Employment First Provider

An Employment First Partnership Provider is an employment provider approved by both The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) and Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD). This partnership ensures the continuity of service delivery to support people in achieving, maintaining, and advancing in community employment.

Ohio’s Employment First Partnership emphasizes the importance of professional development to ensure that provider staff are equipped with the experience, skills, and best practices in providing integrated supported employment services for Ohioans with significant disabilities. Dually approved providers with trained and credentialed staff have the unique capability to offer DODD Waiver and Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services to those eligible for DD services, fostering comprehensive support for employment success.

Current Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) Waiver Providers

Providers of OOD services must meet OOD Qualifications and Standards for Service Providers and Vendors as outlined in OAC 3304-2-53, There are two tracks for current DODD Certified Providers:

Providers that are accredited by a recognized accrediting entity that is accepted by OOD (e.g. CARF, JC, etc.) can apply to provide VR services all all individuals that are OOD eligible OR
Providers certified by DODD with at least one year of experience in providing Career Planning and Individual Employment Support services can apply to provide VR services only to individuals that are DD eligible
Find additional information on application process to Become a VR Provider here

Current Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) Providers

Providers of DODD HCBS Waiver services must meet service-specific qualifications, found in Section 5123-2-08 of the Ohio Administrative Code

Certification is offered at the service level, providers select which waiver service(s) they wish to offer
Current OOD providers may request a waiver of the initial certification fee for Career Planning and Individual Employment Support through the PSM by indicating that they have a current provider agreement with OOD
Find additional information on application process for initial DODD certification here

Staff who provide services to individuals eligible for both DODD and OOD services are expected to maintain the highest level of competency in Supported Employment. To achieve this, we encourage all staff to work towards obtaining the Certified Employment Support Professional (CESP) credential through the Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE). There are several benefits of staff obtaining their CESP credential:

Higher Service Rates: The VR Fee Schedule offers a higher reimbursement rate for Job Search Assistance - Supported Employment (JSA-SE) credential services when providers and their staff maintain the appropriate credentials. This ensures the delivery of high-quality, intensive services to individuals with the most significant disabilities.
Enhanced Skillset: The CESP credential demonstrates that staff are trained in best practices and equipped to support individuals with developmental disabilities and other significant challenges in achieving, maintaining, and advancing in Competitive Integrated Employment.
Professional Recognition: The CESP credential is recognized nationally and is a testament to the specialized skills, knowledge, and experience required to deliver effective supported employment services.

Credential Requirements for Job Search Assistance- Supported Employment (credential)

To qualify for the higher credential JSA-SE rate through OOD, the following must be met:

The provider must be certified by DODD in Career Planning and Individual Employment Support; and
The provider staff for Parts 1 and 2 of the service must be a Certified Employment Support Professionals (CESP) through the APSE or be a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) through the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC).

* For JSA-SE (DD), services on the Credential path for Part 2 meeting those requirements may move into Part 3 of this service pathway, without the direct staff providing Part 3 to hold a CESP or CRC.

Ohio Employment First offers a variety of free online training opportunities to support providers in delivering high-quality services to individuals with developmental disabilities. These courses are designed to equip staff with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in Supported Employment services, ensuring that people with most significant disabilities receive the best possible support for achieving and maintaining Competitive Integrated Employment. Staff are encouraged to take advantage of these valuable resources to enhance their expertise and work toward certification such as the Certified Employment Support Professional (CESP) credential.

DODD MyLearning: Information about the free MyLearning courses that have been developed to support Employment First can be found here. Create an account or login to DODD MyLearning to get started. For technical issues with DODD MyLearning courses, contact the ITS Help Desk at 1-800-617-6733 or ITSCallCenter@dodd.ohio.gov

DirectCourse: An extensive course catalog that includes more than 170 hours of web-based training through DirectCourse and the College of Direct Support. DODD is currently providing access to DirectCourse at no cost, register or login to get started. Several courses are specific to Employment Support Professionals including but not limited to: Foundations of Employment Services, Performance Coaching and Support, Strategies for Job Development, Business Perspective, Networking & Job Creation, Principles of Career Development, Using Work Incentives to Increase Self-Sufficiency, Employment Supports for People with Disabilities.

Click here to learn about additional Employment Support Professional Training opportunities.