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Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities

Who Are We?

Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) is a state agency that provides individualized resources and support for Ohioans with disabilities to help them secure and maintain meaningful employment and independence. We also consult with businesses and community partners to enhance accessibility, aligning with Ohio's goal of becoming a model state for disability inclusion.

OOD recognizes Ohio businesses are at their best when employers know the value workers with disabilities can bring to the workplace. We provide our network of Employer Partners with a wide range of services and resources to promote a diverse an inclusive work environment. Our candidate referral process streamlines onboarding by helping employers find qualified job seekers to meet their workforce needs. Through our Ohio College2Careers program, OOD assists employers in building a talent pipeline by connecting them with college students with disabilities seeking internships.

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How Can We Help You?

OOD con help employers create a culture for a diverse workforce through customizable, no-cost disability awareness training. OOD can also provide information about workplace accessibility end Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) through our library of on-demand webinars, in-person or virtual trainings, and workplace accessibility consultations. Bringing it all together into one resource, OOD designed the Inclusive Employer Toolkit to help employers recruit, hire, and retain employees with disabilities and foster an inclusive workplace.

OOD has five regional business relations teams to support Ohio's businesses in their efforts to diversify and strengthen their workforce by including people with disabilities. The business relations team partners with employers to source qualified candidates for open jobs, internships, or apprenticeship opportunities, connects employers with OOD candidates through hiring events and job fairs, and provides technical assistance and training for employers on disability inclusion in the workplace.

Our agency partners with county boards of developmental disabilities, local behavioral health authorities, schools, and other community organizations to coordinate referrals for and provision of services. OOD's regional business relations teams can share information with Ohio's businesses on how we work together with local organizations to support employers and help them connect with local resources.

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Become an Employer Partner

OOD recognizes each Employer Partnership is unique. We value the diverse range of partnering businesses in every major industry from small to large employers with a local, national, or international presence. Each employer is on their own path toward creating a workplace culture that is inclusive of people with disabilities, and we are here to support their efforts. Regardless of where they are along their journey, the employers with the most success in reaching their inclusion goals recognize the value that skilled workers with disabilities offer and are dedicated to creating an inclusive, accessible, and equitable work environment for all.

If you would like to speak to someone at Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, follow the link. below for business relations team member contacts in each area of the state.

OHIO REGIONAL CONTACTS (external link)

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