In-Home Hours: Resources for Case Managers and Providers

This page is for people who provide services and supports to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). These resources are for the in-home hours transition. Use them to help those you serve.

In-home hours Service groups Oregon Needs Assessment (ONA)In-home agency models

In-home hours

When you meet with individuals and families for their ISP, their service group will determine their range of in-home hours for planning. These resources will help you through the process.

Resources for case managers and providers

Workers' guides

In-home exceptions: Covers exceptions related to in-home hour increases and staffing ratios above 1:1. Use for plans starting on or after Jan. 1, 2024.
Maintenance of Effort Unwind: Includes instructions to support people through reductions to their in-home hours. It also has instructions for services coordinators and personal attendants to end the use of the ANA and CNA tools for in-home hours.

Workday training courses

Exceptions for In-Home Hours: Consists of three modules including Partnering the ONA with the ISP and In-Home Hours Exceptions, Staffing Ratio Exceptions for In-Home Hours and Hour Allocation Exceptions for In-Home Hours
Understanding ONA Service Groups and What You Can Do If You Disagree: Explains service group determinations.
Oregon Disability History: From Fairview to ODDS Today: Gives context to the development of the ONA and more.
We're developing more trainings and resources to assist you. We'll share them directly with CME leadership and post links on this web page.

Resources to use with individuals and families

Self-Advocate Guide
This workbook and video series will walk individuals through the planning process—services, ONA, ISP, exceptions and complaints. We developed the guide with the input of self-advocates.
Videos about the Notification of Pending Status (NOPS) and Notice of Planned Action (NOPA)

Video: Your plan and in-home care hours
FAQ: Common questions about in-home hours changes
English, اللغة العربية, 繁體中文, 简体中文, Русский, Soomaali, Español, Tiếng Việt
Range of in-home hours for each service group
English, اللغة العربية, Русский, 简体中文, Soomaali, Español, Tiếng Việt
Flyer: In-home hours and exceptions
English, اللغة العربية, 简体中文, Русский, Soomaali, Español, Tiếng Việt
In-home hours reduction letter - Adults
English, اللغة العربية, 简体中文, Русский, Soomaali, Español, Tiếng Việt
In-home hours reduction letter - Children
English, اللغة العربية, 简体中文, Русский, Soomaali, Español, Tiếng Việt
Comparative service group report cover letter
English, 简体中文, Русский, Soomaali, Español, Tiếng Việt
In-home hours service group letter
English, اللغة العربية, 简体中文, Русский, Soomaali, Español, Tiếng Việt

Service groups

The service group framework uses information collected in a person's Oregon Needs Assessment (ONA) to place them in a service group of people of a similar age and who have a similar level of need for support services. There are 14 of these service groups. Service groups provide a consistent way to determine the number of monthly hours a person receives for services. They also guide how much some providers are paid for their services. The groups do not determine the type of services a person receives; the ISP does this.

Service group descriptions: English, اللغة العربية, Русский, 简体中文繁體中文, Soomaali, Español, Tiếng Việt
Service group graphic: English, اللغة العربية, Русский, 简体中文, 繁體中文, Soomaali, Español, Tiếng Việt
Service group hours chart: English, اللغة العربية, Русский, 简体中文, Soomaali, Español, Tiếng Việt
Understanding ONA service groups and what you can do if you disagree (15-minute training on Workday for CMEs): Learn where to find information about service groups. Learn how to read and understand service group determinations. Learn what to do if you disagree with the service group score.

This chart shows the range of in-home hours you have for your planning. On the chart, find your age group. In your age range, find your service group and the range of hours for your group. If you don't know your service group, ask your services coordinator or personal agent.

Learn about your service group in these handbooks. Find your group below.

Infant / Toddler age 0 to 3 support needs

Infant/Toddler - English, اللغة العربية, Русский, Soomaali, 简体中文, Español, Tiếng Việt

Children age 4 to 11 support needs

Child 3, Very Low to Low - English, اللغة العربية, Русский, Soomaali, 简体中文, Español, Tiếng Việt
Child 4, Moderate - English, اللغة العربية, Русский, Soomaali, 简体中文, Español, Tiếng Việt
Child 5, High to Very High - English, اللغة العربية, Русский, Soomaali, 简体中文, Español, Tiếng Việt

