Aging and People with Disabilities Community Engagement

The Office of Aging and People with Disabilities (APD) is committed to engaging with the people we serve, their families, advocates, providers and community partners. We encourage you to connect with us to share feedback, join in discussions and receive updates.

Legislative session updates Community partner meetings Updating the State Plan on Aging Advocacy Award nominations Current initiatives

Legislative session updates

2026 schedule

Feb. 4, 2026 at noon

Join by Zoom or by phone at 669-254-5252 (ID 161 367 2929, passcode 198719)
Activity report

Feb. 18, 2026 at noon

Join by Zoom or by phone at 669-254-5252 (ID 161 367 2929, passcode 198719)

March 4, 2026 at noon

Join by Zoom or by phone at 669-254-5252 (ID 161 367 2929, passcode 198719)

March 18, 2026 at noon

Join by Zoom or by phone at 669-254-5252 (ID 160 698 9954, passcode 832169)

Live captioning and American Sign Language interpretation will be provided. To request additional language interpretation or other support, and for questions about accessibility, please send an email to apd.communications@odhs.oregon.gov. Please submit your request 48 hours in advance of the meeting you plan to attend.

Community partner meetings

Regional quarterly meetings

No meetings are currently scheduled.

Oregon's State Plan on Aging

We're updating our State Plan on Aging. Members of the public have opportunities to provide input on the 2026-2030 plan.

The State Plan on Aging guides how older adults, their families, and unpaid caregivers are supported through programs funded by the Older Americans Act (OAA) in Oregon. The current state plan is in place until September 2026. APD must create a new plan and send it to the federal Administration on Aging for review and approval by July 1, 2026. The new plan will be in place from October 2026 through September 2030.

Community input

APD hosted an input session on December 10, 2025. View the meeting materials.
Future engagement opportunities will be posted here in the coming months.

Resources

Current State Plan on Aging - Required by the Administration for Community Living in order for a State to receive federal funding for Older Americans Act programs.
Federal guidance for developing State Plans on Aging
Older Americans Act Federal Statute
Older Americans Act Final Rule - 2024 final rule to update regulations implementing Older Americans Act (OAA) programs for states, area agencies on aging and Tribal organizations.

APD Advocacy Awards

APD is seeking nominations for an award that recognizes and celebrates the powerful, community-rooted advocacy work happening across Oregon to help older adults and people with disabilities.

Nominations are due by Mar. 9, 2026.

To submit a nomination, please complete the APD Advocacy Award Nomination Form.

Nominations should include a description of the nominee’s advocacy efforts. You may include measurable outcomes resulting from their work, testimonials from individuals impacted by their work, examples of specific initiatives or projects they led, and any other evidence of their contributions and impact.

Criteria

Nominees should demonstrate exceptional advocacy efforts that have led to meaningful, lasting change for older adults or people with disabilities. Award criteria include:

Community impact
Commitment to equity and inclusion
Innovative approaches to advocacy
Sustained dedication to this work

Nominees must be a resident of Oregon, and cannot be a current ODHS, OHA or AAA employee.

We welcome nominations for people who have passed away so we can honor the lasting impact of their work.

Next steps

Winners will be notified in early April. The award will be presented and announced at a later date.

Awards recognizing the advocacy of Ruth McEwen and Mike Volpe, were given in 2019.

In their memory, APD will give a biennial award that shines a light on individuals whose advocacy has led to meaningful, lasting change for older adults and people with disabilities.

The award is about more than recognition — it’s about honoring ongoing leadership and advocacy that:

Breaks down barriers
Advances equity
Inspires communities

APD initiatives

Learn about some of our current efforts and new programs.

Agency with Choice Brain Injury Program LGBTQIA2S+ Initiatives for Older Adults Medicaid Demonstration: OPI-M Safety Initiatives

Contact us

Email: apd.directorsoffice@odhs.oregon.gov