Ashley Poling of Dublin, Ohio enjoys her family, friends, music, and reading. She hasn’t let autism or mental health disabilities hold her back. Ashley reached out to Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) for career support.
With help from a job developer with Greenleaf Job Training Services, she has received support for finding and keeping a job that’s a good fit for her. Watch a video to learn more about Ashley’s story and why she recommends OOD to others with disabilities.
If you or somebody you know has a disability and would like to work, visit OODWorks.com or call 800-282-4536.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s biennial Executive Budget for Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025 highlights his dedication to making Ohio a Disability Inclusion State and Model Employer of Individuals with Disabilities. The proposed budget will allow OOD to secure the largest investment in its history to positively impact the lives of Ohioans with disabilities.
OOD Director Kevin Miller and Maria Seaman, OOD Chief Financial Officer, join the podcast to discuss the Executive Budget and how it will support OOD and partners to serve more Ohioans with disabilities and increase the services provided to them.
The sixth annual In-Demand Jobs Week is May 1-5, 2023! In-Demand Jobs Week is the statewide celebration of the jobs, industries, and skills that are in-demand in Ohio. This year, In-Demand Jobs Week will highlight Ohio’s top jobs that stem from career-focused education and the various paths available to Ohioans as they look for their next opportunity.
Example Career Pathways available in Ohio include:
Career Technical Education - provides students of all ages with the academic and technical skills, knowledge and training necessary to succeed in future careers and to become lifelong learners.
Pre-Apprenticeships - teaches entry level technical and job-readiness skills for an apprentice occupation to prepare students for a formal Registered Apprenticeship training program upon graduation.
College Credit Plus - helps students earn college and high school credits simultaneously by taking college courses from local colleges or universities while in high school.
Industry-Recognized Credentials - demonstrates the knowledge and skills students gain through hands-on learning in a specific job or industry.
Business, education, and community leaders statewide are encouraged to partner to plan events promoting all of Ohio’s opportunities, job-readiness, and more to inspire excitement and awareness among students and job seekers.
Organizations can add their event to the statewide interactive event map by emailing In-DemandJobs@JFS.Ohio.Gov with the event title, date, time, and a short description of the event.
Stevie Wonder, who has been blind since birth, was raised in Detroit, Michigan. He became a skilled musician by the age of eight and made his recording debut at age 11.
To date, Stevie has won 25 Grammy Awards (the most received by a solo artist) and one Academy Award (Best Original Song, for the 1984 film, The Woman in Red). He has also been inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
In addition to his musical contribution, Stevie has written, produced, or performed songs for charities in support of disabilities, AIDS, cancer, diabetes, homelessness, domestic abuse, and other causes. His charitable work has benefited the U.S. and abroad. Learn more about these efforts at the United Nations’ Messengers of Peace webpage.
Per the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, (CAA) the continuous coverage provision that prohibited states from disenrolling members from Medicaid will expire. Starting with Medicaid renewals due in April 2023, Ohio Medicaid will resume its routine eligibility and enrollment operations. This means that all eligible Medicaid members will need to have their Medicaid coverage renewed.
The return to routine operations will bring changes for Ohio Medicaid members. Read the information below to ensure you’re prepared for the changes and know what steps you need to take to keep or find new coverage.
Keep your contact information up to date with your County Department of Job and Family Services (CDJFS). When it’s time to renew, or if Medicaid needs more information to continue your coverage, the CDJFS sends a letter. Make address changes by logging on to benefits.ohio.gov or by calling 1-844-640-6446. Help is available Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET.
Medicaid members are encouraged to: check your mail and respond to requests for information from your CDJFS. While some renewals can be completed without a need to contact the member, some renewals will require members to respond to mail. If you receive a letter stating that it is time to renew, or that your CDJFS needs more information, you should respond right away. The CDJFS needs to hear from you to review your Medicaid eligibility. If you do not respond to renewal letters or requests for information, you risk losing coverage even if you still meet the eligibility criteria for Medicaid.
There are multiple ways to renew your coverage:
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In-person or by mail to your local CDJFS office. You can find contact information for your CDJFS by choosing your county from the dropdown at medicaid.ohio.gov/dropdown.
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Over the phone by calling the County Shared Services at 1-844-640-6446. Agents are available Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET.
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Online at benefits.ohio.gov only if you have already created a Self-Service Portal account. Otherwise, you must submit the renewal through one of the methods listed above. Even if you can’t complete your renewal in the Self-Service Portal, you can still use your account to report changes and upload documents.
If you’re notified that you are no longer eligible for Medicaid coverage, this is considered a Qualifying Life Event (QLE), which allows you to enroll in a Marketplace plan outside of the Open Enrollment Period.
Members should still complete and return their renewal packet(s) so that coverage can be properly assessed for all household members. Your child may be eligible for coverage even if you are no longer eligible.
If you need help understanding your options, trained, licensed insurance navigators are available at no cost to you. Contact Get Covered Ohio for free, unbiased assistance. Go to getcoveredohio.org or call 1-833-628-4467. Insurance navigators can help in-person, online, or over the phone.
You can manage your Medicaid account, complete renewals, upload documents, and find out the status of your coverage by logging into your Ohio Benefits Self-Service Portal account at benefits.ohio.gov.
You can call 1-844-640-6446. Assistance is available Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET.
JanSport, a VF Company released one of the newest items to the adaptive fashion market this week, a collection of highly accessible crossbody bags and backpacks!
These stylish new options are customizable, providing a range of adaptive features codesigned alongside individuals with disabilities and Disability:IN. Learn more from an article from Forbes.
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 2-15-23
Columbus Messenger, 2-14-23
Social Security Administration Press Release, 2-13-23
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