Center for Personal Assistance
Youth Transition
“I am blessed – my life has turned around,” beamed 53 year old Frederick. Bringing his own experience with disabilities and his struggles with substance abuse to his position as a home health aid, Fred gives the highest quality of care to his clients. “I know what it’s like,” he states as his rationale for always going the extra mile for those persons with disabilities in his care.
After deciding that his calling is with adults rather than with children, Fred attended both the home health and State Training for Nursing Assistants (STNA) offered by Linking Employment, Abilities and Potential (LEAP). Despite his disability issues and learning needs, he passed the Ohio STNA licensing exam on the first try.
When asked to describe his new life, Fred answers, “I’m working, I’m married and I am the man of my house.” He and his new bride are in the process of buying their own home.
From flea market entrepreneur to cart cleaner at Angelica Textile in Lorain, Ohio, Harold, at age 62, gives witness to the fact that change is always possible. Change happens more easily if one has a job coach from Linking Employment, Abilities and Potential (LEAP).
For over 20 years, Harold supported himself by selling various items at flea markets. Although he had the advantage of establishing his own work hours and making his own decisions, the work provided no medical benefits for him. As his eyesight worsened due to macular degeneration, the need for health insurance became crucial.
With the help of his LEAP job coach, Harold learned new job duties, developed organizational skills and responds to his employer’s standards rather than his own.
Now at Angelica Textiles where he has been employed for the past nine months, Harold is not only fully insured, he has received three pay raises and proudly reports a perfect attendance record.
Meredith
Meredith was referred to the Linking Employment, Abilities & Potential (LEAP) Benefits Planning, Assistance & Outreach (BPA&O) program by the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission (ORSC). Meredith’s primary disability is spinal muscular atrophy type 2. Meredith receives $579 in Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and is eligible for Medicaid. She has the use of a power wheelchair and has thirty-five hours of in-home care assistance, which is provided through the homecare waiver she receives. When we met Meredith was attending Cleveland State University and in the process of completing her Master’s Degree in Social Work. She was serving an internship at the ORSC during the time of our meeting and is expected to completer her degree. Meredith’s goal was to secure employment with the ORSC or some other agency where she could utilize her degree. Meredith informed me that the starting salary for her position was 40K full time. She was interested in the benefits analysis to obtain information about how working would affect not only her SSI but more importantly her Medicaid and waiver. She was concerned that she would still have medical coverage until she was able to secure employment as her medical needs are extensive. Meredith will be working at a level where she will not receive her SSI cash benefit and eventually be self-sufficient. Meredith did assign her Ticket to Work to the ORSC.
Chris’s unusual ability to arrange files numerically and alphabetically with remarkable accuracy and speed makes him a great asset at the Cleveland Veterans’ Administration Medical Center (VAMC), where he volunteers in the Medical
Records department. His incredible talent might have remained undiscovered without the involvement of staff at LEAP where Chris participated in Job Link, a
United Way funded program. Due to his deafness and autistic-like characteristics, Chris required the training and support of his Job Link Program Coordinator to develop strategies for effective communication and gain employability skills needed to be successful in a work environment. “Chris is like a calculator,” says Homell Calhoun, his supervisor at the VA. “His abilities are amazing. He’ll surprise you with the volume of work he can perform and how quickly he learns to do new things. Chris is more accurate than some machines. And he’s such a good kid too.” Chris’ goal was to obtain paid employment using these skills and abilities. Although there were no positions available in the Medical Records department, the VAMC hired Chris in a newly developed position in Medical Supply. Christopher began his new position as a Medical Supply Aid in February 2007 where he has exceeded his supervisor’s expectations for performance.
A young man with a mission, 18 year old David McKee is on the fast track toward a career in audio technology and networking. He has made awesome progress toward his goal despite challenges with low vision.
David credits his transition team composed of his high school, his family, Cleveland Sight Center, The Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired and Linking Employment, Abilities and Potential’s (LEAP’s) High School/High Tech Program in helping him to meet the bench marks he set for himself. His goals included exploring career choices, determining appropriate colleges, identifying assistive technology to serve his work and college needs and working part-time while still in high school.
As a senior at Cleveland Heights High School, David jumped at the opportunities developed through High School/High Tech , including to be part of a four-week internship with Best Buy’s Geek Squad, the in-store support center for consumers with computer problems, where he gained valuable technology support skills. He learned to utilize Magic 9 (screen enlarging software), Window’s magnifier and a portable battery operated magnifier. Validating his skills, Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry hired David as a technical support specialist where his duties include providing technical support, troubleshooting, installing computer hardware and software. He is also responsible for computer orientation for a staff of 200 located at ten different offices.
In the fall of 2007, David will matriculate at Cuyahoga Community College. Besides being a voracious writer, David enjoys spending his free time digitally creating music and playing computer games. He is also involved in the Anime Club.
