My 2 cents, I would tend to support the effort.  The economy is gradually getting better and although we in the city are having medium difficulty attracting individuals for DSP positions, those in the rural areas are having HUGE problems.    Background checks are not going away.

If something like this was adopted, I would probably NOT hire folks without a HS diploma or GED.  But, If things would change for OVRS and we did hire without, then I would make sure that the agency assisted them in some way with acquiring a GED because that is the right thing to do.

Jamie

On Dec 16, 2014, at 12:41 PM, Matt Ottiger <mottiger@rescare.com<mailto:mottiger@rescare.com>> wrote:

Michael,

I think I have included links to most of the articles to date.  Although the focus appears to be on the home health industry (primarily aides serving the elderly), I am concerned that there might be bleed over into other programs.

Matt
***
Home-care crisis: Fraud costs taxpayers, vulnerable Ohioans | The Columbus Dispatch
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/12/14/home-care-crisis.html

Home care for vulnerable Ohioans leans hard on poorly paid workers | The Columbus Dispatch
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/12/15/low-wage-care.html

Independent home-care aides might face more oversight | The Columbus Dispatch
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/12/15/independents-might-face-more-oversight.html

Families on their own in trying to find reliable home health care | The Columbus Dispatch
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/12/16/on-your-own.html
Low barriers let large firms, small players crowd home-care industry | The Columbus Dispatch
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/12/16/low-barriers-let-large-firms-small-players-crowd-industry.html

Matthew J. Ottiger
Director of Government Relations
ResCare, Inc.
280 East Columbus Street
Columbus, Ohio 43206
614.203.1813 (cell)
mottiger@rescare.com<mailto:mottiger@rescare.com>

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email, including attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender immediately and destroy all copies of the original message.

>>> Michael Malone 12/16/14 12:32 PM >>>
Some of us are not  aware of the home health series by the Columbus Dispatch.

It would great if someone could forward us the articles.

Michael

Michael M. Malone
Executive Director
Josina Lott Residential & Community Services
(419) 866 - 9013 ext. 105
mmalone@josinalott.org<mailto:mmalone@josinalott.org>

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Enriching the lives of persons with developmental disabilities by providing
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From: list-manager@opra.simplelists.com<mailto:list-manager@opra.simplelists.com> [mailto:list-manager@opra.simplelists.com] On Behalf Of Matt Ottiger
Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2014 12:26 PM
To: opra_board@opra.simplelists.com<mailto:opra_board@opra.simplelists.com>; TOtter@ucpcleveland.org<mailto:TOtter@ucpcleveland.org>
Cc: mdavis@opra.org<mailto:mdavis@opra.org>
Subject: RE: Direct Care Sustainability and HS Diploma/GED Requirement

I agree with Trish.  While I understand the intent (to open up the pool of possible DSPs), I think removing minimal standards sends the wrong message to our staff and clients -- particularly, given the recent home health series by the Columbus Dispatch.

Matt

Matthew J. Ottiger
Director of Government Relations
ResCare, Inc.
280 East Columbus Street
Columbus, Ohio 43206
614.203.1813 (cell)
mottiger@rescare.com<mailto:mottiger@rescare.com>

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email, including attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender immediately and destroy all copies of the original message.

>>> Trish Otter 12/16/14 11:07 AM >>>
I would not support this for a number of reasons.

Trish Otter

From: list-manager@opra.simplelists.com<mailto:list-manager@opra.simplelists.com> [mailto:list-manager@opra.simplelists.com] On Behalf Of Mark Davis
Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2014 7:36 AM
To: OPRA Board
Subject: Direct Care Sustainability and HS Diploma/GED Requirement

Please see the attached draft communication to DODD.  In partnership with the Arc of Ohio, we are planning to ask DODD to selectively remove the requirement that DSP?s have a HS diploma or GED.  This would open the door to the direct support profession for these folks and increase the number of people eligible for consideration to be hired as DSP?s (if otherwise qualified).  Please reply with your thoughts and any concerns you may have about OPRA suggesting this.  We want to get this letter out by Thursday, so please respond by COB Thursday.

Thanks!

Mark Davis
President
Ohio Provider Resource Association
1152 Goodale Blvd
Columbus  OH    43212
614-224-6772 x113
614-224-3340 fax
The Trusted Voice for Providers Serving Ohioans with Disabilities<http://www.opra.org/>.
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You are receiving this important information as a member service of the Ohio Provider Resource Association. Unless messages and/or replies are specifically directed, each posting/response is sent to the entire group. This group is open only to members of the OPRA Board of Directors. The views of individual list serve users do not necessarily reflect the view of the entire OPRA Board or of the OPRA Staff. To send a message to this list serve, please use the reply button. To reply only to the original sender, please respond to the email listed after "on behalf of" in the FROM line of the message header. Thank you. You are receiving this important information as a member service of the Ohio Provider Resource Association. Unless messages and/or replies are specifically directed, each posting/response is sent to the entire group. This group is open only to members of the OPRA Board of Directors. The views of individual list serve users do not necessarily reflect the view of the entire OPRA Board or of the OPRA Staff.  To send a message to this list serve, please use the reply button. To reply only to the original sender, please respond to the email listed after "on behalf of" in the FROM line of the message header. Thank you.