Chamberlin House Inc.

04/24/2026

04/23/2026

Date: April 16, 2026
To: I/DD community and ODDS staff
From: Office of Developmental Disabilities Services (ODDS)
Subject: New option for in-home services
Hello,
Here’s some important news about a new way to get support at home. This news is for the whole intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) community. It is especially for:
• Individuals that get services in their own or family home
• Their families and guardians
• Staff at case management entities: Please share the linked flyer with those you serve. Thank you.
What is the new way to get support at home?
ODDS is offering a new way to get services at home. It’s called the Employer Model Agency (EMA). It’s an option for individuals who:
• Want to direct their services and help manage their support
• But do not want to be the legal employer of their workers
What are the ways I can get support at home?
You have three choices. In each option, you are in control of your choices, services and goals. Each one gives you a different level of support to manage your workers. You choose the one that works best for you.
Here are the options:
• Personal Support Workers: This is the most self-directed option. You’re the employer. You choose, hire, train and supervise your workers. You manage their schedules and tasks. The Oregon Homecare Commission and other resources help you and your workers.
• Employer Model Agency (new): In this option, you and an agency manage your workers together. You help choose and train your workers. The agency does the paperwork and hears your feedback. The agency helps you learn how to manage your workers.
• Standard Model Agency: The agency works for you and manages your workers. You make decisions about your goals and the supports you need. You approve your workers. The agency hires, trains and supervises your workers. The agency makes schedules, finds backup workers, tracks progress, and plans activities to support your goals. You can get help from an agency supervisor at any time.
How do I decide which options are best for me?
Talk to your services coordinator or personal agent. They will explain your options and answer your questions. They will work with you to build your support plan. You can choose the supports and provider types that help you meet your goals. You can even choose to work with more than one provider type.
Why did ODDS create this new option?
In 2024, the Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill 1521. The bill directed us to create a service called “agency with choice.” We worked with self-advocates, family members and partners to develop the new service. With your input, we named the new option the Employer Model Agency.
Thank you, all who gave their time and feedback. Your input helped us make the rules and resources for this new option.
Sincerely,
Office of Developmental Disabilities Services
Oregon Department of Human Services

04/22/2026

Happy Earth Day Everyone! 🌎
https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2026/

04/21/2026

Tomorrow is Administrative Support Professional Day! We want to say thank you to all of those amazing people behind the scenes who keep things at this agency moving in the right direction. You all are the BEST!

04/21/2026

Date: April 14, 2026
To: Intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) community
From: Office of Developmental Disabilities Services (ODDS)
Subject: Schedule for public meetings with ODDS leadership
Last month, we announced a series of public meetings. We invite you to come and meet the new ODDS leadership. We will discuss the state’s budget process. Your feedback will help us create guiding principles for our 2027‒2029 budget requests.
In-person meetings for partners and providers
Please register for these meetings. Some venues have limited space. We encourage provider organizations to send no more than three staff representatives.
Oregon City: April 21, 2026
• Time: 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. PDT
• Location: Clackamas County Development Services Building Auditorium DSB 1115 150 South Beavercreek Road Oregon City, OR 97045
• Parking: Free on site
• Who can attend? This meeting is for staff from CDDPs, brokerages, provider agencies, foster care, Host Homes and community organizations.
• Register to attend: Please fill out this form to register.
Portland: April 22, 2026
• Time: 4:00 to 5:15 p.m. PDT
• Location: North Portland Library 512 N. Killingsworth St. Large Community Room 2A Portland, OR 97217
• Parking: Free street parking
• Who can attend? This meeting is for staff from CDDPs, brokerages, provider agencies, foster care, Host Homes and community organizations.
• Register to attend: Please fill out this form to register.
Redmond: April 24, 2026
• Time: 11:00 a.m. to noon PDT
• Location: Eagle Crest Resort Juniper 2 Room 1522 Cline Falls Road Redmond, OR 97756
• Parking: Free on site
• Who can attend? This meeting is for staff from CDDPs, brokerages, provider agencies, foster care, Host Homes and community organizations.
• Register to attend: Please fill out this form to register.
Pendleton: April 29, 2026
• Date: April 29
• Time: 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. PDT
• Location: Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office — Media Room 4700 NW Pioneer Place Pendleton, OR 97801
• Parking: Free on site
• Who can attend? This meeting is for staff from CDDPs, brokerages, provider agencies, foster care, Host Homes and community organizations.
• Register to attend: Please fill out this form to register.
Medford: May 7, 2026
• Time: 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
• Location: Jackson County Health and Human Services 140 S. Holly Street Medford OR 97501
• Parking: To use the parking garage facing the building, download this temporary parking permit. Print it. Display it on your dashboard face up. Park only on the fourth, fifth and sixth floors.
• Who can attend? This meeting is for staff from CDDPs, brokerages, provider agencies, foster care, Host Homes and community organizations.
• Register to attend: Please fill out this form to register.
Eugene: May 8, 2026
• Time: 1:30 to 3:00 p.m.
• Location: Lane Community College Building 4, Classroom 106 4000 East 30th Avenue Eugene, OR 97405
• Parking: Parking: Use Lot B. There’s a bus stop on the east side of Lot B. Building 4 is across the street from the bus stop. Here’s the campus map.
• Who can attend? This meeting is for staff from CDDPs, brokerages, provider agencies, foster care, Host Homes and community organizations.
• Register to attend: Please fill out this form to register.

04/16/2026

ODDS offers a Guide to Supporting Individual Preferences in Medical Decision-Making. You can find it athttps://www.oregon.gov/odhs/providers-partners/idd/workerguides/wg-supporting-medical-decisions.pdf

Allowing individuals to make their choices known ahead of time helps to inform the people caring for them of their wishes and can help reduce anxiety and concern over medical treatment. Today on National Healthcare Decisions Day talk with your loved ones about what they want. For assistance use this link from our very own OHSU Office on Disability & Health.

The “Taking Charge of My Health Care” project is a toolkit designed to provide health and healthcare advocacy education and resources for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and those who support them.

04/15/2026

This is a great story from Disability Scoop honoring Autism Acceptance Month!

In a controlled, low-risk environment, participants in a pilot program build confidence and master everyday tasks like crossing the street, riding a bus or making a purchase, all at their own pace.

04/14/2026

We are hiring! Positions open in Albany, Oregon for Direct Support Professionals. Apply through our website or find us on indeed and work in the best job you will ever love!

Chamberlin House is a leader in serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Linn County

04/13/2026

From our friends at Disability Scoop!

An Emmy-winning documentary series chronicling the lives of adults with autism who are looking for love is returning.

04/10/2026

HAPPY NATIONAL SIBLINGS' DAY!

04/09/2026

Very Exciting New Resource!

HandicapMD has launched a new national resource, State-by-State Guide to Handicap Permit Placard Laws and Application Requirements, designed to help patients, caregivers, and families understand how handicap permit placard laws, disabled parking permit laws, and state-by-state handicap placard rules differ across the United States. The new guide brings together information on qualification standards, medical certification requirements, permit types, interstate recognition, renewals, misuse penalties, and state-specific application pathways in one comprehensive destination.

Get DMV handicap parking permit placards online to evaluations with HandicapMD - certify your DMV applications - the fasted way to get legit, HIPAA compliant disability permit evaluations