Are you, or do you know an employer who meets the criteria for having a workplace inclusive of individuals with disabilities that may be eligible the Governor’s Inclusive Employer Award?
Businesses of any size are encouraged to apply for this award. Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities invites Ohio employers to complete this Application Form to be considered for the award. More information, along with a PDF of the application, can be found on the employer awards webpage. The deadline for submission is 11:45 p.m. on Friday, August 1, 2025. Winners will be announced in October 2025.
April marks Social Security Awareness Month, a time to consider the resources available for individuals applying for Social Security disability benefits in Ohio. The Division of Disability Determination (DDD) at Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) is vital in supporting Ohioans by assessing their eligibility for Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income.
In the past year alone, they served over 158,000 Ohioans, ensuring that those who qualify receive the vital support they need. The team collaborates with the Social Security Administration to assess and process applications.
This April, we invite you to join us in celebrating Autism Acceptance Month with a meaningful video featuring Connor Miller and Kevin L. Miller, the Director of Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) and Connor’s dad.
In this video, Connor shares his journey with autism and how it has shaped his life. As we celebrate this special month, discover the importance of understanding, supporting, and embracing differences.
They also discuss the Communication Disability Law, which provides a way for individuals with communication disabilities to voluntarily enroll in a database that alerts law enforcement during traffic stops. They explain how this option fosters safety, promotes understanding, and empowers individuals like Connor to navigate the world with greater confidence.
Tune in to learn how this law is making a real difference in Ohio…
Decisions on whether Ohioans are eligible for Social Security disability benefits are crucial for people looking to create a dependable foundation for their lives. Staff with the Division of Disability Determination (DDD) of Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) understand those needs and the importance of quickly processing cases and delivering accurate decisions. In agreement with the Social Security Administration (SSA), DDD determines medical eligibility for Ohioans who apply for Social Security disability benefits.
In this episode of the OOD Works podcast, Robert Fenn and Brandon Smith, SSA Public Affairs Specialists, explain the changes to Social Security disability benefits in 2025. The discussion is a valuable resource for anyone looking to understand and navigate Social Security benefits and provides a comprehensive overview of the upcoming changes.
Columbus, Ohio – The countdown is on for the highly anticipated 2024 Ohio State Fair, running from July 24 through August 4, 2024. As excitement builds, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) and the Ohio State Fair are proud to announce their continued commitment to accessibility.
Visitors can look forward to a wealth of resources designed to ensure everyone can fully enjoy the fair. Guest information services booths are strategically placed throughout the fairgrounds, offering daily schedules, maps, accessibility guides, and directions. For those seeking additional support, the OOD mobile unit is stationed near the Lausche Youth Exploration Space, providing comprehensive accessibility information.
OOD staff and the new mobile unit.
Fairgoers can enjoy free wheelchair/mobility device charging stations, technology to connect people who are blind or have low vision with an agent who can help with navigation, American Sign Language interpretation, audio descriptions, a dedicated sensory-friendly morning, and two universal changing tables.
“Ohio is the heart of it all, and we want people of all abilities to be able to enjoy everything our great State Fair has to offer,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “The Ohio State Fair provides a wealth of supports for individuals with disabilities, and this year our goal is to make it the most enjoyable yet for every person who comes through the gates.”
OOD partnered with the Fair to make complimentary wheelchair/mobility device charging stations available throughout the grounds. The stations are in marked areas in the Bricker MarketPlace Building, Kasich Hall, the Lausche Youth Exploration Space, Natural Resources Park pavilion, Voinovich Livestock and Trade Center, and WCOL Celeste Center.
“The Ohio State Fair offers a rejuvenating break from work and our daily routine,” said OOD Director Kevin L. Miller. “Since fairgoers usually spend the entire day on the grounds, it’s important that charging stations are available to sustain wheelchairs, scooters, and other mobility devices.”
Also made available with support from OOD and the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, fairgoers who are blind or have low vision can use Aira – which stands for Access to Information Remote Assistance – to connect, for free, to a remote agent via a cell phone or through specially-fashioned glasses. Both the application and the glasses allow the agent to access visual information, which is especially helpful for navigating a large, unfamiliar area. The agent can also locate users through GPS and direct them to places of interest.
