Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities

10/20/2026

Join Otterbein University this Saturday, October 24, for the Celebration Classic—a community event where everyone is welcome!—featuring Otterbein Men's Basketball against Mount Vernon Nazarene University (MVNU). 🏀

📍 Where: Rike Center, Otterbein University
🕐 When: 2:00 p.m.

Enjoy disability-inclusive activities, post-game fun, and more! A sensory-friendly space will be available. Check out the link below for event information.

Celebration Classic: Where Every Ability Belongs. October 24, 2026 at 2 PM, Rike Center at Otterbein University.

10/20/2026

: Helpful intentions are great. Asking first is even better! 💡

When you see a person with a disability who you think might need assistance, always ask first before helping, and be sure to wait for a response.

✅ Offer help respectfully, without making assumptions.
✅ If someone accepts, ask how you can best assist rather than deciding for them.
✅ If they decline, respect the answer and give them space.

And remember: never move someone's wheelchair, mobility device, or personal belongings without their permission.

10/20/2026

Meet Jenna! After completing mock interviews with OOD, she felt confident and ready—and it paid off with two retail job interviews. We’re cheering you on, Jenna! 🎉

10/19/2026

Next time you stop at an Ohio rest area, you might see a familiar message on screen! 👀

We're excited to share that OOD's new public service announcement (PSA) is now playing at rest areas statewide! 🎉

Whether someone is traveling for work, visiting family, or just taking a break along the highway, these locations give us another way to introduce Ohioans to the programs and services available through OOD.

The video highlights what makes Ohio “the heart of it all”—purpose, achievement, connection, fulfillment, growth, and enjoyment. It reminds viewers that a job can be much more than a paycheck, and that OOD is here to help Ohioans with disabilities build fulfilling careers that support independence. 💙

Be sure to share this PSA with your network so as many Ohioans as possible can learn about the services available through OOD.

Ohio Department of Transportation
Ohio Department of Development

10/19/2026

Happy !

October 18-24 is Invisible Disabilities Week, a time to raise awareness of disabilities that may not be immediately apparent, including chronic pain, mental health conditions, dyslexia, neurological conditions, and more.

People with invisible disabilities may encounter assumptions or misunderstandings because others can't see what they are experiencing. Here are a few things we can all practice:

❤️ Believe people when they share their experiences.
❤️ Don't make assumptions about someone's abilities or support needs.
❤️ Respect privacy. No one owes you their medical history.
❤️ Remember that accessibility and accommodations matter, even when a disability isn't visible.

You can share your support by and on social media.

What's one thing you wish more people understood about invisible disabilities? 💭

10/17/2026

Looking for great talent? Let's talk about how you're finding it! 💼

OOD's Business Relations team works with employers across Ohio to connect businesses with qualified job seekers with disabilities and support more disability-inclusive workplaces. We can help:

Connect employers with job seekers whose skills and experiences match their needs. 🔍
Identify career and college internship opportunities. 🎓
Share resources and guidance on disability-inclusive hiring and workplace practices. 💡

Our Business Relations team is here to support employers in creating more accessible and welcoming work environments and so much more!

Learn more: ➡️: ood.ohio.gov/business-relations

10/17/2026

In partnership with the BHN Alliance (Belmont, Harrison, and Noble County Boards of Developmental Disabilities), OOD supported this year’s Belmont‑Harrison Career & Transition Expo in St. Clairsville. The event brought together more than 50 vendors and approximately 500 students, creating interactive opportunities to explore careers, training programs, and community resources. OOD’s mobile services unit was also on-site, providing additional space for students and families to connect with staff and learn about available support.

Belmont County Board of Developmental Disabilities
Harrison County Board of Developmental Disabilities
Noble County Board of Developmental Disabilities

10/16/2026

Today, we turn the spotlight on two people who are usually very busy shining it on OOD! For , we're celebrating OOD Director Kevin Miller and Assistant Director Erik Williamson. 🌟

Leading a statewide agency takes plenty of meetings, decisions, and full calendars, but great leadership is also about the people behind the work. We're grateful for leaders who listen, trust their teams, make time for everyone, and keep OOD focused on its mission.

So today, we have just one item to add to their calendars: let us celebrate you! 🎉

Thank you, Director Miller and Assistant Director Williamson, for your leadership, support, and dedication to OOD and the Ohioans with disabilities we serve.

Help us wish them a happy boss's day below! 👇

10/15/2026

Disability inclusion looks great on Cintas! 👏

Congratulations to Cintas Corporation, one of our two 2026 Governor's Inclusive Employer Award winners! 🎉

From accessible hiring practices and workplace accommodations to employee resource groups and partnerships, Cintas is putting disability inclusion into action across its organization. Their commitment shows what's possible when employers recognize the value and talent people with disabilities bring to the workplace.

Watch how Cintas is helping create a workplace where employees with disabilities have opportunities to contribute, grow, and succeed. 📱

10/15/2026

Next up in our Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) spotlight series is Emily Seymour, representing Ohio's East Central Region! 🙌

As a transition counselor, she works with students, families, schools, and employers to help them explore the world of work and develop a plan to reach their vocational potential in meaningful employment.

"Vocational Rehabilitation is the notion that barriers to employment CAN be overcome. I am proud to work alongside caring, knowledgeable, creative problem solvers who believe in the abilities of the participants they serve."

Get to Know OOD Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRCs) Emily Seymour, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor- Transition, for the East Central Region. What does National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) mean to you, and what does this year’s NDEAM theme, “Celebrating Value & Talen...