The Arc Oregon

03/18/2026

The Portland International Airport (PDX) is holding a survey about ADA accessibility at the airport. They want to hear from you about what things are working well, and what things can be changed or fixed to make the airport more accessible. The deadline to answer the survey is TONIGHT at 11:59 PM (Pacific Standard Time). Send your answers in today to make sure they are counted!

If you’ve traveled through PDX, supported someone who has, or moved through our spaces in any way: we’d love to hear...what’s working well? Where could we do better? How can we grow?

As part of a comprehensive ADA self-evaluation, we’re taking a deeper look at our airport facilities, parking garages, rental car areas, and even the Port of Portland headquarters. That means reviewing not just physical spaces, but also our policies, procedures, and the everyday details that shape your time with us.

Your voice will help us improve accessibility and ensure our spaces serve everyone with care and dignity.

The survey is open until March 18th: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YZRGLDX

03/12/2026

Self-advocates, here is a great opportunity to learn how to advocate for yourself in your ISP.

The Oregon Self Advocacy Coalition (OSAC) has teamed up with the ODHS Office of Developmental Disabilities Services (ODDS) to host five FREE trainings on "The Self-Advocate Guide to Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Services."

During each training session, a self-advocate from OSAC will talk about one of the five sections in the Self-Advocate Guide. You will have a chance to ask questions, share your ideas, and learn from other self-advocates.

The first training is next Thursday, March 19. All of the trainings are free and will be held on Zoom. Sign up using the link in the post below!

Oregon Self Advocacy Coalition (OSAC) is partnering with ODHS Office of Developmental Disabilities Services on a training series.
Together, we are leading a 5-week online training with self advocates across Oregon. The training is about the Self-Advocate Guide to I/DD Services. It is for self-advocates and the people who support them.

Each session is one hour long. Self-advocate trainers will walk through the guide with staff from OSAC and ODDS.

Each week, we will talk about one chapter:
• Advocating for yourself – March 19, 2026, 3–4 PM
• Introduction to Oregon I/DD services – March 26, 2026, 3–4 PM
• Oregon Needs Assessment (ONA) – April 2, 2026, 3–4 PM
• Individual Support Plan (ISP) meetings – April 9, 2026, 3–4 PM
• Your rights and disagreements in I/DD services – April 16, 2026, 3–4 PM

Register for this training using this link: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/Lr-FMX_mTa-DLg3gFHg1sg #/registration

03/07/2026

The Oregon Special Needs Trust helps people with disabilities save money for long-term needs while protecting important public benefits like SSI and Medicaid.

That means support for things like personal care, education, travel, and technology, without putting benefits at risk.

Planning for your financial future is one way to care for yourself and the people you love. Learn more at: https://oregonsnt.org/about-osnt/

03/05/2026

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. The Oregon Self Advocacy Coalition is uplifting the voices of self-advocates from all across Oregon this month by sharing video interviews. This interview features Portland's very own DJ Lamar Wright! If you attended last year's Self-Advocacy Convention, you might remember DJ Lamar as the host of our Karaoke Night.

Self Advocate video of DJ Lamar. , OSAC - Oregon Self Advocacy Coalition, OCDD - Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities. DJ Lamar discusses his...

02/27/2026

Tomorrow is the last day of Black History Month for 2026, but it is never too late to uplift the voices of Black disability rights advocates.

This article from Disability Rights Florida shares the stories of 17 influential advocates, who each pushed for racial justice and disability rights in their own ways. Read the article here: https://disabilityrightsflorida.org/blog/entry/impactful_black_disability_advocates_and_advocates

This year's Black History Month is also a special anniversary, marking 100 years of celebrating Black history in February. You can learn more about the 100-year Black History Month celebration here: https://blackhistory100.org/.

Disability rights and racial justice are deeply connected.

Black people with disabilities experience higher rates of discrimination in education, health care, housing, and the criminal justice system. These barriers don’t exist in isolation. They are shaped by history, policy, and long-standing inequities.

Disability Rights Florida wrote an article about 17 Black disability advocates who shaped the fight for disability rights. Read full article to learn how these leaders paved the way for change.

Celebrating Black history means telling the full story, including disability. 🖤

Link in comments.

02/24/2026

Our March 3 training is right around the corner. Join Lindsay Dutton on Zoom from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM to learn about The Intersection of Person, Culture, and Disability.

This interactive training uses hands-on learning strategies to help you deepen your understanding of intersectionality and how it relates to disability.

