Public Notice: Provider rate increase effective July 1, 2020 - 06/30/20

(Salem, Ore.) — Public notice is provided by the Oregon Department of Human Services, Office of Developmental Disabilities Services (ODDS), on a rate change.

The Oregon Legislature provided ODDS with $30 million General Fund (approximately $92 million total funds) to help bring direct support professionals’ wages as close as possible to $15 per hour by the end of the 2019-21 biennium and implement new rate models over the course of the biennium.

Per legislative direction in Senate Bill 5026 and the related Budget Note ODDS implemented selected rate increases in 2019.

Following the 2019 rate increases, approximately $10 million remained available for implementing new rate models. Due to an unexpected data issue and COVID-19, transition to the new rate models has been postponed. However, ODDS did get approval to use the remainder of the funds for 5% rate increases to help bring up wages on July 1, 2020.

Starting July 1, 2020, the rates for the following services will increase by 5%:

• Day Support Activities
• Job Coaching
• Small Group Employment
• Employment Path
• Attendant Care Support
• Discovery
• Supported Living
• Kids Foster Care
• Adult 24-hour (The temporary 10% rate increase granted to this group of providers to address COVID-19 ends on June 30, 2020. This 5% increase is not in addition to the temporary 10% increase.)

Two provider categories will receive increases for wages based on the collective bargaining agreement between SEIU and the state of Oregon:

• Adult Foster Care, at 7.15%
• Personal Support Workers, at $0.77 per hour

Details about the increases are included in the updated Expenditures Guidelines. 

About ODDS:  The Oregon Department of Human Services’ Office of Developmental Disabilities Services provides leadership to support persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live as full participants in their communities. Oregon is recognized nationally as an innovative leader in developing community-based services for individuals with I/DD. Oregon’s system has the benefit of a strong advocacy community, one that has a long history and firm commitment to supporting people with I/DD to live as independently as possible in their communities.

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