For fairgoers whose preferred method of communication is American Sign Language (ASL), interpretation will be offered at these events, with no reservations required: the Fair’s opening ceremony on July 24, the Sale of Champions Livestock Auction on August 4, daily at the Natural Resources Park Great Lakes Timber (lumberjack) shows and the Marvelous Mutts shows at The Dog House, and for all ticketed concerts in the WCOL Celeste Center. The Fair’s daily schedule will feature additional events available in ASL. For Ohioans who are Deaf or hard of hearing and use ASL, please watch a video about the Ohio State Fair ASL interpretation.
In collaboration with the Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI), the Autism Society of Central Ohio, and the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, the Ohio State Fair is turning down the lights and volume to host a sensory-friendly morning on Thursday, July 25 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fairgoers will have an opportunity to ride the rides with no flashing lights or music, visit the Fair’s educational activities, and explore many activities in the shade of the Natural Resources Park. “On sensory-friendly morning, the sights, sounds, and stimuli are reduced to allow individuals to experience our incredible State Fair in a way that helps them feel more comfortable and engaged,” said Shawn Henry, OCALI Executive Director. Find more information and resources on OCALI’s sensory-friendly morning webpage.
This year’s Fair will offer two universal adjustable height changing stations. While one station returns to its previous location in the Ag Pro Taft Coliseum family restroom, a new station has been added to the newly renovated First Aid Center, north of Kasich Hall. These spacious and private facilities cater to fairgoers’ accessibility needs, strategically placed at opposite ends of the grounds to ensure convenience for all attendees.
“At the Ohio State Fair, we believe that accessibility is not just a checkbox; it’s a continuous journey of improvement and inclusivity,” said Adam Heffron, Ohio Expo Center & State Fairgrounds Executive Director. “We’re dedicated to building upon our existing accessibility efforts, working diligently to create an environment that is welcoming and accessible to all.”
Additional accessibility efforts at the Ohio State Fair include the following:
Ample accessible parking spaces
Buildings and many restrooms are accessible
Motorized scooter and non-motorized wheelchair rentals
A Quiet Room situated just east of Central Park, equipped to provide sensory relief
Communication boards for fairgoers who are nonverbal, available at all guest information services booths and on the Ohio State Fair accessibility webpage, featuring Fair-specific symbols to facilitate navigation and encourage exploration of Fair offerings
Accessible seats for concerts in the WCOL Celeste Center can be purchased at the same cost directly from Ticketmaster (to view accessible seats, click the “filters” button, then toggle on the “accessibility” button to see)
Free assisted listening devices for use at the WCOL Celeste Center, Main Street Stage presented by Ohio Lottery, and Wellcare Gazebo Stage
Audio descriptions for select exhibits and attractions, available within the Ohio State Fair app
Art Possible Ohio exhibit in Kasich Hall C, featuring artwork by Ohio artists with disabilities
Service animal relief areas with pick-up bags and waste receptacles at the Rhodes Center Lawn, Central Park, and Natural Resources Park
Designated accessible seating at additional stages
Accessible play area at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Park
Meet Olivia, a resilient and determined woman whose unwavering spirit and strength inspire those around her. In the face of significant health challenges and the devasting loss of her beloved mother, Olivia refused to let adversity define her. Instead, she embraced her grief and health struggles as catalysts for growth, propelling her to reclaim her life and career.
After getting treatment for her depression, Olivia was eager to get back to work and sought out assistance from CommQuest Services, Inc. in 2010. She met with Phillip Paschal, an Employment Specialist at CommQuest Services, Inc. Together they worked on preparing to get Olivia back to work.
Throughout the years, Olivia worked at various jobs despite blindness in one eye, diabetes, and throat cancer. Her jobs included cleaning, working in fast food, and holding a position at a retirement village. When her mother passed away, Olivia became depressed and was temporarily unable to work.
