Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities

What Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities does

Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) is a state agency of the State of Ohio, headquartered in Columbus, that delivers vocational rehabilitation (VR), services for the blind and visually impaired, and Social Security Administration (SSA) disability determination services. The agency is organized into three operating divisions: the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation (BVR), the Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired (BSVI), and the Division of Disability Determination (DDD), the latter of which operates under a federal cost-reimbursement contract with the SSA. OOD serves Ohio residents with disabilities across all 88 counties through 23 VR offices and appointment centers, including embedded staff on 14 Ohio college campuses via the Ohio College2Careers program.

OOD's service portfolio spans eligibility determination, individualized plan for employment (IPE) development, counseling, training, assistive technology provision, job placement, and supported employment. The agency maintains the OODWorks case-management platform to manage intake, IPEs, and service tracking across its divisions. Programs such as Works4Me (in coordination with the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities) and the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) employment model (with Ohio Mental Health & Addiction Services) extend OOD's reach into specialized disability and behavioral health populations. In 2023, OOD launched the Accessible Ohio statewide awareness initiative and supported passage of HB 144 ("Keith's Law"), which expanded statutory protections for individuals served by the agency.

OOD operates as a publicly funded, non-commercial entity. All VR and BSVI services are provided at no cost to eligible individuals, funded through a combination of federal grants — primarily under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended (Title I and Title VI) administered by the U.S. Department of Education's Rehabilitation Services Administration, and the SSA-funded DDD program — together with State of Ohio General Revenue Fund appropriations set by the Ohio General Assembly. The agency reports a workforce of 501–1,000 employees and is governed by an Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities Commission that exercises rule-making and oversight authority under the Ohio Revised Code.

Name

Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities

Legal name

Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities

Website

https://ood.ohio.gov

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities is an Ohio state agency delivering vocational rehabilitation, blind/visually impaired services, and Social Security disability determinations across all 88 Ohio counties. It is publicly funded through federal grants and state appropriations, serving Ohio residents with disabilities at no cost.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Benefits Administration (BPAIAKAC), Computer Access & Alternative Input (Switch, Eye Gaze, Head/Mouse, Keyboards) (EDAKAIAD), Benefits Counseling & Financial Literacy for Transition-Age Youth (EDAKANAJ)

Keywords

• Vocational rehabilitation services
• Disability employment services
• Disability determination services
• Independent living services
• Assistive technology services

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus, Ohio

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices22 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: OOD is a state agency funded primarily through federal grants (Rehabilitation Services Administration) and state appropriations. The Division of Disability Determination receives 100% of its funding from the Social Security Administration.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

OOD is Ohio's state agency providing vocational rehabilitation services that help individuals with physical, intellectual, mental health, and sensory disabilities gain, maintain, prepare for, or return to competitive integrated employment. Services include career counseling, job training, assistive technology, workplace accommodations, education and training funding, transportation assistance, and ongoing career support delivered at no cost to eligible Ohioans across all 88 counties. The agency also determines medical eligibility for Social Security disability benefits and provides independent living services for older blind Ohioans.

Product overview

Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) is a state government agency that operates as a unified service platform rather than a traditional software product. The organization's core offering is vocational rehabilitation (VR) services delivered through multiple coordinated divisions and programs. The primary consumer-facing interface is the OOD Works web portal, which enables individuals to apply for services, communicate with VR counselors, and manage their employment journey. OOD's service portfolio includes the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation (BVR) providing general VR services, the Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired (BSVI) serving blind and low vision individuals, the Division of Disability Determination (DDD) processing Social Security disability claims, and specialized programs such as the Personal Care Assistance Program, Independent Living Older Blind (ILOB) Program, Accessible Ohio, Ohio College2Careers, Career Clusters Toolkit, Work Incentives Planning, and the Ohio Vocational Apprentice Program. Additional programs address mental health/substance use services, intellectual and developmental disabilities, veteran services, and student transition services starting at age 14. OOD also provides outreach through the OOD Works e-Newsletter and Podcast. Services are delivered across all 88 Ohio counties through a network of regional offices and appointment centers, with the central office located in Columbus.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Accessible Ohio: A program launched in 2023 to support Ohio's businesses, venues, attractions, and communities in becoming accessible and inclusive for individuals with disabilities.
• OOD Works
• Ohio College2Careers

