Issue Nine - March 17, 2019
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March is DD Awareness Month!
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Our partners at the Oregon Council on
Developmental Disabilities
invite you post pictures, videos and stories of valued community members, with and without disabilities, on social media to showcase the diversity and strength that exists throughout Oregon. Include the hashtag of
#BetterTogether19
with a caption in the spirit of being better together.
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2019 Coalition Priorities
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Stabilize Oregon’s Developmental Disabilities Services System
Oregon is strongest when everyone has what they need to fully participate in community life.
The safety and security of Oregonians with Developmental Disabilities relies
on current service funding levels and protecting eligibility criteria as well as
other critical investments:
Pay Direct Support Professionals Living Wages
- Support rate restructure to reduce turnover and create a living wage for Direct Support Professionals.
Fully Fund DD Case Management
- Ensure DD Case Managers are fully funded to support people with DD to create plans and achieve their goals.
Support innovative approaches in Oregon’s DD Services System that strengthen families and communities:
Protect the Fairview Trust
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Safeguard the $6 million in the Fairview Housing Trust by moving the funds to the Oregon Community Foundation to ensure it will be available in the future for the development of affordable, accessible and innovative housing options for people with I/DD and their families.
Invest in Families
- Protect $1.2 million in existing funding for Family Networks connecting families experiencing disabilities and communities. Add $330,000 to build capacity across the state by sustaining new networks in Eastern Oregon.
Develop Statewide Data Systems
- Establish an integrated information technology system to support case management and provide statewide data to inform policy-making and report life quality outcomes for Oregonians with I/DD.
Access the Coalition's 2019 Priorities Page
here.
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State Budget Advocacy Needed
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As we reported last week, the Ways and Means Co-Chairs released the
preliminary budget
the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Services will use as a starting point as they work to develop specific budgets, including the DD Services Budget. Members of
Ways and Means Committee and Subcommittee on Human Services need to hear from you about why DD Services, Direct Support Professional wages, Case Management funding, Family Networks and the Fairview Trust matter to you. Unless legislators hear about the importance of these programs, vital funding for supports that Oregonians experiencing I/DD depend on each day may be cut!
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ONE MORE BUDGET ROAD SHOW MEETING LEFT!
Members of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means have been traveling the state to hear from Oregonians about their priorities as it relates to the state budget for 2019-21. So far, they have made stops in Coos Bay, Pendleton and Redmond. Thanks to all the advocates who have made an effort to get to these important hearings and share your story, whether in person or in writing!
There is one more budget road show opportunity to share your story advocate for the developmental disability services that you rely on. The committee will be holding a final hearing to receive public testimony in
Portland
on Thursday, March 21
st
from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the
Cascade Campus of Portland Community College, MAHB 104 Auditorium, 5514 N. Albina Ave.
Just a reminder about what to expect if you go. Be prepared for large crowds so plan to arrive at least one hour early, especially if you want to sign up to give testimony. The sign-up sheet for testimony fills up quickly. The committee will not have enough time to hear from everyone but please come prepared with one to two minutes of remarks about the importance of DD Services funding.
If you are not able to attend this final budget roadshow event, please send an email to
waysandmeans.budget@oregonlegislature.gov
and ask the Ways and Means Committee to fully fund DD Services and why it is important to you!
Be sure to include your name and city of residence in your email.
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Our next Advocacy Day will be April 30th at the State of Oregon Public Library across the street from the Capitol.
The Oregon Developmental Disability Coalition’s GO! Project Advocacy Team will be available from 10 AM to 2 PM to provide information and support. Join us for free legislative advocacy training from 11 AM to Noon.
Here is how to participate:
- Before the Advocacy Day - Visit www.oregonlegislature.gov to get contact information for your State Senator, State Representative and members of the Joint Ways and Means Human Services Committee, then schedule visits with these key legislators and/or their staff.
- On the Advocacy Day - Wear something yellow to show unity in advocacy then stop by our Advocacy Headquarters at the State of Oregon Library before and after your visits for important advocacy updates and to complete our GO Project Survey.
Access the updated 2019 GO Project Advocacy Day Schedule
here
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Policy Bills and Upcoming Hearings
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With only two more weeks until we reach a key deadline in this legislative session, legislators are scrambling to schedule bills for hearings and work sessions. Bills that don't have a work session scheduled in their "chamber of origin" (meaning House bills that started in the House or Senate bills that started in the Senate) by
March 29th
will "die" in committee. And bills that aren't considered in their chamber of origin and moved out of committee by
April 9th
will die in committee.*
* Note: These deadlines do not apply to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means, other joint committees, the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue, House Committee on Revenue, and the Senate and House Committees on Rules. Bills that are assigned to these committees can be acted on until the end of the session.
The following are the hearings for the upcoming week on important budget or policy bills we’re tracking. You can access an updated DD Coalition Priority Bills report
here
to stay updated.
