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Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities highlights employment gains, college-to-careers expansion
Summary
OOD Director Kevin Miller presented the agency—s biennial budget and cited improvements in vocational rehabilitation outcomes, growth in postsecondary supports and the launch of a mobile unit to reach rural communities; he reported the agency served about 42,000 Ohioans in FY2024 and requested state budget support to sustain programs.
Kevin Miller, director of Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, told the Senate Medicaid Committee that OOD—s budget for fiscal 2026-27 focuses on expanding employment supports, postsecondary education aid and outreach to underserved areas.
Miller said OOD provided services to more than 42,000 Ohioans in federal fiscal year 2024, 5,444 more than the prior year. He said Ohio ranks highly on several vocational rehabilitation metrics: 59.4% of individuals who exited OOD services remained employed one year later, ranking Ohio ninth nationwide; 49.2% of trainees earned a credential and about 73.8% of individuals in training made measurable skill gains.
Miller described the Ohio college-to-careers program and a new mobile unit launched in 2023 to bring services to rural and underserved communities. OOD also reported spending roughly $14 million on postsecondary educational expenses for students with disabilities in the last year and said partnerships with public colleges, employers and community organizations expanded access.
Senators questioned how OOD—s SSA disability determination workload and federal funding uncertainties affect the agency. Miller said his division continues to complete disability determinations in under 100 days and that the agency is communicating with the federal regional liaison to monitor the impact of federal staffing and funding changes.
Miller requested legislative support for the governor—s proposed budget investments, which the testimony said represent $43.9 million in GRF for OOD in the biennium, with substantial federal matching funds for services.
Committee members thanked OOD for performance improvements and asked staff to provide additional detail about federal funding and referral mechanisms between Social Security determinations and OOD services; Miller said some referral pathways remain restricted by federal rules but OOD provides informational packets and local supports to link people to vocational rehabilitation services.
No committee votes were taken during the presentation.
