Embedded Files
Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities Toledo Office
Counties Serviced: Erie, Huron, Lorain, Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky, Seneca, Wood, Wyandot
Address: 5241 Southwyck Blvd., Suite 200, Toledo, OH, 43614
Phone:
Voice: 419-866-5811
General FAX: 614-985-9649
Toll-Free: 800-589-5811
Email: ood.nwmedicalfax@ood.ohio.gov
OOD (Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities) is the main resource for students to ensure they will have the support they need to be employed and live independently. OOD provides vocational rehabilitation services to all people with disabilities, but the limited funding gives priority to those with most significant needs.
It's imperative that OOD is invited to a student's ETR/IEP meetings while they are in high school, so that services can begin as soon as possible. You may request OOD to attend the meeting yourself, or the student's intervention specialist may invite them with parent permission.
OOD can help with driver's education, career development skills, and career placement. They have summer youth experiences to help students gain employment skills.
Ohio Means Jobs
Ohio Means Jobs
Ohio Means Jobs is a great resource for all students and adults with and without disabilities who a one-stop-center for finding employment resources.
Students can explore types of jobs and positions, take career assessments, look for scholarship opportunities, and explore many, many more career, education, and work place resources.
For other individuals with disabilities, they can post his/her resume online, look how working will affect benefits, and get help in other areas to ensure they are employed.
The Ability Center is located in Sylvania, OH that provides a range of resources, including employability instruction.
The Ability Center provides classes on the following soft skills:
Communication
Attitude
Professionalism
Teamwork
Critical Thinking
Self-Advocacy
In addition, there is a summer program called Next Steps, which is a 5 week independent living and employment program that immerses participants in a temporary job and living residence to learn and practice skills. Participants must be a sophomore, junior, or senior in high school.
Project SEARCH
Project SEARCH
Project SEARCH is a national program that is dedicated to finding high school seniors a job immediately after graduation. It's a school-to-work program that help high schoolers build their resume while still earning high school credit.
The Project SEARCH local provider is PENTA. The students at PENTA are partnered with the University of Toledo Medical Center and practice jobs such as clerical work, housekeeping, and customer service with the help of a job coach.
PENTA offers resume, cover letter, and follow up letter templates, a job search bank to look for local openings, and other information that would be beneficial to any person searching for a job.
The Ticket to Work is a free program offered by the Social Security Administration that allows people to collect SSI while earning their own wages.
If you are aged 18-64 and already qualify for SSI, you already qualify to participate in the Ticket to Work program.
Report abuse