Posts by Oregon Support Services Association
OSSA Response to Personal Support Worker Agreement 06.25.2012
Under the headline Historic Tentative Agreement Reached for Care Providers, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 503 has described the negotiated agreement for Personal Support Workers who are employed by customers of brokerages. View SEIU’s document here Although the actual Collective Bargaining Agreement has not been published yet, some of the thirteen points made by SEIU in its document will need to be closely monitored to ensure the philosophy and practices that Oregonians with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families fought so hard for in the Staley Agreement are maintained with the highest integrity. Most notably, the...
Read MoreBrokerages Send Nearly 900 Messages to Salem Legislators in One Week
Last week, as part of the DD Coalition’s Week of DD Advocacy, support services brokerages statewide made a major advocacy push. Brokerage staff, customers, family members, direct care workers and community members worked hard to schedule visits, make phone calls, send letters, write emails and post video postcards telling their legislators they oppose cuts to essential brokerage services. Final tally for these efforts reached nearly 900 messages (and many more if you count hits to posted videos and an online petition!) Brokerages currently serve over 7,000 individuals with developmental disabilities statewide and are poised to take deep cuts in the coming weeks. ...
Read MoreOSSA Position Statement for Brokerage Services 2011/2013 Budget
In current budget proposals, Support Services Brokerages for Adults includes an additional set of cuts to what has already occurred multiple times since October, 2010. This program has had specific cuts distinct from all Developmental Disability services. Given the array of cuts to all programs we do not support any additional cuts to Developmental Disability Services. Specific to Support Services Brokerages the following cuts have already occurred: • Quality Assurance funding eliminated. Overall impact, nearly 6% reduction to operations, October 1, 2010. • 2% reduction Targeted Case Management as of August 1, 2011 • 6% reduction to administration: as of August 1,...
Read MoreAn Open Letter to James Toews, Beloved Friend of Support Services in Oregon
Dear James, The Oregon Support Services Association hosted a 10th anniversary party celebrating the opening of the first brokerage in Oregon last month. This fantastic gathering was nearly perfect, and it would have been if you would have been with us! You were sorely missed and deserve significant recognition for your accomplishment. Support Services as we know them would not have been accomplished without your vision, leadership and heart. As you will see by the photo display on our Facebook page, the 125 people in attendance included individuals and families who launched the effort that became the Staley Agreement. It was much like a family reunion with great food,...
Read MoreDeadline TOMMOROW for Feedback on Budget Cut List – Brokerage Cuts Indicated
Message from Erinn Kelley-Siel, DHS Director As a result of the ongoing economic weakness facing the state, and the potential for additional projected revenue declines in future forecasts, Oregon’s Legislative Fiscal Office (LFO) requested the submission of reduction options from all state agencies. LFO requested agencies to develop a total of 10.5% in reduction options, based on 2011-13 legislatively adopted budget level, including the 3.5% supplemental ending balance adjustment amount. This list is due to LFO by November 14, 2011. To reach that target, the total level of reduction for the Department of Human Services is $210-220 million general fund. REQUEST FOR...
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