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Leadership Changes at OSSA: Sarah Noack
Our organization is welcoming new leadership for the first time in nearly five years. We’ll be posting a series of articles over the next couple of weeks to introduce our new officers. We invite you to follow along and get to know us a little bit better. Calling Sarah Noack “new” does not seem right. Truly, all of our new faces in leadership have been a part of important moments in Brokerage history from our inception. Sarah has always been ready for more–more responsibility, more progress, more challenge, more growth. She visualizes her goals with a clear and steady eye; the entirety of the Brokerage community has benefited from her vision. Sarah...
Read MoreLeadership Changes at OSSA: Jennifer Santiago
Our organization is welcoming new leadership for the first time in nearly five years. We’ll be posting a series of articles over the next couple of weeks to introduce our new officers. We invite you to follow along and get to know us a little bit better. In August, the Oregon Support Services Association elected Jennifer Santiago as our new President. Jennifer may be new to the position, but she is not new to the field, or to the Brokerage community. She has been bringing her thoughtful contributions based on lived experience, shrewd insight, and tireless dedication to her work for years. We are excited to have Jennifer step into this new leadership role, and look...
Read MoreSenate Bill 274 Opens Brokerage Services to People 14 and Up
With the end set for June 20, the 2019 Oregon Legislative Session is in its final month. Oregon Support Services Association has been actively engaged in advocacy since the session’s January 22 start. Legislators come to public service with a variety of backgrounds and interests, and the Brokerage association works hard to enrich their understanding of services for people with developmental disabilities. This session has been different for us–we brought forward a legislative concept that was introduced by chief sponsor Senator James Manning Jr. (North Eugene, West Eugene, Santa Clara, and Junction City), and co-sponsored by Representative Rob Nosse (Portland),...
Read MoreBack to the Future
Let’s get one thing straight up front: this isn’t new. Not at all. In fact, this has been around for years. In Oregon, we started to dream this dream fifteen years ago and more. Support Services Brokerages started here. Take a moment to read this treatise/article/manifesto/guide by Ellen Cummings, a national consultant on Self-determination. What jumps out at you? Do you see Oregon’s past reflected in these descriptions? Do you see Oregon’s future? Ellen begins by speaking to archaic systems that have yet to see change in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities services: “There are many in current unchanged...
Read MoreThe Time for Advocacy is Now!
Distressing news out of the capitol: lawmakers may be looking to cut $140 million from human services in order to fund a budget “hole.” The question is, what does a $140 million cut to human services look like? Though plan hours are not likely to be cut, vulnerable areas include provider pay rates and Brokerage funding for Personal Agents. Brokerage Personal Agents and direct support providers have worked to implement dozens of system changes over the past two years. With these changes has come a lot of additional workload and responsibilities, which is already cutting into the bottom line: time spent with Brokerage customers. Any reduction in funding is going to...
Read MoreBrokerage Association Announces Leadership Changes in 2015
In the spirit of the new year, the Oregon Support Services Association announces two changes in leadership. Larry Deal, Executive Director of Independence Northwest brokerage, has assumed the role of OSSA President. He follows in the footsteps of Margaret Theisen, whose tenure spanned the birth of the brokerage association and four incredible years of unprecedented growth and change. We are deeply indebted and grateful to Margaret for her influential and principled leadership. Margaret passed the torch to Larry after the association’s Board of Directors meeting in December. Larry brings with him 13 years experience in Oregon’s Support Services system,...
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