[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6621404,"mediaKeyId","2802693-432f7f3f304394d78b7596ac9d3873f3","parentId",2802693,"title","Providers urge automatic COLA after rate-and-wage study finds $558 million funding gap for direct support professionals","audioSeconds",2981,"startMs",63160,"endMs",3044734,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2802693-432f7f3f304394d78b7596ac9d3873f3&start=63&end=3044","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2802693-432f7f3f304394d78b7596ac9d3873f3/thumbnail_63160.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6621404/Oregon/Providers-urge-automatic-COLA-after-rate-and-wage-study-finds-558-million-funding-gap-for-direct-support-professionals","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6621404-01b75f78aeb20c86570d285ba1dff423/orig.mp4?Expires=1770624122&Signature=CfqjUv2meN7szg-BcMJUpXOQBzUY1JVKQZ8T9baQFgFqYEK6n-35KKw~sh1U4oLoL4ptLswuAllyR1-LB1~SelOxR2IAjBwAlt3gvNGmM8LknzirWTAmrKeiOJX64p96c20UB2cjAr-AoIVI72SCY9PICQqQB5i~1QRzvAa7uNzECrd7wDyrilMB31HJGcmmSgBAll3EvDwymzhCEbNUwZ4TWYhoXAiyR2m7RVgii10MYRfWUKZPxJ-BpuyRNwrVYTPFwMb3Qlx~F-I6md8coM3cZcWHbGPip60ee8KXBbDaP0FL~yk4wDWDgns9oJNy6l6C1VBjQRcCbk-63WE~fw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oregon State Legislature","date","2025-03-27T00:00:00Z","article","Oregon lawmakers heard testimony March 27 on House Bill 2150 after the Department of Human Services’ Office of Developmental Disabilities Services (ODDS) summarized a statewide rate-and-wage study and existing rate models.

The study, completed for ODHS by a contractor, recommended updating ODDS rate models and reported an estimated $558,000,000 funding gap between current state reimbursements and the cost to deliver quality home- and community-based services. The study recommends agency rate models assume an average direct care worker wage of $23.20 per hour and estimated overall rate increases of roughly 30% from current funded rates.

The study and bill matter because ODDS’s current rate models use cost assumptions developed from data collected 2016–2019. Caitlin Shockley, policy manager for the Office of Developmental Disabilities Services, told the committee the rate models still assume a DSP wage of $18.38 per hour — “lower than what we know providers currently pay based on the results of that rate and wage study,” she said. Shockley summarized that the study recommends updating assumptions for wages, benefits, productivity and other service-specific costs.

Providers and nonprofit executives described operational strain and urged the committee to adopt an automatic inflator for rates. Joanne Furman, co-founder and chief executive officer of Partnerships for Community Living, said her nonprofit uses reserves to cover the gap and estimated she has “about four years left in reserves” at the current pace. Furman said her agency and others pay, on average, about $2.50 more per hour than the state-funded rate to remain competitive and avoid closures.

Amanda Dalton, testifying for the Oregon Resource Association, said the study is the first to quantify the funding shortfall and that the Dash 2 amendment to HB 2150 would tie eligible ODDS provider rates to the consumer price index (CPI) on an annual basis, with an agency determination by April 30 and a July 1 effective date to align with the state fiscal year.

Several nonprofit and regional providers — including Jill Sorensen of Catholic Community Services of the Mid Willamette Valley and Natasha Atkinson of Umqua Homes — described using reserves to cover payroll and urged passage of an automatic COLA. Atkinson said many DSP jobs require 24-hour care for people with complex medical and behavioral needs and that wages often leave workers eligible for public assistance programs such as SNAP and Medicaid.

Union and state worker representatives expressed concerns about equity and accountability. Courtney Graham, political director for SEIU Local 503, testified in opposition to HB 2150’s current form, saying an automatic COLA for agency providers could accelerate consolidation of for‑profit agencies and drive public dollars toward corporate profits unless increases are tied to auditable, worker-level compensation and cost reporting. Crystal Dujarnack, leader for SEIU Local 503’s home care membership, noted that many state personal support workers remain covered by collective bargaining and must bargain for increases; she urged parity so equal work receives equal pay.

Personal support workers and state employees also testified about perceived disparities with agency pay. Patty Falkenstein, speaking as a personal support worker, argued that awarding automatic COLAs to agencies while state-paid workers must bargain would be inequitable; she also cited social-media reports that some private agencies pay $26–$32 per hour.

