Press Releases

Ohio Public Private Partnership Yields Jobs for Severely Disabled. The Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission (RSC) and Pearl Interactive Network (PIN), a for-profit firm, have formed a unique private and public sector collaboration to assist people with disabilities and a long history of unemployment in finding good jobs. Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission (RSC) is a state agency that enables people with disabilities to find employment and live independently. Typically, social service agencies, or other public entities (not private enterprises) refer people with disabilities to RSC, and then RSC finds them employment in the private and public sectors. In these new cases, PIN, a socially-motivated and profit-driven company, sought RSC’s support to employ people with disabilities. "Our responsibility is to help find work for people with disabilities," explained John Connelly, executive director of RSC. "Usually we are asking an employer to hire somebody, but here is an employer asking us for help. Of course, RSC is going to provide all the resources it can so that anybody with a disability willing to work succeeds. This is a win-win solution for the employee, RSC, PIN and PIN’s client." Merry Korn of PIN looks for employees with a "can do" attitude. "This special private-public partnership achieves goals for people with disabilities, the state agency responsible for assisting them, and businesses seeking a competent workforce," she said. RSC has a two-way relationship with PIN. The state agency screens candidates, provides eligible employees job counseling, assistive technology and training. It also recommends prospective employers to PIN.

For more information on the program, go to: Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission at: NGA Center Workforce Update for August 13, 2007