EMPLOYEE NEWS

March 1, 2024

ODA Leads Launch of Ohio Nursing Home Quality Navigator

On February 21, ODA Director Ursel J. McElroy joined Governor Mike DeWine for a press conference to announce the launch of the Ohio Nursing Home Quality Navigator – a new online tool providing users detailed information about nursing homes across the state in one convenient digital location.

A recommendation of the Governor’s Nursing Home Quality & Accountability Task Force, the Navigator includes a searchable map of all active nursing homes in Ohio with care quality metrics, facility comparison functionality, and other features, such as staffing ratios, specialty services offered, and the number of health and safety violations a nursing home received. The tool is designed to empower Ohioans when considering a nursing home for themselves or a loved one.

“It is our hope that, in addition to providing increased transparency and convenience to Ohioans, the new online Navigator will also incentivize nursing homes to continue reaching higher to deliver the very best quality of care and quality of life possible to the benefit of our state’s nursing home residents and those who love and care for them," said Director McElroy.

The Navigator was the result of lots of hard work from many staff members at ODA, who worked in collaboration with contributors from InnovateOhio Platform, the Ohio Department of Health, and the Ohio Department of Medicaid. Thank you to everyone who helped with the development and the launch of the Navigator!

ODA Announces Funding to Regional Ombudsman Programs

On February 27, Director McElroy and State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Jackie DeGenova announced that ODA would be providing regional Ombudsman programs across the state $2.3 million beginning immediately and continuing over the coming months to strengthen their support of residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities – another recommendation of the Nursing Home Quality & Accountability Task Force.

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ODA Staff Supports National Wear Red Day

At ODA's February Town Hall Meeting, many ODA staff members wore red clothing to support National Wear Red Day – an annual initiative to bring greater attention to heart disease as a leading cause of death for Americans – particularly for women.

According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women, claiming more lives than all cancers combined. Nearly 45% of women over age 20 are living with some form of cardiovascular disease – and the risks only increase as we age.

ODA staff members wearing red took part in a group photo, which was later shared on social media to further amplify the agency's support of this worthy cause.

Director McElroy participates in HPIO panel discussion

On February 23, Director McElroy took part in a panel discussion hosted by the Health Policy Institute of Ohio (HPIO), titled "From Pilot to Policy: Elevating Evaluation, Results, and Research in Policymaking."

The Director discussed how research and data played an important role in developing Ohio's 2023-2026 State Plan on Aging and establishing other department initiatives like the Healthy Aging Grants Program. The Director was joined on the panel by leaders from the Ohio Department of Medicaid, Ohio Department of Children and Youth, and the Ohio Treasurer's Office.

What's New?

myBenefits Support Center

A new self-service tool to obtain benefits-related support will soon be available to all state employees. The myBenefits Support Center quick-access tile will be accessible beginning March 4 at myOhio.gov > My Workspace > Quick Access. 

The new support center will serve as the primary benefits case management solution for all state employees. Employees will be able to log cases themselves within the tool, check the status of their cases in real-time, and provide updated case information directly to the SHRD Customer Service Team.

Current case-logging methods will continue as well. Employees will still have the option to log a case by emailing the SHRD Customer Services Team or calling the customer service phone line at 614-466-8857 or 1-800-409-1205.

The new myBenefits Support Center will exclusively feature resources related to benefits and serve as a central information base for benefits-related self-service materials and important plan information. An important feature of the site includes a keyword search that will refer employees to “matching” articles in the information base as they enter new case information through the portal. Employees can review the matching resources to determine if the information resolves their issue, or log the case if additional support is required.

What's Up?

March is Women's History Month

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the U.S. Department of Defense honors the pioneers of the past and recognizes their unique contributions, while creating new opportunities for women of the future. You can view the full PowerPoint presentation here.

Daylight Saving Time: Sunday, March 10

Remember to set your clocks forward one hour on Sunday, March 10.

Daylight Saving Time is also a good opportunity to check the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors and to replace the air filters in your furnaces.

What About You?

Volunteer Appreciation Week

This year’s theme for Volunteer Appreciation Week is “Something for Everyone.”

Volunteer Appreciation week is April 21 to April 27. This weeklong celebration is about acknowledging those whose invaluable seeds of kindness through volunteering are bettering the community and our world. During this time, we recognize the diverse passions and talents everyone brings through volunteerism. Those who have the most powerful volunteer experiences have found a match with their individual skills and giftings. As we appreciate those who volunteer, we may be inspired to learn more about volunteer opportunities and find that there is truly something for everyone.  

Check out these resources to learn more about volunteer experiences and opportunities:

• Volunteer Match
• ServeOhio

If you choose to participate in volunteer activities, we would love to hear about your experiences.  

Please email your HRD staff at AGE HRD_Mail no later than March 24 so that we can celebrate you in the April Newsletter.

Wellness Wednesday: March Madness Mediation

March's Wellness Wednesday will be held on March 28 from 12:00-12:45 p.m.

In this month's edition, gain some new insight on what meditation actually is and how it can benefit you.

Stay tuned for a Teams appointment that will be sent out to all ODA staff. We look forward to seeing all of you then!

Get valuable tips, resources from ComPsych's online, on-demand resources

ComPsych is a resource ODA staff have available to them to help with all of life's challenges. Through ComPsych’s website, GuidanceResources.com, and mobile app, GuidanceNow, you can access on-demand support services 24/7 to meet your interests. 

Currently, the most popular on-demand topics include:

• Are You Financially On-Track for Retirement?
• Financial and legal programs and resources (including tax resources)
• Personal growth and lifestyle resources

Watch the orientation video for details about ComPsych’s full-service benefits.  

Here are the steps to access the online and mobile resources:

ComPsych website: GuidanceResources.com

• First-time users: Click the Register tab.
• Enter the Web ID: OhioEAP and click the Register button.

ComPsych mobile app: GuidanceNow (available via the App Store and Google Play)

• First-time users: Below the Login button, next to “Don’t have an account?” click Register.
• Click the Register tab.
• Enter the Web ID: OhioEAP and click the Register button.

Using OH|TAX eServices

The Ohio Department of Taxation (ODT) has implemented a new online system for Ohio individual and school district income taxes called OH|Tax eServices. As part of ODT’s new OH|TAX eServices platform, you will first need to register by creating an OHID account for personal use. If you have already created an OHID for personal use, please utilize that OHID to access OH|TAX eServices.

A friendly reminder that your 2023 tax returns are due April 15, 2024, by midnight. To learn more about OH|TAX eServices, please visit tax.ohio.gov.