Committee members asked the agency about which recommendations are included in the governor’s recommended budget. Justin Witham, ODHS government relations, said the governor’s recommended budget did not include the study’s agency-rate increases; he said a special purposes appropriation (SPA) in the governor’s budget targets collective bargaining for personal support workers but the broader rate-model updates from the study were not in the GRB because the study completed after the budget submission.

No committee vote occurred during this public hearing. Committee leadership closed the hearing and moved on to the next agenda item.

What’s next: HB 2150 was the subject of a public hearing; committee members signaled it would require substantial fiscal analysis and potential technical changes to address accountability for where increased funds are spent and to reconcile wages for state-paid and agency-paid workers.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Committee On Early Childhood and Human Services 03/27/2025 8:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","Oregon lawmakers heard testimony March 27 on House Bill 2150 after the Department of Human Services’ Office of Developmental Disabilities Services summarized a completed rate-and-wage study showing a large funding gap for direct support professionals.","taxTitle","Early Childhood and Human Services, House of Representatives, Committees, Legislative, Oregon","taxId",17511,"location","Oregon","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6621394,"CARE program expansion bill would let counties offer school‑based family supports to reduce chronic absenteeism",1184,4548905,5733425,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2802693-432f7f3f304394d78b7596ac9d3873f3&start=4548&end=5733","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2802693-432f7f3f304394d78b7596ac9d3873f3/thumbnail_4548905.jpg","/articles/6621394/Oregon/CARE-program-expansion-bill-would-let-counties-offer-schoolbased-family-supports-to-reduce-chronic-absenteeism","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6621394-994c80cbdc7a314b42df4fb2e4444f84/orig.mp4?Expires=1770624122&Signature=D0D~pB66COYKZ1ELBIdUOrsudbUfbhzDavNPEjz-FWodvyAmW7lkp5mNJJEl3iRHe2hRl8Ol5Vg85N3pQ1xT4e5hOCYuIoVqyXcBTgT2ACVjpU6h1dfWrpeB4gXK9iBJR0E47SdCZm1IW1c-kI3VGDxS1Z-TeqyLhcT7L9zP45j2TtoJAjEkvE9RFlJZzOHcCP5E6dghNMQ61aBI6aon8ov4b5PCKmzJILu7ysnU30qYCGlVHEPeDQjNX~DOOvZRIBu2Z6naQlf7nl9~vuHKlAgCXd1j1p63lCP15kg7rGczhgI2kbxAC-TTLU~gvtt5IjBqGfw-CDCCUJa6Siwg6w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Committee on Early Childhood and Human Services heard testimony March 27 on House Bill 2374, which would authorize participating counties to implement the CARE program within the Oregon Youth Development Division and create a pilot pathway for school districts to refer families to local CARE teams.

CARE programs are collaborative, locally administered teams that provide long-term, bilingual and bicultural supports for families with children from birth through age 18. Testimony from Representative Bobby Levy, CARE Director Jenny Galloway, and Hermiston Superintendent Dr. Trisha Mooney presented CARE as a model targeting chronic absenteeism by addressing root causes — housing instability, transportation, mental health and family supports — and by providing in‑home visits and individualized student success plans.

Jenny Galloway, director of the CARE program in Umatilla County, said Oregon is facing an attendance crisis: ‘‘Oregon schools are educating 35,000 fewer students than prior to the pandemic,’’ she told the committee, citing Oregon Department of Education data presented in testimony. Galloway described CARE’s long‑running presence in Umatilla, Morrow and Union counties and said the model follows families over time rather than opening and closing short-term cases.

Dr. Trisha Mooney, superintendent of the Hermiston School District, said CARE helps families access health care, food, housing and school-based meetings and stressed local adaptation: “This program values local control, equity, and collaboration,” she said, urging lawmakers to authorize a statewide pilot that can be tailored to rural and urban needs.

Umatilla County Commissioner Cindy Timmons described judicial collaboration in the county; she referenced a local circuit court judge’s citation pathway that uses court interactions as a lever to reengage families with services rather than to punish them. Supporters argued CARE’s coordinated approach prevents cases from escalating into child welfare or juvenile justice involvement and preserves school enrollment and associated state funding for districts.

Sponsors said the bill’s dash 2 amendment would shift program administration to the Youth Development Division and create county opt-in authority tied to local partnerships. No committee vote occurred during the hearing; sponsors asked the committee to advance the bill for fiscal review.