Spots for this training are filling up quickly, so sign up while you still can! Learn more and register at: https://thearcoregon.org/training-details/?event-id=1823

02/20/2026

Next Tuesday, the Fair Housing Council of Oregon is hosting a FREE virtual webinar for service providers to learn about fair housing rights for people with IDD. The training will cover fair housing basics, disability-related housing rights, and how to get help if someone is being discriminated against. If you support or advocate for people with IDD, this training is for you! Sign up using the link in the post below.

📣TRAINING ANNOUNCEMENT: This training empowers IDD (intellectual and developmental disorder) service providers and advocates to support clients’ fair housing rights, with emphasis on disability protections, insights from 2024 IDD community listening sessions, and practical guidance for addressing discrimination.

Tuesday, February 24, 2026
1:00 - 3:00 PM

During this session, we will cover essential topics, including:
• Fair housing basics
• Disability, including reasonable modifications, accommodations, and assistance animals
• Analysis of the findings from 2024 listening sessions with the IDD community
• How to get help when discrimination occurs

Register today! https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84476641859?pwd=6GNJXHk4M9zKYgVfGZtzYZMeV28rsi.1

02/12/2026

The Oregon Developmental Disabilities Coalition is holding their GO! Project advocacy day today. This is an important day to make your voice heard with lawmakers before the short legislative session ends. Join us from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Oregon State Library. Members of The Arc Oregon will be there wearing yellow to support!

Self-Advocates 📣THIS THURSDAY, join our GO! Project Advocacy Team in Salem to advocate for DD supports and services!

New to self-advocacy? Our team will be there to provide information, training, and support!

👉 Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScIeiiwKQYG_HKSiUuHXNvriSwESzWlQCAmceNb0CdiuCchNA/viewform

🗓 Thursday, February 12

🕓 10AM to 2PM, with a training from 11AM to 12PM

📍State Library of Oregon (Room 102 and 103), 250 Winter St NE, Salem

🔗 Learn more here: https://orddcoalition.org/go-project/

02/12/2026

How we support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities is shaped by culture, lived experience, and real-world context.

Our training on March 3 will be a space to learn, reflect, and grow together.

We will talk about practical ways to show up with respect and understanding in everyday settings. At work. At home. In the community.

This training is for anyone who wants to strengthen how they support people with I/DD.

We hope you will join us and learn alongside others who care.

Learn more at https://thearcoregon.org/training/

02/09/2026

This post from the Oregon Department of Human Services explains the meaning of Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents, or ABAWD. This is an important term to understand if you receive SNAP benefits, because the new federal work requirements for SNAP have changed who qualifies as an ABAWD. If you have questions, you can call ODHS at 833-947-1694 or email snap.abawdteam@odhs.oregon.gov.

You’ve probably seen us post the term “ABAWD” quite a bit recently. New federal SNAP work rules have changed who is considered an ABAWD – or Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents. People with ABAWD status must meet special work requirements in order to receive SNAP benefits. But what does ABAWD actually mean?

AB: Able-Bodied – In general, this means that you are physically and mentally able to work. If you receive disability benefits or can’t work because of a physical, mental, or behavioral health reason, you may be exempt from the work rules. If you think you are exempt, be sure to let us know so we can update your case! Call us at 833-947-1694 or email snap.abawdteam@odhs.oregon.gov.

A: Adult – Anyone who is aged 18 through 64. This definition has changed with the new federal rules. Previously, if you were 55 or older, you did not count as ABAWD.

WD: Without-Dependents – Anyone who does not have a child under the age of 14 on their SNAP case. This definition has also changed with the new federal rules. Previously, if you had a child under the age of 18 in your SNAP household, you did not count as ABAWD. If you care for someone over the age of 14 who cannot care for themselves, you may qualify for an exemption. Call us at 833-947-1694 or email snap.abawdteam@odhs.oregon.gov so that we can talk about it.

A couple more things:

- The new federal rules made it so that some people who were previously exempt from the ABAWD work rules now have to meet them. This includes veterans, people who were in foster care, and people experiencing homelessness.

- People living in certain counties or on waived Tribal land may be exempt from ABAWD work requirements.

- We are working closely with the Oregon Employment Department to help SNAP recipients meet ABAWD work rules through job search, training and education services – but you must be referred to OED’s ABAWD services by ODHS in order to participate. Call us at 833-947-1694 or email snap.abawdteam@odhs.oregon.gov to discuss referral options.

Want more info? Visit https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/food/Pages/snap-time-limits.aspx to learn more.

02/01/2026

We’re excited to spotlight the new team members and familiar faces who make our work at The Arc Oregon possible.

Together, they bring a wide range of experience, passion, and commitment to supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Oregon.

Get to know their stories, roles, and interests on our team page: https://thearcoregon.org/about/staff