohio, OOD joins with community partners to continue the proud legacy of deaf history by providing support and communication services to Ohioans who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind, as well as their families and communities.
Last year, eight Community Centers for the Deaf in Ohio provided nearly 16,000 hours of support services. These services may include skills training, peer support, advocacy, and more. In addition, more than 75,000 hours of interpreting and captioning support were provided last year.
OOD also partners with various state and local agencies to provide more accessible services. Learn about one such partnership with the Ohio Department of Higher Education, Ohio School for the Deaf, and Delaware Area Career Center in this video of Rae, a participant in the Deaf Adult Literacy Partnership, an Aspire Program.
Communications in the workplace occur at various times and in multiple ways. Being intentional in communicating in an inclusive and accessible way ensures information is conveyed effectively to all employees. This includes focusing on what needs to be shared and the best way to share it.
OOD also offers several resources with general tips for effective communication with people who are deaf or hard of hearing or have other disabilities on their website. Communications in the workplace occur at various times and in multiple ways. Being intentional in communicating in an inclusive and accessible way ensures information is conveyed effectively to all employees. This includes focusing on what needs to be shared and the best way to share it.
Some things to consider include:
- Make accessibility a priority when creating new communications and materials,
- Remember that communication needs vary from employee to employee, and
- Make it easy for an employee to ask for help by including an easy-to-find reasonable accommodation statement on all communication materials.
To learn more, check out an OOD fact sheet on “Communication Best Practices – Employees Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing”.
Caption: Hands signing the word Ohio.
September is the perfect time to learn American Sign Language (ASL). The National Assocation of the Deaf’s website provides information and ideas for learning ASL.
Some fun online options include Sign Language 101, 58Creativity, The ASL Lab, and Signing Time.
OOD and the Community Centers for the Deaf partnered to create a searchable database of resources for this low-incidence disability group. With 34 categories of information (e.g., Deaf Culture, Domestic Violence, Employment, Housing, Sign Language, Substance Use, and Youth Services), the public can search for resources based on their location, resource type, or name of an organization. Families and professionals can go to one place to find the resources and information they need at the OOD website.
Resources are updated monthly. If you would like to add a resource, please email OOD.OfficeofCommunication@OOD.Ohio.Gov.
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