What’s next: HB 2374 had a public hearing; committee members signaled support for further study and potential expansion subject to fiscal and implementation planning.","The committee heard testimony March 27 on House Bill 2374 (dash 2 amendment) to authorize and fund CARE programs that connect families to services and address barriers to school attendance; sponsors and county and school officials said CARE is a proven model in eastern Oregon and urged statewide implementation.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6621399,"Relief nurseries seek $4.9 million to expand early trauma‑informed programs across Oregon",1497,3047045,4544344,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2802693-432f7f3f304394d78b7596ac9d3873f3&start=3047&end=4544","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2802693-432f7f3f304394d78b7596ac9d3873f3/thumbnail_3047045.jpg","/articles/6621399/Oregon/Relief-nurseries-seek-49-million-to-expand-early-traumainformed-programs-across-Oregon","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6621399-c1e5a8a883be406099b6c55ff395eced/orig.mp4?Expires=1770624122&Signature=N0pXidqa4az9NhL9N49~w0kOJyiDVQwxZZ~-OUOwMfmG3Db9LixG9SRAKZzGDl2GnkgIt4mW1NOz12BQMTPP1Fs5f0VCw2ueHxgq5kVmPiDm5UXM1zvWjiTbYqmARf9F~boTcMrBVdqSHmYh~peuI1BulgH5nCqNkOuY7uqOLs7EdJMV5-I1DqNYl8U8RRbCndTWSaPAWTsclDAIUHqvrs8grKp3uFKRGmTwf0W4s9i~FyyrROMhFsmpgcqtQTUNwM7RQm71YivS3NTgc5wesw77odwowWMYfDJsZf3ZmE~g0IGLmR1GEUZ3ak4gleRNhVE2KWcTbq~KbyxsJzhr4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lawmakers heard March 27 from relief nursery leaders and local officials advocating for House Bill 3933, which would appropriate $4,900,000 to support Oregon’s relief nursery network.

Relief nurseries are community-based, therapeutic early childhood and family-support programs serving children birth through age 5 who face high levels of trauma or risk. Supporters told the House Committee on Early Childhood and Human Services the additional funding would help existing nurseries expand services, add classrooms, and serve more families in crisis.

Kelly Sutherland, executive director of Relief Nursery Inc., described classroom populations in Eugene where a large share of toddlers exhibit developmental and behavioral needs. “These are 14 toddlers. They’re 2 to 3 years old, most of whom have very few words. Seven of the 14 children have special education needs with a mental or behavioral health diagnosis,” Sutherland said. She recounted children exhibiting self-harm, aggression, and severe emotional dysregulation and argued the nursery’s therapeutic, small-classroom approach interrupts long-term negative trajectories.

Jason Dougherty, a peer-support specialist and veteran mentor coordinator at Eugene Relief Nursery, described a grandfather who relocated to care for grandchildren; Dougherty attributed noticeable improvements in the children’s socialization and emotional regulation to relief‑nursery services and noted the program’s role connecting families to veteran and community services.

Representative Bobby Levy and Emily McIntyre, bill sponsors, framed the measure as support for “work that is nothing short of God’s work” and as a cost‑effective public investment. An Echo Northwest analysis cited in testimony estimates a $2–$4 return for every dollar invested in relief nurseries through improved educational outcomes and reductions in child abuse and neglect, testimony said.

Several witnesses described structural funding challenges: relief nurseries are typically not fully state-funded and must match allocated state dollars with at least 25% community investment; many nurseries rely on diverse revenue streams including grants and local fundraising. Testimony noted that without additional state funding, smaller nurseries could serve fewer children or reduce intensive services that support kindergarten readiness.

Representatives from rural and frontier counties described high local demand and wait lists. Tara Webster of Family Gathering Place in Klamath Falls said her program serves 42 of the highest‑needs families and maintains a wait list of 32; she said additional funds could allow statewide programs to serve roughly 300 more children.

No committee vote occurred during this public hearing. Sponsors and officials asked the committee to move the bill forward to ways and means for fiscal consideration.

What’s next: HB 3933 had a public hearing. Committee members signaled interest in pursuing the funding request; next steps include fiscal review in ways and means.","Advocates and multiple relief nursery directors told a House committee March 27 that additional funding would allow programs to serve more infants and toddlers with high levels of trauma and to stabilize staff; bill HF 3933 would appropriate $4.9 million to support relief nursery growth.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Providers urge automatic COLA after rate-and-wage study finds $558 million funding gap for direct support professionals

CARE program expansion bill would let counties offer school‑based family supports to reduce chronic absenteeism

Relief nurseries seek $4.9 million to expand early trauma‑informed programs across Oregon