Works4Me Program Family Engagement & Outreach

*Amendment 1, resulting in Round 2, is issued as a result of an extension of the closing date of the RFP.BACKGROUND. Workis a grant-funded project at Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) that began implementation in October 2023. The project assists people employed in subminimum wage settings and people considering employment in subminimum wage settings for the first time to obtain competitive integrated employment (CIE) as defined in the Scope of Work of this document. To support this, OOD is developing new services to empower adults with disabilities to complete activities resulting in community employment. Workis being piloted in Northeast Ohio. By October 2024, Works4Me will expand to approximately six counties in other areas of Ohio. Beginning in October 2024, Works4Me will expand across the State to both rural and urban counties. OOD will work with other State agencies, local county boards of developmental disabilities, and employers that hold 14(c) certificates that pay subminimum wage to develop strategies for the program to support individuals to make the transition from subminimum wage employment to CIE. One strategy identified by OOD and its partners to support this transition is family mentoring. Because family members of people with developmental disabilities are often involved in employment decisions, OOD is seeking one or more Contractor(s) to coordinate mentoring for people with disabilities considering CIE and their families. Under the Works4Me project, OOD and the Contractor(s) will engage with people with disabilities and their families in navigating their barriers and implementing solutions for the transition to CIE. Over the four years of Works4Me’s implementation, OOD anticipates doing outreach about Workto 1,450 people. Of those 1,450 people with disabilities and their families, OOD anticipates that approximately 600 will be interested in family mentoring services.