OPRA Committees
OPRA committees and workgroups are established to convene members around central themes, service types, or member staff functions. Participation provides Members the opportunity to share ideas, experiences, and knowledge to advance the collective mission and improve the group's advantage.
Calendar and/or email invites will be sent to committee members prior to each meeting with access information, dates and times. If you would like to become a committee member, please contact Sonya Summers at ssummers@opra.org.
Each committee has an OPRA Member as the chair of the committee and is supported by an OPRA Staff member. Committees are open to all staff of OPRA Members. For committees structured around a staff function like Human Resources, you do not need to have an HR title to participate in the committee.
You can find meeting agendas, minutes, handouts, meeting webinar log-in information, and committee specific discussions by clicking on the "View Committee Forum" button below. By clicking on the committee, you will also find a place to submit a discussion question or topic, submit a meeting agenda topic, or share helpful resources with the committee.
Day Array
Chairs: Anne Haning, Belco Works and Chelsea Ashcraft, Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries
Day Array is designed for top organizational leadership and other top management positions. Topics covered in the Day Services Leadership meetings may include, but are not limited to, organizational strategic planning, national and state trends, shifting organizational culture, best practices in organizational leadership, operating fiscally sound organizations, and identifying and mitigating organizational risk. The committee routinely receives updates from DODD, OOD, and OACB leadership.
Day Services
Chair: Nicole Smith, RHDD
The Day Services Workgroup focuses on best practices and trends in day support for adults with developmental disabilities. The committee offers training and updates from the state on adult day supports and community integration for DODD providers.
Employment Services
Chairs: Justin Blumhorst, Capabilities, Inc. and Paul Soprano, UCP of Greater Cleveland
Employment Services focuses on providing employment services. The committee discusses best practices and trends in employment for people with developmental disabilities. We provide training and updates on community employment services from both DODD and OOD.
Healthcare
Chair: Shelly Wharton, The Society
The Healthcare Committee focuses on healthcare services for individuals with developmental disabilities. The committee reviews rules and regulations on nursing services in the waiver and ICF settings, rules and regulations that affect the DD nursing community, training, education, and best practices. The committee also hosts presenters from DODD and other system partners on improving health services and outcomes for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Human Resources
Chair: Michelle Madden, Independence of Portage County, Inc. and Rachel Murphy, RHDD
The HR Committee examines best practices in HR, the recruiting, hiring, and training process, and monitoring upcoming new regulations that affect employment law and/or training requirements.
ICF
Chairs: Kurt Miller, Empowering People and Bob Heinzerling, Heinzerling Community
The ICF Committee examines issues that have a direct impact on the programs and services provided to individuals in Intermediate Care Facilities. The Committee is used to disseminate information, provide updates and training, and elicit feedback on important issues related to ICFs.
Marketing and Communications
Chairs: Liz Owens, The Alpha Group of Delaware and Carla McDonald, Weaver Industries
The Marketing and Communications Committee is designed for organization leaders and their marketing and communication staff. The goal is to provide a focus on sharing strategies and tools, develop and hone innovative ideas, and provide feedback to other members of the group. The committee will periodically invite guest speakers to address identified needs of the group.
Policy
Chair: Scott DeLong, CRSI
The Policy Committee focuses on proposing and reviewing policy issues affecting any aspect of the DD service system, including regulatory and legislative changes. The committee reviews issues brought forth by other OPRA committees and individual OPRA Members. Issues are researched and discussed by the committee and then the committee makes recommendations to OPRA's Board of Directors for OPRA's official position on an issue.
Residential Waiver
Chairs: Jamie Steele, OVRS, Inc. and Susan Berneike, Help Foundation
The Residential Waiver Committee examines issues and best practices specific to residential services under the IO, Level 1, and SELF waiver. The committee may discuss policy issues and solutions, programmatic implementation of changing regulations, and building sustainable residential service models.
