What is the ONE eligibility system?
The ONE eligibility system allows people in Oregon to apply for medical, food, cash and child care benefits with
one application. They can apply online, by phone or in person at any ODHS Self-Sufficiency Programs, Aging and People with Disabilities or Area Agency on Aging Type B office.
More than 1.5 million, or one out of every three people in Oregon, are supported and served through the ONE system.
These are individuals and families who are receiving medical, food, cash and child care benefits that help individuals, families and communities thrive.
Visit the ONE applicant portal
ONE system reports and updates
Making it easier to apply for benefits
The ONE system was expanded in 2021 to significantly reduce the time and effort we ask households to spend applying for multiple programs.
- People with internet connectivity can apply and make an account
online in English or Spanish, which will expedite future case updates and allow them to track their benefits status.
- People can
apply by phone in multiple languages through the new ONE Customer Service Center.
- People with transportation or living near an ODHS office can still
apply in person or submit applications by mail or fax.
The ONE system originated as a place for Oregonians to apply for the Oregon Health Plan, and it was expanded in February 2021 to include other benefit programs. Before the ONE system expansion, people applying for benefits and supports had to fill out multiple types of applications that had different income verification requirements. They might have needed to call or visit different offices.
During this time, eligibility workers were only trained in certain programs. An eligibility worker for medical benefits could not provide support to someone who also needed to apply for food benefits.
ONE system by the numbers
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1.5 million people – 1 in 3 people in Oregon – receive benefits essential to their well-being through the ONE system
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1 million applications processed since the ONE system launched
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44% of applications are submitted online
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43% of applications for benefits are processed within two business days
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43% of cases are receiving support from multiple programs
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749,000 people use the ONE online application portal
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300,000+ automated process which reduce staff time
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50,000 questions are answered every month by our automated chat bot saving the public and staff time
As of September 2022
Historic need has surpassed staff capacity to serve
ODHS’ legislatively approved staffing levels have not matched the
extraordinary increase in people’s needs.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, there has been a:
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26% increase in applications for benefits compared to before the pandemic began
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34% increase in Oregon Health Plan (OHP) members
This makes it difficult to process applications in the timely manner people need and is contributing to longer wait times and raising the risk that people will experience delays or interruptions in their benefits.
We know that people can’t thrive when the medical, food, cash and child care benefits they need are not delivered in a timely manner.
They may face interruptions in their ability to see a doctor, have to choose between paying bills or buying food, lose paid work to care for a child or find themselves unable to afford basic necessities for their families.
Benefit delays can also have wider economic impacts due to associated decreases in consumer spending, while employers can face staffing challenges when parents can’t work due to a lack of child care benefits.
That is why we are taking steps to improve our ability to serve people in Oregon during this time of historic need.
Increasing workforce capacity
Every day, eligibility staff work within the ONE system to guide thousands of applicants through the eligibility determination process and ensure they receive needed benefits.
We continue to support staff and strengthen our ability to ensure that people in Oregon receive timely, accurate and equitable eligibility decisions.
We have several strategies to support staff and clients:
- Hiring positions to meet the historic demand within our budget, even if positions exceed legislative authority.
- Strengthening the current temporary training program made up of limited duration staff by creating a permanent training program capable of delivering comprehensive virtual and in-person training and supports.
- Improving our ability to serve people with complex cases. We are taking steps to ensure we have the needed expertise available in local offices to support staff and people applying for and receiving benefits.
- Making customer service improvements, such as better language access, call back options, and a mobile application.
- Automating as many processes as possible.
Reports and updates
We are committed to transparency and want to share important data related to the ONE system and the historic need for supports in Oregon.
ONE operations data reports
These reports share important information about the number of people being served through ONE, including how many applications are being submitted and processed, and call volumes and wait times.
Eligibility backlog dashboard reports
These include important information about the number of applications being received and processed, past due applications, call wait times and more.
Monthly Legislative updates