Adolescents age 12 to 17 support needs

Adolescent 1, Very Low - English, اللغة العربية, Русский, Soomaali, 简体中文, Español, Tiếng Việt
Adolescent 2, Low - English, اللغة العربية, Русский, Soomaali, 简体中文, Español, Tiếng Việt
Adolescent 3, Moderate - English, اللغة العربية, Русский, Soomaali, 简体中文, Español, Tiếng Việt
Adolescent 4, High - English, اللغة العربية, Русский, Soomaali, 简体中文, Español, Tiếng Việt
Adolescent 5, Very High - English, اللغة العربية, Русский, Soomaali, 简体中文, Español, Tiếng Việt

Adult age 18+ support needs

Adult 1, Very Low - English, اللغة العربية, Русский, Soomaali, 简体中文, Español, Tiếng Việt
Adult 2, Low - English, اللغة العربية, Русский, Soomaali, 简体中文, Español, Tiếng Việt
Adult 3, Moderate - English, اللغة العربية, Русский, Soomaali, 简体中文, Español, Tiếng Việt
Adult 4, High - English, اللغة العربية, Русский, Soomaali, 简体中文, Español, Tiếng Việt
Adult 5, Very High - English, اللغة العربية, Русский, Soomaali, 简体中文, Español, Tiếng Việt

Most people can meet their needs with the hours in their service group. Your services coordinator/personal agent will help you plan how to meet your needs and live the life you want with the hours you have in your service group.

Some people will need more hours than are in their service group. If you can’t meet your needs with the hours in your service group:

You can ask for your ONA to be reviewed.
If your ONA is correct and you still can't meet your needs with the hours, you can ask for an exception.
Learn more about asking for an exception.

Your services coordinator/personal agent has 14 days to complete your request after you ask for an exception. You will get a decision within 45 days from when your exception is received.

There are three main reasons you can get an exception.

1. Intermittent needs

You have a need that happens throughout the day. You need a lot of help to meet this need. Support for this need cannot be scheduled. You cannot know when you will need support. You cannot meet your needs with the number of hours in your service group.

If this need is not met when it happens, you would probably get hurt or sick.

If you need a lot of help with one of these things, you might have intermittent needs:

Using the bathroom or elimination support
Getting around your home safely
Getting out of your bed, out of chairs, or on and off the toilet safely
Seizures that happen frequently or are dangerous
Using insulin for diabetes on a slideing scale
Suctioning to help you breath or stay healthy
Using a ventilator or CPAP/BiPAP
Have a challenging behavior that would hurt you or others

2. Need takes longer than usual

You have a need that takes longer to support than other people who have similar needs. You cannot get all of your needs met. The extra time to meet that need is more than the number of hours in your service group. If it takes a lot of time to meet these needs, you might have a need that takes longer than usual.

Using the bathroom or elimination support
Getting around your home and community
Getting out of your bed, out of chairs, or on and off the toilet safely
Getting dressed
Taking baths or showers
Completing grooming like shaving, brushing teeth, and styling hair
Eating meals and snacks
A health need that takes a lot of time

3. Social isolation

You are not able to go out into the community because your needs use all of the hours. You need help when you go out in the community. You cannot go into the community at least 20 hours a week to do shopping, errands and other activities.

When you ask for an exception:

Your services coordinator or personal agent has 14 days to complete your request after you ask for an exception.
ODDS will send you a postal letter with your decision. We have 45 days to send you this letter from when your services coordinator or personal agent submits your request to us.
If we need more information to decide about your exceptions request, we will send you letter called a Notification of Pending Status. Watch this video to learn more about this notification and how to respond to it.
If we deny your request, we will send you a letter called a Notification of Planned Action. Watch this video to learn more about what this notification is, how to read it and what your rights are if you disagree with it. We will also send you this letter if your service group changes and your range of hours decreases.

Learn more about asking for an exception.

If you have questions about your in-home hours:

Talk to your services coordinator or personal agent. They are there to support you.
Email ODDS.

Oregon Needs Assessment (ONA)

In-home agency models

Standard Model Agency training slides

In-Home Hours: Resources for Case Managers and Providers

In-home hours

Resources for case managers and providers

Workers' guides

Workday training courses

Resources to use with individuals and families

Service groups

Chart: Service groups and in-home hours

Service group handbooks

What if I don’t have enough hours to meet my needs?

There are three main reasons you can g​​​et an exception.

​When you ask for an e​​xce​ption:​

I have questions about my in-home hours.

Oregon Needs Assessment (ONA)

In-home agency models

There are three main reasons you can get an exception.

When you ask for an exception: