July 25, 2013 -- On April 16, 2013 Governor John Kitzhaber issued Executive Order 13-04, calling for specific actions to further improve Oregon’s system of designing and delivering employment services to those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. One important provision of the Executive Order is the creation of a Policy Group comprised of key stakeholders and community partners to:
1) make recommendations to the Director of DHS and the Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction regarding the design and implementation on issues including but not limited to education, outreach, development of provider capacity, training, and processes for assessment and discovery; and
2) recommend outcomes and metrics to the State, review the State’s performance under those metrics, and make annual recommendations to the Governor for improving performance.
The members of the policy group have been selected, and their names and affiliations are shown below:
· Ann Coffey, United Cerebral Palsy Association of Oregon and SW Washington - Advocacy Organization
· Bill Uhlman, Eastern Oregon Support Service Brokerage - Support Service Brokerage
· Cynthia Owens, Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities – Family Members
· Dacia Johnson, Oregon Commission for the Blind – Vocational Rehabilitation
· Dan Peccia, Self-Determination, Inc. - Support Service Brokerage
· Ed Krankowski, Portland Public Schools - Education
· Jaime Daigault, Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities - Advocacy Organization
· Jan Sansom, Lebanon School District - Education
· Jessica Leitner, Edwards Center – Service Providers
· Jordan Ohlde, Oregon Self Advocacy Coalition – Self Advocates
· Jordana Barclay, Oregon Workforce Partnership – Workforce Systems
· Liz Fox, Oregon State Rehabilitation Council – Vocational Rehabilitation
· Marcie Ingledue, The Arc Oregon - Advocacy Organization
· Pat Zullo, Clackamas Developmental Disabilities Program - Counties
· Rebecca Cader, Oregon Self Advocacy – Self Advocates
· Roberta Dunn, Family and Communities Acting Together – Family Members
· Ross Ryan, Oregon Self Advocacy – Self Advocates
· Sara Jane Owens, Association of Oregon Community Mental Health Programs - Counties
· Seth Johnson, Opportunity Foundation of Central Oregon – Service Providers
· Sydney Shook, Families Connected – Family Members
· Tim Kral, Oregon Rehabilitation Association – Service Providers
Monthly meetings will begin in September, and we will keep you informed of the agendas of the meetings and post minutes and other materials online at http://www.dhs.state.or.us/dd/supp_emp/initiative.html.
We believe the Executive Order is the next step in Oregon’s ongoing commitment to integrated employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and aligns with work already underway to implement Oregon’s Employment First policy, and the work of the Policy Group will ensure that Oregon remains a leader in providing supported employment services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in community residential settings.