In 2017, Olivia had quadruple bypass surgery and was unable to work. However, throughout her recovery, she continued to work with Phillip. Eventually, Phillip connected Olivia with Christine Crine, who was a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor with Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD). Christine helped Olivia find a job at Coastal Pets Products in January 2020. However, Olivia became ill with COVID and was hospitalized for five weeks. Costal Pets Products held her job for her, but Olivia decided to resign due to a long recovery period, including a stay in a nursing home and outpatient physical therapy.
Through all her struggles, Olivia was determined to go back to work. “Olivia never gave up,” said Phillip. “She is a great client and great to work with. She has a great sense of humor that makes time pass quickly on the job,” he added.
In October 2022, Olivia began working with Erika Salewsky, OOD Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor. Olivia was hired as a pizza prep at Little Caesars Pizza in North Canton, Ohio a few months later, working three days a week. Phillip helped Olivia become acclimated to the job. Erika provided bus passes to help Olivia get back and forth to work.
“Olivia is very reliable,” said Jermain Davenport, Manager at Little Caesars Pizza. “She outworks the younger people.”
Olivia said, “Work is recovery. You get to meet different people and learn new things.” “I’m still learning at the age of 72,” she added.
“It has been my pleasure to work with Olivia,” said Erika. “She is a very motivated woman, and her outlook on life is nothing short of inspiring. While she has had her past struggles, we can all learn from her sense of humor and optimism toward the future.”
If you or someone you know has a disability and would like to work, visit OODWorks.com or call 800-282-4536.
Wednesday, August 23, Thursday September 21, Thursday, October 19, and Thursday November 16 from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) is hosting webinars to help employers support disability inclusion in the workplace. Topics will include building and leveraging employee resource groups, creating a workplace culture that supports disability disclosure, invisible disabilities in the workplace, and lessons in accessibility. Visit the OOD website for more information and links to registration for the webinars!
Everyone experiences challenges in their lives whether it’s having a not-so-great work week, overcoming an illness, or getting into an argument with someone you care about. In the grand scheme of things, those challenges are often ones you can quickly overcome and grow from! Some obstacles in life can be so challenging that when one overcomes them it is not only inspirational to see but also serves as a beautiful example for those experiencing the same obstacles. Meet Kathryn (Kat) Feldmann, a 21-year-old who has not only never backed down from a challenge but has also been a source of motivation for others in the developmental disability community to pursue their dreams.
Kat, who lives with her mom, Kristen, her dad, Kurt, and her brother, Konrad in Liberty Township has overcome a lot of medical challenges in her life. As a baby, Kat was diagnosed with an Atrial Septal Defect that was eventually corrected through surgery. Kat was also diagnosed with autism, Pierre Robin Sequence, anxiety, Craniofacial Anomalies, and a speech delay. Though Kat deals with challenges daily due to her disabilities, she has successfully managed to not only exceed her goals, but also receive many awards/honors along the way for her outstanding achievements.
Kat, as a very young girl, loved being involved in the community and supporting organizations that she truly believed in.
“Throughout her school age years, she participated in Butler County 4H doing mostly food and nutrition projects and even competed at the state fair twice,” Kat’s mother Kristen said. “Kat was also involved in Girl Scouts since first grade and earned the Girl Scout Gold award. For this, she earned a multiyear grant from Katie’s Krops and grew a garden from which she donated her entire harvest to a local food pantry. She also identified and printed recipes to donate alongside the produce so that the recipients would have a better idea of how to cook it.”
Kat and her many accomplishments, awards, and honors!
Kat’s determination and dedication to the environment, her community, and cooking delicious, healthy, fresh food earned her multiple 4H awards and a trip to Washington DC where she served as the “Citizens Focus” Club’s Treasurer. Little did Kat realize she was becoming one of the biggest local advocates for those with developmental disabilities!
As time went on, Kat began to really enjoy researching things that interested her, often watching YouTube videos to learn as much as she could about topics that she was passionate about. This led to Kat diving into many hobbies such as collecting American Girl Dolls, reading books, cooking, music, dancing, spending time with her Siamese cats, and art.
Kat, her brother Konrad, and her mother Kristen (Photo top left), Kat and 1 of her 3 Siamese cats (Photo top right), Kat and her SSA, Teresa Rouff (Photo bottom left), Kat in Pittsburgh (Photo bottom right).
