Griffin-Hammis Associates Awarded Contract: $2 million in Stimulus Targets Jobs for Ohioans with Disabilities

Note that GHA has offices in Montana, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, Florida, Washington, Oregon and Minnesota

As the Nation Celebrates the 20th Anniversary of the
Americans with Disabilities Act,
RSC is pleased to announce more than $2 Million in ARRA Stimulus Projects Targeting Employment for Ohioans with Disabilities

The Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission (RSC) today announced the award of $2 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus projects to benefit Ohioans with disabilities.

“ARRA funds are being invested in projects that will create self-employment opportunities, deliver technology training and support transportation projects,” said Administrator Michael Rench. “These investments will build wealth and increase community access for Ohioans with the most significant disabilities.”

The four projects outlined below were selected from competitive proposals that were reviewed by a panel of state vocational rehabilitation experts and RSC’s state agency partners.

RSC Partner Organization: Griffin-Hammis Associates (GHA)

Area/Counties Served: Statewide

Award Amount: $ 1.3 million

Project Description: Griffin-Hammis Associates (GHA) is a unique partner that has assisted over 400 small business start-ups and provided intensive training related to serving citizens with the most significant disabilities to hundreds of personnel nationwide. The company has a proven record and RSC anticipates that the group will be able to work with 48-60 Ohio entrepreneurs with disabilities as they start their own businesses.

GHA, a national expert in the field, will provide intensive training for up to 900 RSC staff and community partners to assist Ohio’s disability services network in creating more customized, supported and self employment opportunities for Ohioans with the most significant disabilities. There will be six demonstration sites representing both urban and rural areas across Ohio.

RSC Partner Organization: MJT Engineering Services, LLC

Area/Counties Served: Statewide with a focus on large population centers of Cincinnati/Dayton, Cleveland/Akron, Columbus, Toledo

Award Amount: $244,329

Project Description: MJT Engineering Services will identify and engage with 5-10 Ohio businesses that offer on-going job opportunities to ensure that opportunities are extended to individuals with the most significant disabilities who are blind or visually impaired. MJT will provide advanced computer programming and/or scripting to accommodate screen reading technology, removing barriers for workers who are blind regarding job performance on a computer. MJT will place 15+ individuals in these jobs and provide training and support.

RSC Partner Organization: Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired in partnership with Clovernook Center for the Blind

Area/Counties Served: Southwest Ohio with a focus on Hamilton, Butler, Warren and Clermont Counties

Award Amount $167,252

Project Description: Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired in partnership with Clovernook Center for the Blind will provide a call center training program for up to 18 individuals with subsequent job placement for those successfully completing the program.

RSC Partner Organization: Vocational Services Unlimited in partnership with LakeTran & Lake Co. Board of Developmental Disabilities

Area/Counties Served: Lake

Award Amount: $355,434

Project Description: Vocational Services Unlimited in partnership with LakeTran & Lake Co. Board of Developmental Disabilities will provide alternative transportation services to 200 Lake County RSC customers to help alleviate, if not eliminate, the negative impact of reliance on current public transportation systems can have relative to employment.

The ARRA dollars invested in RSC were awarded through the federal Rehabilitation Services Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Education.

In Federal Fiscal Year 2009, with RSC’s support, 7,322 Ohioans with disabilities obtained or retained competitive employment. Examples of vocational rehabilitation services include: individualized counseling and guidance, job assessments, job placement assistance, supported employment, rehabilitation and assistive technology, on-the-job training and support and assistance with education or technical training required to secure a job.

For those Ohioans with disabilities who are unable to work, RSC also provides disability determination for Social Security Disability Insurance.

Anyone can refer someone to RSC. For more information, visit http://www.rsc.ohio.gov <http://www.rsc.ohio.gov>

The Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission is a state agency serving Ohioans with disabilities. The Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation (BVR) and Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired (BSVI) help people with disabilities get or keep a job. For those unable to work, the Bureau of Disability Determination (BDD) determines eligibility for Social Security disability benefits or Supplemental Security Income. Visit us at http://www.rsc.ohio.gov <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=8k7i8edab.0.0.sodtqjcab.0&ts=S0443&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rsc.ohio.gov%2F&id=preview> .

For further information, contact:

RSC Office of Communications & Constituent Services

Eileen Corson, Director 614. 438. 1476

Beth Ruth, Manager 614. 438. 1417

Cary Griffin, Senior Partner

Griffin-Hammis Associates, LLC

5582 Klements Lane

Florence, MT 59833

406-273-9181

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