Elyzabeth Grimm

STEUBENVILLE — The Jefferson County Board of Developmental Disabilities’ Community Employment Services has added an extra staff member to assist individuals transitioning into the working world.

Elyzabeth Grimm began as a part-time job coach earlier this year. The East Sparta native currently resides in Wintersville and said she has become acclimated to her new role.

“I love it,” she said. “I love helping kids find their place in the community.”

Her job entails working with individuals to make them job ready and teach them life skills. She currently assists a half-dozen people and does pre-employment transitions and license permit training.

Grimm, a 2005 graduate of Edison High School and the Jefferson County Joint Vocational School, attended the Kapleen Career Institute in Pittsburgh and majored in occupational therapy. She went on to work with J.W. Logistics in Michigan for three years but returned to Ohio in 2022 and worked at Northwood Health Systems before joining the JCBDD. She is a widow with a 3-year-old son, Christian Martin, who suffers from a rare genetic disorder known as Schindler’s Block Compra Syndrome which affects speech.

“My son’s on the autism spectrum. He is nonverbal due to muscle tone and 60 people in the world have it,” Grimm said. “He didn’t walk until he was 2 and I had him reviewed to see if he was autistic. They said it was more than that.”

Christian underwent genetic testing at Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown when she received the diagnosis. Today, the boy is thriving in the preschool program in the Indian Creek Local School District and Grimm is busy being a mom and enjoying her job with CES.

JCBDD Community Employment Specialist Angela Goodrich welcomed her aboard and said she has become a valuable addition to the program.

“We are very excited to have a part-time person in the office, but its been such a joy for it to be Elyzabeth,” said Goodrich. “She’s definitely motivated, excited and a breath of fresh air to work with.”

She continued that CES has been growing, particularly with 19 students being aided with their driving permits and transitioning to jobs. Goodrich said the number of services has also been increasing to help them.

“The Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities did five additional intakes that are coming our way, and we serve students at home and in the school districts. It takes time.”