Joseph J. Silver worked as a caseworker, caseworker supervisor and fraud investigation supervisor for the Franklin County Department of Human Services from 1974 to 1984. Mr. Silver received his JD from Capital University Law School in 1984 and was admitted to the Ohio Bar that same year. After being in a private law practice, Mr. Silver began employment with ODJFS during 1988. From 1988 through November 2004, Mr. Silver was employed as an attorney in the ODJFS Office of Legal Services (specializing in personnel, public assistance, data sharing and confidentiality issues as well as implementation of HIPAA). Mr. Silver also served as an Administrative Hearing Examiner involving appeals by applicants/recipients from state hearings related to various programs, supervised or administered by ODJFS. Beginning in late September 2004, Mr. Silver became the Chief of the ODJFS Bureau of Civil Rights (BCR). BCR investigates all ODJFS employee complaints of discrimination; discrimination complaints from applicant/recipients related to services or benefits supervised or administered by ODJFS; is responsible for the Minority Business Enterprise program for ODJFS; monitors compliance with federal civil rights laws by ODJFS and county entities administering ODJFS programs (county entities); provides technical assistance to ODJFS and county entity staff; provides training to ODJFS and county entity staff; provides training, information and promotes understanding concerning diversity of ODJFS employees; and provides training and technical assistance to interpreters, county entities, and ODJFS staff involved with Limited English Proficient applicants/ recipients.