The Steps to Enrolling Direct Support Providers

Step1: Choose the types of providers you want and need.

There are three types of providers to choose from:

  • Independent providers are individuals qualified to be personal support workers (PSW) and independent contractors (IC).

  • Certified provider organizations are agencies licensed by the State of Oregon to deliver a wide variety of support services depending on their license. 

  • General business providers are businesses that provide service to the general public.

Learn more about the different types of providers.

Step 2: Find a direct support provider.

Find providers by using the Oregon Health Care Commission’s Registry and Referral System.

Step 3: Enroll a Provider Agency or Personal Support Worker.

The provider enrollment process involves a number of steps and depends on if the individual wants to enroll an agency provider or a personal support worker (PSW), or both. To learn about the full process:

Before enrolling a PSW, review the following information:

  • The individual who would like to enroll the PSW will first need to identify an employer of record (EOR).

  • A PSW must be qualified through the Oregon Department of Human Services' Office of Developmental Disability Services (ODDS) before they may provide services to individuals. 

  • The timeline for PSW qualification depends on the following factors:

  • For an individual in need of support services, who is enrolling providers for the first time, it takes approximately two (2) weeks to enroll themselves as a new employer of record (EOR).

  • For an individual who is already an EOR, it takes approximately one (1) week to enroll a PSW. If the PSW is in the process of becoming qualified, this can take eight (8) weeks.

  • For a new PSW, the enrollment process takes approximately eight (8) weeks to complete. Note: PSWs must be qualified before they can bill for their services.

  • For an existing PSW, the enrollment process takes approximately two to four (2 to 4) weeks.

Important to Note

  • A personal support worker (PSW) cannot bill and be paid for services until they have been qualified through a case management entity (CME), such as Community Pathways.

  • Once qualified through a support services brokerage, the PSW is able to work with the individuals that the brokerage serves. The PSW enrollment and qualification process can take up to eight (8) weeks. Once a PSW is qualified to work with customers of brokerages, it is important they update their credentials every two years.

  • The process for renewing PSW credentials takes up to eight (8) weeks.

  • Please remember: PSWs and agency providers are not employed by support services brokerages, including Community Pathways. PSWs are the employee of the individual (known as the “employer of record”) who is enrolling providers to deliver direct support to them.