March 18th – Monday
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1:00 pm / HR B:
Senate Committee on Education
will be holding a public hearing and possible
work session on
SB 963
, a bill that modifies the allowed and prohibited uses of restraint of students by public education programs.
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3:00 pm / HR D:
House Committee on Education
will be holding hearings on the following bills we’re tracking:
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Public hearing on
HB 2990
, a bill that establishes a task force on family engagement in education.
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Work session on
HB 2025
, a bill that revises the preschool program administered by the Early Learning Division and establishes the program as the Preschool Promise Program.
March 19th – Tuesday
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3:00 pm / HR B:
Senate Committee on Human Services
will be holding a public hearing and possible work sessions on
SB 809
, a bill that requires the Department of Human Services and Oregon Health Authority to prescribe by rule criteria for making fitness determinations.
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3:00 pm / HR E:
House Committee on Health Care
will be holding public hearings and work sessions on the following bills:
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Public hearing on
HB 3165
, a bill that requires the Oregon Health Authority to provide planning grants to 10 school districts or education service districts to evaluate community needs for school-based health services.
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Work session on
HB 2831
, a bill that provides funding to peer-run organizations in the Portland metropolitan area, southern Oregon region and eastern and central Oregon region to operate peer respite centers to provide peer respite services to individuals with mental illness who experience acute distress, anxiety or emotional pain.
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Work session on
HB 2563
, a bill that directs the Oregon Health Authority to adopt rules requiring infants to be screened to detect certain diseases.
March 20th – Wednesday
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1:00 pm / HR B:
Senate Committee on Education
will be holding a work session on
SB 16
, a bill that specifies the types of licensed health care practitioners authorized to perform assessments or examinations for purposes of determining special education services eligibility.
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1:00 pm / HR E:
House Committee on Judiciary
will be holding a work session on
HB 2654
, a bill that requires youth to consult with legal counsel, in person, by telephone or by video conference, prior to custodial interview with peace officer and before waiver of constitutional rights.
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1:00 pm / HR 50:
House Committee on Human Services and Housing
will be holding possible work sessions on the following bills:
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HB 3000
, a bill that directs the Department of Human Services to deduct expenses for medically necessary guardianship services from the recipient's income when calculating eligibility for assistance provided by Oregon Supplemental Income Program.
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HB 2302
, a bill that appropriates moneys from the General Fund to the Department of Human Services to administer the general assistance project.
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3:00 pm / HR D:
House Committee on Education
will be holding public hearings on the following bills:
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HB 2987
, a bill that requires public institutions of higher education to bypass developmental educational requirements and placement tests for each student who receives grade on approved high school equivalency test indicating student is fully qualified to bypass requirements and tests.
o
HB 2246
, a bill that directs the Early Learning Division to develop a plan for ensuring children seamlessly transition between mental health services.
March 21st – Thursday
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8:00 am / HR C:
Senate Committee on Judiciary
will hold a work session on
SB 378
, a bill that requires that a court-ordered fitness to proceed examination and filing of examination report occur within 14 days of examination order if defendant is in custody.
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3:00 pm / HR B:
Senate Committee on Human Services
will be holding public hearings and work sessions on the following bills:
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Public hearing and possible work session on
SB 221
, a bill that directs the Department of Human Services to conduct a study about children and youth with specialized needs and to report the results to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to human services on or before September 15, 2020.
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Public hearing and possible work session on
SB 1
, a bill that establishes a Statewide System of Care Task Force.
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Work session on
SB 475
, a bill that directs the Department of Human Services to conduct monthly, in-person visits with child or ward in substitute care that include updates on academic status and progress.
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Work session on
SB 19
, a bill that requires the Department of Human Services and the Oregon Health Authority to adopt rules for licensing of each type of adult foster home, including those providing residential care to older adults, persons with physical disabilities, persons with intellectual disabilities and persons with mental illness.
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Work session on
SB 20
, a bill that consolidates eligibility for services to children and adults with developmental disabilities.
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Work session on
SB 491
, a bill that transfers from the Department of Human Services to the Oregon Community Foundation responsibility for administering the Fairview housing trust.
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Work session on
SB 274
, a bill that expands eligibility for support service brokerage services to individuals who are 14 to 17 years of age
INTERESTED IN TRACKING BILLS OR HEARINGS?
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Use the Oregon Legislature's
Capitol e-Subscribe
service to receive bill alerts for individual bills as they move through the legislative process, receive committee agendas, news from members of the legislative body and more.
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You can also watch or listen to live or archived
video and audio
of Oregon Senate and House chamber sessions and Committee hearings.
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About the Oregon DD Coalition
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The Oregon DD Coalition advocates for DD services on behalf of and with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, and support organizations in Oregon.
We influence DD service and community support systems and legislation by communicating with a common, consistent voice – creating better opportunities for Oregonians with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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Interested in signing up for the GO! Bulletin or
becoming a member of the Oregon DD Coalition?
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1775 32nd Place, Suite F, Salem OR 97301
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