 OOD Jobs for Recovery staff at the kickoff on November 25.
“Employment is a big part of recovery,” said Jan Mader, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) Program Administrator, as she addressed participants at the OOD Jobs for Recovery kickoff on November 25.
An investment by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s budget, OOD Jobs for Recovery provides employment assistance to individuals with substance use disorders and/or mental health disabilities. This replicates a successful model OOD established with the Butler County Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Services Board and the Butler County Court of Common Pleas. In this model, OOD embeds a vocational rehabilitation counselor, a job developer, and a caseload assistant as active members of the drug court team to help individuals with employment. These staff attend court proceedings and ensure rapid engagement of each participant in career counseling, job placement, and retention services. They also can help address employment barriers, such as transportation.
OOD Jobs for Recovery is an innovative strategy to provide employment support for individuals served through certified specialized dockets. OOD is now partnering with additional counties with specialty courts: Ashtabula, Franklin, Lucas, Miami, and Scioto. An additional seven counties will be added next fiscal year. Approximately 100 individuals will be served annually in each county.
The November 25 kickoff focused on “Building Stronger Partnerships by Promoting Recovery Supports” and brought together the dedicated OOD staff and partners. Director Kevin Miller explained to staff, “You are an integral part of the treatment team. You are one of the many people that bring something to the table to help individuals in recovery.”
Dr. Edward Latessa, Professor and Director of the School of Criminal Justice at the University of Cincinnati, shared evidence-based practices for helping people change behavior. He shared effective intervention and how it applies to drug courts, highlighting employment as a critical component in a person’s long-term recovery.
Individuals participating in the OOD Jobs Recovery will have access to a network of inclusive employers. OOD’s Division of Employer and Innovation Services has an established Business Relations Team to meet the needs of employers who are committed to building and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce that includes individuals with disabilities. The team works with approximately 500 employer partners across the state to source OOD job ready candidates in available jobs.
For more information about OOD Jobs for Recovery, visit https://ood.ohio.gov/JobsforRecovery.
 OOD staff and job seeker pictured left to right: Andrew Ewing, Chief Information Security Officer; Shelly Rhodes, IT Chief Operating Officer; Lloyd Wilson, OOD job seeker; Jim Miller, Enterprise Applications Manager; and George Padavick, Network Services Manager.
The OOD Division of Information Technology (IT) recently provided Lloyd Wilson of Marietta with a full-day job shadowing experience. Lloyd’s visit was coordinated in recognition of Disability Mentoring Day, a national effort to promote career development for job seekers with disabilities through hands-on career exploration. Mentoring experiences allow job seekers to gain a first-hand look at careers they are interested in with assistance from experienced mentors in the field. This helps individuals discover new employment possibilities, exciting career tracks, and future educational opportunities.
“We were happy to give a real feel for what a job in IT is like,” said Michelle Burk, IT Deputy Director/Chief Information Officer. “You’re always learning something new in this field because technology is always changing,” she added.
“Lloyd is nine classes away from earning a bachelor’s degree in Cyber Security from Franklin University,” said Barb Wilson, Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor. “Lloyd’s day with IT gave him direction on what to focus on in terms of knowledge and certifications.”
Lloyd observed and participated in team meetings, the IT testing lab, and one-on-one with staff. He learned about job duties, tools used in the lab, requirements to attain and maintain a position, and traits supervisors look for in job candidates. OOD Director Kevin Miller told Wilson, “These staff live and breathe IT, and you can learn a lot from them. With this kind of work, you will not be doing the same thing every day.”
George Padavick, Network Services Manager, encouraged Wilson to seek out labs offered online by Microsoft for practicing in a virtual environment and learning fundamentals. “The more fundamentals you have, the more valuable you are to your team,” said Padavick.
“Lloyd came in at an exciting time for OOD,” said Andrew Ewing, Chief Information Security Officer. “We were able to show him how we do a lot of listening, collaborating, and disseminating of information. He was able to understand what a typical day looks like for us.”
Lloyd said, “The staff pushed me to know myself and research what I really want to do. I am going to focus on my certifications and begin looking for jobs online.”
If you have a disability and want to go to work, visit www.OODWorks.com to get started.
 Ryan Custer and McKenzie Custer (Ryan’s sister) at the ribbon cutting ceremony in November.
Along with his family, Ryan Custer, a 21-year old from Cincinnati, helped cut the ribbon for a new high-technology van at The Ohio State University (OSU) Wexner Medical Center. This new high-tech vehicle helps people with disabilities gain driving independence.
The day marked a victory in Ryan’s recovery. An accident in 2017 injured Ryan’s C-5 vertebrae, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. His journey has included multiple surgeries, trials with stem cells, and weekly physical therapy.
Last year, Kim Custer, Ryan’s mom, decided to reach out to the Wexner Medical Center Board after learning there were no modified vehicle training programs available in Ohio. Kim explained, “I was frustrated and wrote a letter, never dreaming I would get a response. The next day I received a call from Mike Martin, Administrator of Rehabilitative Services, informing me they voted to fund the project.”
“To have leaders at OSU that really live out their values, and to personally work with them, is an honor,” Mike said. “Future patients will now have access to training and equipment that will help them gain independence. We are glad we get to be a part of that.”
Ryan was the first to train using the van. Kaitlin Finch, Occupational Therapist and Certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialist at OSU, was his trainer. “Ryan was an absolute pleasure to work with,” said Kaitlin. “He was highly motivated and had an incredible work ethic. Ryan was patient with the trial and error as we got to know the new vehicle, and his optimism was contagious,” she added.
Ryan recently shifted from taking online courses at Wright State University to attending full-time classes at The University of Cincinnati where he is majoring in communications and minoring in marketing. He continues physical therapy and gives back by coaching basketball for fifth graders and speaking to elementary students.
Working with Vicki O’Hearn, OOD Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, Ryan is in the process of having his own van modified, thanks to support from OOD. He will return to OSU in the spring for more training on his modified van. “Ryan is a very capable young man and a successful student,” said Vicki. “We are concentrating on the vehicle modification right now, but Ryan will be able to take advantage of Ohio College2Careers for additional career assistance from OOD.”
“I’m so happy to get my independence back,” said Ryan. “For me it represents freedom. It’s a piece of my life I get back.”
For more information about the modified vehicle training, visit http://www.wexnermedical.osu.edu/drive.
 December 3rd marked International Day of Persons with Disabilities, a day dedicated to celebrating the achievements and contributions of people with a disability as well as to increase public awareness, understanding, and acceptance. More information about the day is available at https://www.un.org/en/observances/day-of-persons-with-disabilities.
 Travel is on the rise during the holiday season. For individuals with disabilities, accessible travel is key. Check out 15 tips and resources from SmarterTravel to help travelers with disabilities: https://www.smartertravel.com/disabled-travel/.
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