Renewed Disability Resource Guide Available

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – For individuals needing disability information – the search just got easier. The Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) completed a major renovation of its popular Disability Resource Guide, which shares disability information on the local, state and national level comprised of more than 3,000 entries.

This guide is available on-line at www.okdrs.gov. It includes information on housing and legal issues as well as where to find adaptive clothing or equipment or just acquire information on specific diseases / conditions.

“Originally, we wanted disability and social information for our counselors and clients in a central location,” Linda Parker, DRS director, said.

“Through the years, the guide delivered a vast amount of hard to find or hard to understand information on the web and in a summarized format for the average person. This update brings new life to a valuable document that utilizes new technology in a more efficient and user friendly way,” Parker said.

“We know the guide is a valuable resource due to the fact that it receives anywhere from 3,000 to 4,000 hits a day.”

In the last year and a half, many new changes occurred. The guide now includes a modern search engine that allows users to find information easily. Users can choose a large print format or a standard print format depending on their needs through an adjust text feature.

The index gives users the ability to view a known organization or company’s information individually without having to search through a chapter or section.

“I love the index. You can go straight to what you are looking for,” Oklahoma City Visual Services, Rehabilitation Technician Jeannette Ridner said. “I use the guide all the time, four or five times a week. It’s an easier way to find multiple services in one place.”

There are also those outside DRS who use the guide to assist people with disabilities or their families, such as Sooner SUCCESS’ Blaine County Coordinator, Billie Roane. Roane is a resource for parents of children who are disabled or critically ill. She helps to connect parents or medical providers with vital information or assistance.

“It is very easy to navigate and has a wealth of information in it,” Roane said. “The detail consideration in how a page prints off, all of it on the page just as it appears online, makes my work so much easier in passing on a completed hard copy for a family or provider.”

Although this is the next generation of the guide, it still provides information in original but logical chapters:
• Chapter 1: Accessibility and Assistive Technology
• Chapter 2: Education
• Chapter 3: Employment
• Chapter 4: Financial Assistance
• Chapter 5: Health and Mental Health
• Chapter 6: Housing
• Chapter 7: Information Sources
• Chapter 8: Legal Rights and Legal Assistance Resources
• Chapter 9: Programs for Minorities & Underserved Groups
• Chapter 10: Personal Assistance and In-Home Services
• Chapter 11: Rehabilitation and Independent Living
• Chapter 12: Sports, Recreation, Leisure and Travel
• Chapter 13: Support Groups
• Chapter 14: Disability Tax Provisions and Special Benefits
• Chapter 15: Transportation
• Guide Index

For more information about the Disability Resource Guide or Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services, call 405-951-3400, or 800-845-8476. Also, visit DRS Online at www.okdrs.gov for comprehensive information about DRS, including employment-related, education and self-sufficiency services provided to Oklahomans with all types of disabilities.

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