Kat successfully graduated from Lakota East and shortly after became a part of Butler Tech’s Project Life, a comprehensive, multi-year transition program where students develop, practice, and strengthen skills that increase adult independence and successful integrated employment in the community, and Butler Tech’s Project Search, a school-to-work program for students with disabilities who are serious about working hard and getting a job.
“Kat completed both Project Life and Project Search in May of 2022. For Project Search she completed rotations in the emergency department and the lab at West Chester Hospital,” Kristen explained. “She is now working with Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) to secure employment in the future.”
Once Kat finished Project Search she realized she had an interest in Hospitality which led her to enrolling in the Tartan TOPS program at Sinclair College, an educational/career pathway program for part-time students who have an intellectual disability.
Kat in front of Sinclair College, where she currently takes classes in the Tartan TOPS program.
BCBDD Service and Support Administrator (SSA), Teresa Rouff, began working with Kat in April and couldn’t be more impressed with Kat’s progress!
“On top of all the amazing things Kat is doing, she recently began a vocational habilitation program at InsideOut Studio where she creates various art pieces,” Teresa said. “She loves art and is VERY talented. She has a few pieces for sale on the InsideOut Studio website that show how gifted she is at art!”
Kat enjoys all aspects of art and is currently working with fiber and crocheting knits at InsideOut Studio. Kat said she hopes to sell some of her creations through the online store.
“Kat is also involved in SpeakUp and was recently matched with a buddy through Best Buddies and looks forward to fun times ahead with her new friend,” Kristen said. SpeakUp is a BCBDD self-advocacy group and Best Buddies is a non-profit organization that offers one-on-one friendship and leadership development programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Kat’s “Happiness” acrylic on canvas that she created at InsideOut Studio (Photo top left), Kat’s white pumpkin garden stone that she created at InsideOut Studio (Photo top right), Kat with advocate Jodi Mann, Director Kimberly Hauck from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD), advocate Cassie Sullivan, and Steve Beha, the Chief Policy Officer for the DODD, Kat was on an advocate panel when DODD’s Director Hauck visited the BCBDD (Bottom right photo).
Kat says her main hope and dream is to become as independent as possible and to live with roommates and friends for socialization. She says she would like to get a job that allows her to make a difference in the world and continue doing what she’s passionate about!
Watch the on-camera interview with Kat Feldmann, BCBDD SSA Teresa Rouff, and Kat’s mother Kristen Feldmann below!
This week, Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted announced the Inclusive Employer Toolkit, designed by Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) to help employers recruit, hire, and retain employees with disabilities and foster an inclusive workplace.
Recruitment and retention are challenges for many businesses. Individuals with disabilities represent a talent pool that is often hidden and underutilized. The Inclusive Employer Toolkit, which can be used in its entirety or by section, is a guide to creating an inclusive workplace and accessing this hidden pool of talent.
Watch this video of Lt. Governor Husted announcing the Toolkit.
“Ohioans with disabilities make excellent employees because of their loyalty and drive to be successful,” said Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted. “Creating an inclusive work environment and leveraging this untapped talent pool gives companies a competitive edge, and the new OOD Employer Toolkit can help give businesses the tools they need to get started.”
“We’re inviting Ohio employers to use the Toolkit and engage with our Business Relations team to understand better how to meet your business goals by hiring candidates with disabilities,” said Kevin Miller, OOD Director.
The Toolkit includes four main topics:
Building the Business Case – benefitting from hiring people with disabilities
Inclusive Workplace – making the workplace inclusive of everyone
Recruiting, Hiring, and Supporting Employees – getting access to a greater pool of talent
Workplace Accommodations – making small changes can make a big difference
The Inclusive Employer Toolkit was created by the OOD Business Relations team, which works throughout the state to raise awareness of OOD and its mission with Employer Partners to promote and support the hiring of individuals with disabilities. The Toolkit curates the best practices, tips, resources, and webinars that have benefitted OOD Employer Partners. Use of the Toolkit is free and open to all.
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