ODDS hosts community meetings to guide budget decisions

Do you or someone you know get intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) services? Do you work in Oregon's I/DD system? If so, the Oregon Department of Human Services Office of Developmental Disabilities Services (ODDS) wants to hear from you.

ODDS is hosting a series of meetings in April and May. Those who attend will be able to:

• Meet the new ODDS director and leadership team.
• Share their ideas about ODDS services and values.
• Have small group discussions with ODDS staff about priorities and values. This feedback will help guide the program's 2027‒2029 budget requests.

"This is very important work," the new director of ODDS, Acacia McGuire Anderson, said at a meeting April 9 in Salem. She invited attendees to share the values and priorities they believe are central to Oregon's I/DD community. She also asked them to think creatively about how ODDS can make difficult budget decisions. "We appreciate your time. I hope that you'll give us your feedback," she said.

Then, the guests split into small groups. ODDS staff led them in discussions about questions, such as, "How can we uphold our shared values and maintain quality with fewer resources?" and "How do we ensure that budget pressures don't deepen inequalities or leave anyone behind?"

One attendee, Katie Rose, the executive director of Oregon Community Brokerages, said, "Inclusivity is having a broad understanding of what it takes to be a person with disabilities in Oregon. It's important to keep the door wide open and make sure we're including everyone that needs us."

In each location, ODDS will host two meetings. Rose was one of 36 who went to the Salem meeting for partners who work with ODDS to deliver services. On April 8 in Salem, 16 parents and providers attended the meeting for individuals who get I/DD services and their families.

"One of my core values is that the person-centered component needs to be preserved," said Joan Medlen. She provides services for her son. "Giving people choice in where they want to live is super important."

Laura Noppenberger, executive director of Eastern Oregon Support Services Brokerage, said it's important to build services plans around community and natural supports. She gave employment services as an example: "Employment helps create safety around individuals. Not only are they giving back in their community, but there are community members that are looking out for them at the same time." She said, when people are involved in their neighborhoods and communities, you can schedule paid services more efficiently. "Natural supports used to be the backbone of our system."

Chris Chavez, a case manager with Marion-Polk County and father of a 5-year-old with I/DD, said his priority is keeping caseloads low to maintain quality of services. "That means I can get back to people in a day or two," he said.

After the small group discussions, attendees shared each group's main themes. McGuire Anderson wrote their feedback on posters. She and ODDS will use this feedback to write principles that will guide the program's budget decisions. She will share these principles with the community when the meeting series is over. Sign up for ODDS updates to get this and other updates.

In the coming weeks, ODDS will host more meetings in Portland, Pendleton, Redmond, Eugene and Medford. If you can't go to one of these cities, please come to a virtual meeting on Zoom. Here's the full meeting schedule.

Medlen encouraged families and self-advocates to go and make your voice heard. "Your voice is important, and now is the time," she said.

Resources

• Find the full meeting schedule on our website.
• Send questions to [email protected].
• Sign up for ODDS community updates.