Hello OPRA Members,

 

The HS Diploma/GED debate is something that the Ohio Alliance of Direct Support Professionals has been working to balance for the past couple of years.  There is strong (and understandable) opposition at the state, provider, advocacy, and family level to abolish the requirement altogether.  While OADSP does NOT feel that a total elimination of  the HS Diploma/GED requirement is in the best interest of gaining recognition for the DSP profession, we do feel that there could be some creative approaches to satisfy both sides of the debate.  We all know that we are in a workforce crisis and that COMPETENT staff are needed to fill staffing vacancies.  It is OADSP’s position that DODD should support the creation of a standard waiver (as opposed to the current waiver, which must be applied for on an individual basis) that would allow providers to hire someone who does not have a GED, and give them a period of time to meet the GED requirement.  It is also widely known that Ohio’s GED test is incredibly HARD, and (as it has been mentioned in this thread) a HS diploma/GED does not guarantee competent staff.  For this reason, OADSP is also working with the Ohio Department of Education to explore having a competency based curriculum identified as an alternative pathway to a GED (as it has been for high school students), so that adults can earn a GED through competency based training relevant to our field.  This, we feel, would satisfy the concerns on both sides of the GED debate, while opening up a new pool of applicants to us that could go to work immediately.  A written proposal to this effect has been submitted to DODD in a few different versions over 2016 and 2017.  The most recent proposal was submitted on April 14, 2017.  DODD has since indicated they will grant a PILOT of this concept for Licking County.  The Licking County Board will be collecting data while providers follow staff through this “Employment to GED” program.  It is our hope that this pilot will garner positive results and lead to the widespread implementation of “Employment to GED” programs across Ohio. 

 

OADSP welcomes your input on this, and other issues pertinent to our field.  Please feel free to contact me directly, and watch your email for information about our bi-annual stakeholder meeting being held on September 13, 2017.   

 

Happy Monday everyone!

 

Bethany

On Mon, Jul 31, 2017 at 9:00 AM, Jeff Davis <jdavis@opra.org> wrote:

Well…something like this would require statutory change. So the Legislature would have to approve it and all of our system’s stakeholders would have the opportunity to weigh in. Might I suggest that we take this issue up in Policy Committee and actually come up with language with some clear parameters (safeguards) and present it for everyone’s and our Board’s review and approval.

 

This time around we would need to be much more detailed about what they could or couldn’t do and what supervision is appropriate. Also we could touch on the issue of competency outside of the high-school degree.

 

I suspect DODD would oppose our efforts but that doesn’t mean in the end we can’t be successful if we choose to move forward.

 

I think Becky Sharp is the perfect person to lead this as Policy Chair (but I haven’t mentioned it to her yet J). Let’s put this on our August 21^st Policy Agenda. So if you are interested I hope you can plan to participate…

 

Jeff

 

From: opra_members@opra.simplelists.com [mailto:opra_members@opra.simplelists.com] On Behalf Of homefarms450@gmail.com
Sent: Sunday, July 30, 2017 9:50 PM
To: opra_members@opra.simplelists.com
Subject: Re: GED waiver request

 

It is my understanding that a waiver of a rule can be requested.  See:  5123:2-3-10   

 

Bear in mind, I am most familiar with Rules for Licensed Facilities.  This one was effective 10/1/2016. 

 

“(1) For adequate reasons and when requested in writing by a licensee, the director may waive a condition or specific requirement of a rule in Chapter 5123:2-3 of the Administrative Code or a rule in other chapters of the Administrative Code adopted by the department to license or regulate the operation of residential facilities.”

 

SUGGESTION: when requesting a waiver of a rule, you are doing it ON BEHALF OF YOUR CLIENTS.   Example: your clients have developed a relationship with said staff and said staff contributes to the health and safety of they individuals for whom they serve.  IF you have house meetings, you can ask your individual’s their opinions and include that in your waiver request.

 

bev brubaker

The Home Farms Residential Services, LLC

Preble County

homefarm@voyager.net

 

 

From: Wendy Bejaige

Sent: Sunday, July 30, 2017 6:17 PM

To: Anita Allen

Cc: opra_members@opra.simplelists.com ; opra_hr@opra.simplelists.com ; opra_workforce@opra.simplelists.com

Subject: Re: GED waiver request

 

So, to be clear..this waiver only applies on folks working towards GED?  is there any accountability of this?  what happens, if after a year, our caring, hardworking, punctual, honest staff has not for some reason attained the GED?  Is this the only way around hiring someone without diploma/GED? 

 

Are there any programs out there for employers to assist employees in getting their GEDs?

 

I apologize, I am a little late to the game.

 

Wendy Bejaige

Triad Residential Solutions

Director

 

 

Wendy Bejaige, MOL

Director

 

Triad Residential Solutions

1605 Holland Road, Suite A-4

Maumee, Ohio 43537

419-482-0711

 

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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 listserv group, a large and diverse body. The views of individual listserv users do not necessarily reflect the views of the OPRA Board or Staff. To send a message to this listserv, 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.

--

Bethany Toledo

OADSP Executive Director

 

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 listserv group, a large and diverse body. The views of individual listserv users do not necessarily reflect the views of the OPRA Board or Staff. To send a message to this listserv, 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.