1. Another Lucas County athlete is tapped for the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games

Beth Myers could not hold back the excitement when she learned on her birthday she was selected to compete next year in the Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando. Beth has been competing in Special Olympics for 20 years. When she heard the news of her selection, Beth responded, “Florida, here I come! I am speechless. This is the best gift I have ever gotten! This has always been my dream. I will give it all I’ve got! Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in my attempt!”

Watch the story from 13abc.

2. Ohio COVID-19 State of Emergency Lifted

Governor Mike DeWine has announced that the state emergency in Ohio caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has been lifted as of Friday, June 18, 2021, and urges those who have not yet received the vaccine to find a clinic near them by visiting gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov.

Although the state of emergency has been lifted, the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) will continue the flexibility for several service options needed to support people with developmental disabilities and their families throughout the state.

To continue these service flexibilities, Governor DeWine has signed an executive order, and DODD has filed emergency rules to be in effect for the next 120 days. Specifically, these emergency rules continue to allow for the following flexibilities:

The option for parents of minor children, as employees of agencies, to provide paid services through the Level One and Individual Options waivers,
For people to access Homemaker/Personal Care and Ohio Shared Living services on the same day, and
For Adult Day Support and Vocational Habilitation services to be provided virtually.

Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities should continue to follow current guidance from CMS to determine appropriate access to the facility and resident visitation as well as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance for Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel.

DODD continues to work in cooperation with stakeholders representing people with developmental disabilities, families, guardians, providers of service, and county boards of developmental disabilities to determine the supports and service flexibilities to remain in place.

3. TARTA returning to Pre-COVID hours of service on June 28

The Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) is bringing back hours of service to pre-COVID schedules on Monday, June 28, 2021. The announcement also includes resuming Call-A-Ride service in the City of Rossford; continuing free fares through the summer; and improving frequency on 10 routes to run every 60 minutes.

TARTA is responding with the following service improvements:

Fixed Route Bus Service: Weekday service from the Downtown Toledo Transit Hub will operate 6 a.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday service will operate 9 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. with expanded hours of service to 9:30 p.m. on Routes 2C, 5C, 12, 14 19 and 31C.
All routes will now run every 30 or 60 minutes; an improvement from the 90 minute frequency during the pandemic.
Paratransit Service/Toledo Area Regional Paratransit Service (TARPS): Weekday TARPS service will begin at 4:55 a.m. to 9:40 p.m. Saturday and Sunday service is expanded to 7:50 a.m. to 10:20 p.m.
Call-A-Ride Improvements: TARTA’s on-demand service is returning to Rossford and continues to be available in Maumee, Ottawa Hills, Sylvania, Sylvania Township and Waterville. Hours of service are also returning to pre-COVID schedules. Customers will need to reserve their ride(s) the day before by 3 p.m. Multiple trips are allowed pending availability.
All TARTA services will continue to operate at no charge to customers.

As required by federal law, all passengers must wear a mask and TARTA provides complimentary masks if needed.

TARTA’s Rider Information Line is available to answer questions about the new service at 419-243-7433 Monday through Saturday. For TARPS information, call 419-382-9901. Details are also available at www.tarta.comincluding a new trip planner for riders to easily plan how to use the TARTA system.

4. Zoo finds success with Advocates for Disabilities

Read the story from The Blade. Wonderful, good news!

5. Are you looking for housing?

Visit the Ohio Housing Locator to search for affordable and accessible rental housing throughout the state of Ohio. The locator can be used to search by location, monthly rent, number of bedrooms, and accessibility features. You also can connect to other housing resources and get information on rental assistance, housing accessibility, and home buying.

6. The Ability Center’s Assistance Dog Program is searching for volunteers

Volunteer opportunities involve working with dogs that are training to become service and therapy dogs that will one day support an individual with a disability become more independent. Visit this website to view all volunteer openings or email volunteers@abilitycenter.org for more information.

7. Push is on for federal transit funding

This link will connect with a campaign to support a federal public transit funding bill. At this link you will see a graphic shows how much the funding could help each part of Ohio.

The organizers of this campaign want to hear people’s personal transit stories – which will be passed along to legislators. People can contact Akshai Singh, akshai@juststrategy.org, to share a story or ask about other ways they can get involved in the campaign.

8. Positions Open

The Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities has several job openings including Service and Support Specialist, Accounting Clerk, Data Analyst, and Speech Language Pathologist. See the complete list of openings and review tghe benefits of working for the Board at Careers (lucasdd.info)

The Ability Center is looking to hire an ASL interpreter who can also perform job coaching duties. This position will be a seasonal position to support The Ability Center’s Next Steps Summer Program working with youth with disabilities. Apply here.

9. Arc encouraging support of Medicaid reform

The Arc is encouraging support for Congress to fund $400 billion for the Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) system, increase wages for the direct care workforce, and create more of these jobs. Take action.

10. IRS launches a new Non-filer Sign-up tool on its website.

Although this non-filer portal is labeled as for non-filers claiming advance payments of the child tax credit, it is also available for others, including single individuals and people experiencing homelessness. It will allow individuals to provide their information to the IRS so that they can receive any of the three Economic Impact Payments (EIPs), also known as “stimulus payments,” that they may be missing. If an individual did not get the full amounts of the EIPs, they may use this tool if they:

Are not required to file a 2020 tax return, didn’t file a 2020 tax return, and don’t plan to, and
Want to claim the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit (which covers the first and second EIPs) and get their third EIP.

The new Non-filer Sign-up tool is for people who did not file a tax return for 2019 or 2020, and who did not use the IRS Non-filers tool last year to register for Economic Impact Payments.