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Senate Bill 91 Implementation

Overview

Senate Bill 91 (SB 91) passed the Oregon Legislature in July 2023. It directs the Office of Developmental Disabilities Services (ODDS) to apply for federal approval for a permanent program to pay parents as caregivers. The program is for caregivers of minor children assessed as having very high medical or behavioral needs.

This web page provides information about ODDS’ work to develop this program. ODDS plans to launch the program in mid-2024.

ODDS seeks public comment on its application for federal approval 

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General information

Prior to SB 91, ODDS administered a temporary program during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). That program allowed parents the option to be a caregiver. This reduced the number of outside caregivers entering their homes. This program ended with the PHE on May 11, 2023. The program served about 450 children in Oregon.

SB 91 provides limited funding every two years, which will have some federal matching funds. There will be a limit to the number of participants because of this limited funding.

The implementation of SB 91 will happen in 2023–2024. Here is a timeline of this work:

  • August 2023: ODDS holds meetings with parents and other interested people. Using their feedback, ODDS develops the waiver application and draft rules. ODDS conduct\s a digital survey about questions from the meetings.
  • September: ODDS compiles, reviews, responds to, and publishes collected feedback from the survey, in writing and in meetings. This feedback will help ODDS create the draft waiver application. The draft waiver application will also be posted in September.
  • September-November: Once the waiver application is posted, a 30-day public comment and 60-day Tribal consultation period begins.
  • December: ODDS responds to public comments on the draft waiver application. ODDS submits the comments with the final waiver application by December 31.​
  • January-March 2024: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will likely review ODDS' application. ODDS expects federal approval of the waiver in the first half of 2024. This is not guaranteed. Rulemaking begins at this time. Rules will be temporary or permanent depending on time constraints. If temporary, the permanent rulemaking process will follow immediately.
  • Mid-2024: If approval follows this estimated timeline, the program launches around this time.​

Meeting materials

Other documents

Questions?

Please email odds.engagement@odhsoha.oregon.gov with any questions.