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The supports available fall into a few main categories, each built around the individual child and delivered where they live and learn. Understanding what exists, and how to access it, is the first step toward building a support plan that fits your family.
For children with I/DD in Oregon, supports generally include:
All of these are accessed through Oregon’s developmental disability system and are built around each child’s needs, goals, and family situation.
Every child is different, so Oregon’s supports are designed to be mixed and matched. Here’s what each one does.
In-home supports are flexible services delivered in the family home to help a child build independence and take part in daily and community life. A Direct Support Professional works with the child on skills, routines, and activities, often carrying over strategies the whole family can use. These supports can include:
Behavior support helps a child and their family understand what’s behind challenging behavior and build practical coping strategies. Behavioral specialists partner with families to set goals, create a support plan, and strengthen the skills a child needs to reach those goals. Because the strategies are shared, parents can use many of the same tools, and it often helps for a child to hear guidance from a trusted person outside the immediate family.
For children who need more structure or predictability than can be provided at home, residential care offers a staffed home setting with support around the clock. These are real homes in residential neighborhoods, designed with kids in mind and customized to each child, not institutional settings. Residential care can be the right fit when a child benefits from a higher level of consistency and supervision.
Certified children’s foster homes provide a family environment where a child receives 24-hour supervision and support from foster providers trained to support children with I/DD. Foster providers work in partnership with the child’s own family to preserve those connections while meeting the child’s day-to-day needs.
Much of what these services do is support the whole family, not just the child. Respite and family supports give parents time to step back into the role of parent rather than full-time caregiver, and to care for themselves and the rest of the family. These supports exist to strengthen families, not replace them.
As children get older, the focus can shift toward adult life. Youth who are at least 18 can access employment services, including training, job placement, and on-site support, to help them move toward meaningful work and greater independence.
Oregon’s children’s disability supports are for kids and youth who experience intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. In practice this includes:
A developmental disability is generally a condition that begins during the growing years and significantly affects everyday living skills. For young and school-aged children, eligibility is often provisional, meaning it is reviewed again as the child grows.
Getting started follows the same path regardless of which supports a child needs:
Most of these services are funded through Oregon Medicaid, including the Children’s DD Waiver and related programs, administered through CDDPs. Your services coordinator can walk you through which funding applies to your child’s plan.
A few misunderstandings can make the system feel more intimidating than it needs to be:
How do I know if my child is eligible?
Eligibility is determined through your county’s CDDP, based on diagnostic information and standardized assessment. For younger children, eligibility is often provisional and reviewed again as they grow.
Where do I start?
Contact your local Community Developmental Disabilities Program (CDDP) to request an application and begin the eligibility process. A services coordinator will help from there.
Can my child receive more than one type of support?
Yes. Many families combine supports, such as in-home help and behavior support, and adjust the mix over time through the annual Individual Support Plan.
Who pays for these services?
Most children’s I/DD supports are funded through Oregon Medicaid, including the Children’s DD Waiver, accessed through your county once your child is determined eligible.
Will these services help the rest of my family too?
Often, yes. Many supports are designed to give parents and caregivers backup and respite, so the whole family has room to thrive alongside the child.
What happens as my child gets older?
Supports can shift toward adult life over time, including transition planning and, for youth 18 and older, employment services that build toward work and independence.