Products and services

• OOD Works Online Portal Secure web portal enabling Ohioans with disabilities to apply for vocational rehabilitation services, log in to their account, share documents with VR counselors, and manage their employment journey.
• Vocational Rehabilitation Services Core VR services helping Ohioans with physical, intellectual, mental health, and sensory disabilities gain, maintain, prepare for, or return to competitive integrated employment, including career counseling, job training, work experiences, and on-the-job support.
• Blind and Low Vision Program Vocational rehabilitation program for Ohioans who are blind or have low vision, providing assessment, career exploration, assistive technology, job placement, and workplace accommodations.
• Division of Disability Determination (DDD) Services Federally-funded service that determines medical eligibility for Ohioans applying for Social Security disability benefits (SSDI and SSI) under agreement with the Social Security Administration.
• Personal Care Assistance (PCA) Program Program providing partial reimbursement for personal care assistant costs to eligible Ohioans with severe physical disabilities who need help with activities of daily living to maintain employment or participate in employment training.
• Independent Living Older Blind (ILOB) Program Services for Ohioans age 55 or older who are legally or totally blind, providing adaptive aids, independent living skills training, and support to maintain independence at home and in the community.
• Accessible Ohio Program launched in 2023 providing accessibility consultation and resources to help Ohio businesses, venues, attractions, and communities become more accessible and inclusive for individuals with disabilities.
• Ohio College2Careers OOD program helping Ohio college students with disabilities navigate higher education challenges and career development through early support and guidance for postsecondary success.
• Career Clusters Toolkit Career exploration resource helping individuals discover in-demand careers aligned with their interests, featuring credential pathways, Ohio-specific wage data, and practical guidance for job seekers with disabilities.
• Work Incentives Planning Benefits counseling service for individuals receiving SSI and/or SSDI benefits, explaining how working affects their disability and health coverage benefits and providing personalized work incentives planning.
• Ohio Vocational Apprentice Program Program providing students and adults with disabilities paid apprenticeship opportunities in state government agencies to gain valuable work experience.
• Works4Me Program expanding career opportunities for people with developmental disabilities, implemented in partnership with county Boards of Developmental Disabilities and the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities to promote competitive integrated employment.
• Student Services Services supporting students with disabilities throughout their educational journey, including programs for high school students age 14+, college students, and adult learners seeking professional certifications.
• Intellectual & Developmental Disability Services Vocational rehabilitation services for Ohioans with intellectual and developmental disabilities, provided through partnerships with county Boards of Developmental Disabilities and community organizations.
• Mental Health & Substance Use Services Specialized employment support for individuals with mental health conditions and substance use disorders, including Individual Placement and Support (IPS), an evidence-based practice helping people with serious mental illness work in competitive jobs.
• Mobile Services Unit Mobile unit delivering free health screenings and essential services to communities throughout Ohio, including accessibility outreach activities at events like the Ohio State Fair.

Quantifiable outcome

• Adult participants (22+) take average of 6.1 months to get a job after receiving services
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Social Security AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partnership for disability determination. OOD's Division of Disability Determination determines medical eligibility for Ohioans applying for Social Security disability benefits under agreement with SSA. DDD receives 100% of its funding from SSA.
• National Federation of the BlindcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the BSVI Services web portal providing resources and services for blind and visually impaired Ohioans. Partnership provides location-based search for vision-related services statewide.
• Ohio National GuardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership at GuardCare event where OOD and Ohio National Guard provided over 100 free vision screenings to community members.
• North Fairfield Improvement GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity collaboration to make a public park more accessible to all, highlighted at the Accessible Ohio Conference.
• County Boards of Developmental DisabilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with county-level Boards of Developmental Disabilities across Ohio to serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through vocational rehabilitation services.
• Ohio Department of Developmental DisabilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level partnership to serve individuals with developmental disabilities through the Works4Me program and other vocational rehabilitation initiatives.
• Lott IndustriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly partner in the Works4Me program, which aims to expand career opportunities for people with developmental disabilities and promote competitive integrated employment.
• Mental Health AgenciescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCollaborative partnerships with mental health agencies throughout Ohio to deliver Individual Placement and Support (IPS) services, an evidence-based practice helping people with serious mental illness work in competitive jobs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Job Accommodation Network (JAN): Free consulting service funded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy that provides individualized workplace accommodation and disability employment guidance to employers and individuals. Comparable as a federally-aligned resource supporting disability-related employment outcomes, but a smaller-scope advisory resource rather than a VR service provider.

Broad incumbents

• Easterseals: National nonprofit network delivering disability services including vocational rehabilitation, employment supports, autism services, and accessibility across many states. Broader incumbent offering overlapping VR and disability employment services as part of a wider portfolio that includes medical, therapeutic, and camp services.
• Goodwill Industries International: National nonprofit network operating mission-driven employment programs, including vocational rehabilitation, job training, and placement for people with disabilities and other barriers to employment. Broad incumbent with overlapping VR-adjacent services but with a much wider retail and workforce portfolio.

Direct peers

• Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation: Florida's designated state VR agency, delivering eligibility determination, career counseling, training, and job placement services for Floridians with disabilities. Direct peer — same federal VR funding stream, same statewide office model, same core VR-plus-specialized-program service mix.
• National Industries for the Blind (NIB): National nonprofit focused on employment of people who are blind or have low vision, including through the Business Enterprise Program and federal AbilityOne contracts. Closely comparable to OOD's BSVI division and the ILOB program in mission and population served.
• SourceAmerica: National nonprofit agency designated by the federal AbilityOne program to create employment opportunities for people with disabilities, particularly through government contracts. Comparable as a disability-employment agency operating under federal mandate, though organized as a nonprofit central nonprofit rather than a state VR agency.
• Texas Workforce Solutions Vocational Rehabilitation Services: Texas's designated VR division under the Texas Workforce Commission, providing vocational rehabilitation, blindness services, and disability-related employment supports across the state. Direct peer operating under the same federal VR framework with similar VR, BSVI-equivalent, and transition program structures.
• New York State Education Department — Adult Career and Continuing Education Services – Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR): New York's designated VR agency, providing vocational rehabilitation and employment services to individuals with disabilities statewide. Direct peer under the same federal Rehabilitation Act framework, with comparable VR, transition, and blindness services portfolios.
• California Department of Rehabilitation: California's designated state vocational rehabilitation agency under the federal Rehabilitation Act, delivering VR, independent living, and disability determination services to Californians with disabilities. Direct structural peer — same federal funding model, same core VR service portfolio, same statewide office footprint mandate.

Others

• Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA): Federal agency within the U.S. Department of Education that administers the Rehabilitation Act and disburses federal VR funding to state VR agencies like OOD. Not a peer in a competitive sense, but the federal regulator and primary grant-maker shaping OOD's funding and program requirements.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/OhioOOD
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@OhioOOD
• Facebookfacebook.com/OhioOOD
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ood
• Instagraminstagram.com/ohioood

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities