licensed practical nurse

psychiatric nurse

therapeutic program worker

psychologist

residential supervisor

Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities

Being your own company of one can be tiring but if you thrive at multi tasking and self motivation and high paced workload. This job is more then a job. It's multiple positions in one. From C.E.O. to everything in between. You are the company. Your the highest up on the ladder all the way down to lowest man. You will need office skills, business, light cleaning, speaking professionally, behavior management, time management, money management, cooking skills, redirection, deescalate behaviors,      organizing, teaching skills and hands on instruction, medication administration, CPR & First Aid, Background checks, Great driving record, complete all State training and maintain trainings yearly, learn EVV Sandata, complete and keep documentation on all clients, etc!
Making a difference in people's day to day lives is the greatest job I've ever had the pleasure to have! Teaching others how to advocate for themselves or get them involved in community activities and development or make sure they are getting peer to peer support and connections. Teaching them life skills they can use to live fulfilling lives of their own. Special Olympics involvement has been a wonderful growth experience for myself and clients. I care deeply for each client and treat them with the utmost respect and show compassion and dignity for all areas of clients care. This is more then a job, this is real people's lives we effect and impact daily and I hope to always improve myself by continued education and growth from any mistakes I may have made or will make and keep improving my skills that help every client I have the privilege of helping! 
Cons: While being your own boss, you are the lowest man on your own ladder. You have the skills to do all the hardwork of C.E.O. , Program Director, Home Manager, Job Couch, Direct Support, Delgated Nursing, Mentor, Office Manager, HR, and I'm certainly forgetting more but you get my drift. Your doing ALL the work and most people won't give you the respect they would if you had just one of those titles. They don't even think about the multitude of positions we actually hold and you have to develop your own sense of confidence and comfort in knowing what you do matters without acknowledgement from anyone! This field is the must cutthroat I've worked in. It's surprising the amount of people you'll encounter who have a little power over someone and that power goes to their heads. They forget policies and procedures and basic human rights. ethics and conflicts will be high and you have to navigate all of this with constant belief that your doing the best you can and you know the State Policies and Procedures. You abide by rules and regulations that are in place to keep you safe and your clients safe. 
You will contribute so much of your time with your individuals. You'll miss out on your own family functions, and personal time. If your lucky you'll find clients you can incorporate into your family day to day experience and that is a true blessing to clients and Providers. 
We are called to the highest standards because again I will stress this yet again, what we do impacts the lives of people! We make a difference and we all matter! No Job has ever been so rewarding to myself no matter the cost. I adore the opportunity I get daily to be involved. Make a difference, smile, be kind and always polite and keep moving forward 😊 


It typically takes 3-6 months to complete and submit all documents and be approved/“hired” through Ohio DODD. There is often an HR rep to guide you through this process and make it simpler. Once you are hired, you interview with potential clients in need of a wide range of services - from bathing & toileting, medication management, to shopping and going out to eat. You get to choose your client(s) and create your own schedule. There is no management, you are your own boss. I recommend this line of work to my empathetic friends looking for a well paying, fulfilling career in hospitality and/or healthcare. A typical day for me consists of picking up my client, going out to lunch/dinner together, assisting in budgeting, and helping them build the skills they need to be more independent and self reliant. Some cons would be the documentation and paperwork end of things (just boring, not difficult), having to manage and pay your own taxes since you’re considered self-employed, navigating interpersonal relationships with clients such as their romantic relationship struggles and occasionally difficult parents (this is something you can choose to avoid entirely), and creating professional boundaries with someone who relies on you for a very personal relationship. That being said, you have full control over most aspects of this job and have the freedom to cultivate your own work environment. I will gladly be an independent provider for as long as possible - getting to be an advocate for people you build lifelong relationships with, getting paid to have fun, and guiding someone towards growth are all extremely rewarding. There will always be a need for quality independent providers. 

In my time working for the ODODD, I learned many reliable skills such as patience, new and creative ways to problem solve and how to work well independantly - just to name a few things. Everyday you walk into work you may be surrounded by the same atmosphere but everyday has it's challenges and obstacles to face and you have the opportunity to answer the question "How can I provide a level of care to someone that would brighten their world?" In a way, you get to express your creativity through problem solving of how you could better the life of the person you cared for. Sometimes, this problem solving could be discussed with family and service coordinators for big projects like vacations or outings for things such as birthday parties or holidays. Working with people who also love and care for individuals is wonderful and even though it can be very time consuming, the experiences you're rewarded with by knowing you brightened someone's world with your presence, makes all the difference.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Firstly, it's great being an Independent Provider! DODD is great with the tools they give you to succeed. Working with the clients and their families to get them out in the community is fulfilling. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
when a client's family decides they no longer want services for their loved ones without notifying you , only the SA, who they are having trouble with and it affects you financially. Although Ohio is an at-will state , it shouldn't apply to independent contractors. there should be some protection for us Independent Providers/Contractors who only get paid when they work and a contract was signed between all parties!!  no protection at all!!!!!! 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
it depends on whom you are providing services for. their households

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
depending on the client's needs. i.e. doctor's appointments, hpc, transportation, etc

Assisted a young lady with daily living needs such as dressing, transferring from wheelchair, medication administration, transportation to/from doctor appointments and any  needs listed within the patient's service plan.
The job is very rewarding, especially when you experience the completion of a goal, the smile and cheers when getting a strike in the Ohio Special Olympics Bowling Tournament, watching their favorite shows on TV, and just being their to assist and advocate daily. 
The hardest part of this position is watching others struggle to do the  simple things that most take for granted.  
I love working with individuals with challenges and advocate for their right for a "normal" life.

Greet clients; read over the reports daily for each client; assist clients with daily activities; assist with behavior activities in public places.  Supervisors were helpful during the day when they were present.  The workplace was unpredictable, because you were not certain of the clients issues.  I learned that it is very difficult to work in an environment where clients can at any moment be hostile and physically violent.  What made my job rewarding was to see my clients improve their life skills.

The best thing is working with the individuals we care for. The worst is management sucks period! and some co workers should not be doing this type of work. so however the hiring process has changed since I was hired is completely wrong. They will hire almost anybody with no previous experience in working with the severely developmentally disabled and extreme behaviors. Staff get hurt constantly and individuals rarely ever make it through the process of being placed in a community and most of the ones that do, come back or end up in another type of facility. It’s sad but if you look past all the bad and concentrate on the individuals you work with it can be a rewarding job.

It’s great working personally with families and individuals with developmental disabilities. However, working for the state is DREADFUL! They will not provide you with assistance unless you call them everyday for a week and wait on hold for over 45 mins each call. Only then, will they send you to someone that CAN actually help. Then that person will avoid all of your calls and emails. Another big corporation that puts zero of its dollars into helping its employees, & then hiding it by calling their employees “independent”.

Employment with a state agency could be very impersonal, but it was not, and in fact some of the most honorable, respectable, intelligent, and humor-filled people of my 45 year work history were with my last employer.  There were very few typical work days, and that promoted a steep often challenging learning curve which was typically supported with knowledgeable management as well as support staff.  The most valuable gift received from this work was knowing that we made a difference reflected through feedback from the public we served.

DODD is an excellent place to work. The current leadership team is very collaborative, supportive and extremely knowledgeable.

Good ideas and good work are respected regardless of position or title, so that I always feel like I can contribute to other projects and be a part of the long-term goals of the department. 

I have been able to learn a lot about the developmental disabilities field and sharpen a wide variety of skills. 

There is a lot of room for growth and great potential to stay with the agency in a range of different positions.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Licensed practical nurse 15 salaries reported	$29.52 per hour
Psychiatric nurse 16 salaries reported	$42.66 per hour
Therapeutic program worker 18 salaries reported	$24.05 per hour
Psychologist 3 salaries reported	$120,016 per year
Residential supervisor 3 salaries reported	$27.96 per hour

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