Talking about disabilities

Representatives from the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission made a stop in Washington County Wednesday to hear from people who receive their services.

Washington State Community College was the fifth location in the commission's 12-city "Cafe Conversation" tour of the state this month.

Kristin Butts, a vocational rehabilitation counselor with the RSC's Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation, said the sessions are meant to open the lines of communication.

"It's to get feedback from people with disabilities, people who care for people with disabilities and people who provide services for people with disabilities about what we can do for them as we move forward," she said.

"We're giving them an opportunity to talk to us in a way that we haven't let them talk to us before," added Michael Rench, administrator of the RSC.

Through its Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation, Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired and Bureau of Disability Determination, the commission helps Ohioans with disabilities gain employment, independence and Social Security disability determination outcomes.

About 40 people attending the meeting had an opportunity to share what they think is most important for the commission to focus on in the future.

Maureen Sigafoos, the special education supervisor with Marietta City Schools, shared some of the concerns she has for the school district.

"Transportation to jobs and job availability for kids with disabilities and getting RSC to come into our schools are my biggest concerns," she said. "There's not an office for RSC here, so I don't know what's available."

"I would like to see something we could pass out to parents and teachers so we know who to contact and what's available," she added.

Fleming resident Don Noland, who has utilized the commission's services for the visually impaired, thinks the feedback will be useful for the commission.

"It will be helpful in the future because a lot of the agencies haven't been corresponding with each other," he said. "And if they can correspond with each other better, then they can help people more."

Noland also expressed concern over the lack of transportation services available to local residents with disabilities.

Information shared during the session will be posted to the RSC's Web site, www.rsc.ohio.gov , in the coming days.