Skip to main content

Oregon State Flag An official website of the State of Oregon »

Oregon Department of Human Services Search Site

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. This web page provides information about our work to develop this program. 

  • Who will the program be for? The program will be for caregivers of minor children assessed as having very high medical or behavioral needs.
  • When will it start? ODDS plans to launch the program in mid-2024.

Updates

The implementation of SB 91 will happen in 2023–2024. Here's our anticipated timeline (updated January 2024):

  • August 2023: ODDS held meetings with parents and other interested people. Using their feedback, we developed the waiver application and draft rules. We conducted a digital survey about questions from the meetings.
  • September 2023: We responded to and published feedback. This included the survey's results and direct feedback from meetings and email.
  • September 2023: We revised the draft waiver application.
  • October-December 2023: We posted the draft waiver application. The 30-day public comment and 60-day Tribal consultation period began.
  • January 2024: We responded to public comments​ on the draft waiver application. We submitted the comments with the waiver application​ to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).​
  • January 2024: CMS begins reviewing our application. We anticipate final approval during the first half of the year. 
  • Spring 2024: Rulemaking begins.
  • May - June 2024: Trainings begin for case management entities, parent providers and children​ in the program.
  • July 2024: If the above goes as planned, we hope to launch the program.
Sign up for updates

Documents

Background

Before 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.

Meetings

ODDS held meetings in 2023 with parents and other interested people to get feedback on the waiver application and draft rules.

Questions?

Please email cenprogram@odhs.oregon.gov with any questions.