Newsletter: Friday, March 5th
Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, which is such an important event! Disability rights are extremely important, and we at Community Pathways are celebrating how far our country and state has come, together.
Over the last year, getting access to the best resources has been difficult, and we’re thrilled to have been able to support all of our awesome customers and their families. Living through the changes of the pandemic has been such a huge challenge for everyone, and we hope that we helped make those changes a little easier to go through. At Community Pathways we are always looking for ways to improve our services to our community. We value your feedback and will soon be sending out our annual customer survey. Please use this to provide feedback on where we are doing well, and where we can improve. We are looking to send this out in early April.
This is the time to advocate, to teach others about what it means to experience I/DD and continue to work together to show the world anything is possible!
Here are some important current advocacy we are working on- feel free to write into your legislators to add your voice in their support.
SB 567: Seeks to assure that someone’s disability cannot be used to deny medical treatment or limit or restrict medical resources. It also requires medical professionals to work with family or others the person has designated as support people.
HB 2590: Asking this bill to include people with physical and learning disabilities to a task force looking at underserved populations in higher education.
Contact our Executive Director, Jennifer Santiago, at jsantiago@communitypathways.org if you are interested in learning more about current advocacy efforts.
There are many ways to celebrate this month. Get involved, learn and advocate!
Check out this podcast, brought to you by Disability Rights Oregon and Oregon Self Advocacy Coalition (OSAC). Listen to a discussion about Senate bill 1606, an important change in Oregon law, and the power of choice the law protects!
Follow DRO’s Facebook page and OHSU UCEDD’s Facebook page for tons of great information about I/DD Awareness.
NACDD’s Facebook page (National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities) has a ton of great stories to inspire all of us to move towards change.
Get involved with the DD Coalition’s GO! Project: A grassroots organization designed to help people learn to advocate with their legislators.
Share your feedback and ideas with us, as well as with your state legislators!
Personal Protective Equipment for Home Care and Personal Support Workers
During the current COVID-19 pandemic, Oregon Department of Human Services continues to assist with supplying personal protective equipment (PPE) in the form of gloves and masks, to workers across the state.
Home Care Workers (HCWs), Personal Support Workers (PSWs) and Personal Care Attendants (PCAs) who are actively working with a consumer can request personal gloves and masks every 14 days in order to provide these critical services.
How to Request Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
To request PPE a worker must submit a request to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) online here or to the Oregon Home Care Commission (OHCC) by email to OHCC.CustomerRelations@dhsoha.state.or.us.
Workers must provide the following information:
First and last name and provider number
Provider type (HCW, PSW, PCA)
Contact information - email address and phone number
County location and name of the case management entity that serves their consumer-employer
Number of consumers the worker supports
Number of hours the worker provides for all consumers in a pay period
Type of PPE requested (masks or gloves)
Size of Gloves
How to Receive the Requested Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Workers will receive an email from the Oregon Home Care Commission which includes the scheduled day(s), time(s) and the address of the location where the worker will need to pick up the personal protective equipment (PPE) that has been requested or that the requested PPE will be mailed.
Questions and Additional Information
You may contact the Oregon Home Care Commission’s Customer Relations team at OHCC.CustomerRelations@dhsoha.state.or.us. Also take a look at their website and Facebook page.
Surveys
ODDS Survey to Improve Case Management – Blueprint Project
There is still time to help ODDS improve Oregon’s Case Management System!
The Office of Developmental Disabilities Services (ODDS) has been working on a redesign of Oregon’s case management system. ODDS recently partnered with a company called Health Management Associates (HMA) on what is called the Blueprint Project.
The Blueprint Project included a variety of people including case managers, advocates and other stakeholders, and people experiencing IDD and their families. The project is now at a point where they are looking for your feedback to help redesign Oregon’s approach to case management system!
Case management, the help you receive from Community Pathways, helps individuals with I/DD with things like finding services and resources, completing assessments and writing individual service plans. It may look like phone calls, emails, in-person meetings, and referrals. Case management should be provided in a way that works best for the person with I/DD.
A better case management system would make sure that every case management entity (like CPI) would have clear roles and responsibilities, and would operate in a fully person-centered way. To help provide feedback on this “blueprint” ODDS has developed a survey.
You can fill out their survey here by March 12, 2021.
Customers should choose “self-advocate” for the first question (“Please tell us your role as a ODDS Community Partner”). The survey is available in 6 languages – you can choose your language at the top right hand side of the webpage. If you would like help filling out the survey, contact your PA.
If you have questions about the Blueprint Project, you can contact our Executive Director, Jennifer Santiago at jsantiago@communitypath.org
To learn more about ODDS’s strategic plan, see here.
To read HMA’s report, see here.
Oregon Secretary of State’s ODDS Audit
You will have received a copy of the Oregon Secretary of State’s ODDS Audit questionnaire by email and/or snail mail this week. This survey is optional but your input is appreciated. Your answers to the questionnaire will be private.
The Secretary of State is looking at how ODDS can do a better job supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They want to know how your life is affected by the decisions ODDS makes. They are focusing on two questions:
What do you do when something goes wrong with your services?
What would make it easier for you to share your ideas with ODDS?
You can fill out the survey in English here, or in Spanish here.
The deadline for your answers to be included in the report is March 31, 2021. If your questionnaire is received after this date, it will still be reviewed, but your comments won’t make it into the official report. If you need some help to submit your answers, or with the survey, you may contact your PA!
A video of the questionnaire is available in English (with captions) here.
You can return your answers by email to: Olivia.Recheked@oregon.gov
Or by mail:
ODDS Auditors
Public Service Building, Suite 500
255 Capitol St. NE
Salem OR 97310English hereSpanish here
St. Patrick’s Day Celebration – Recipe!
Top o’ the mornin’ to ya CPI Family! March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day, and we’ll be celebrating with a good ol’ pint o’ Guinness and a Shepherd’s Pie. This recipe is tried and true! There are a lot of ingredients, but it comes together quickly and is guaranteed to satisfy even your pickiest leprechaun. Grab your green and raise your glass high. Cheers with a sláinte!
Shepherd’s Pie (via Gimme Some Oven)
INGREDIENTS
Filling
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef or lamb
1 medium white onion, peeled and diced
8 ounces baby bella or white button mushrooms, finely diced
2 medium carrots, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry red wine (or you can sub in more beef stock instead)
2 cups beef stock (or vegetable or chicken stock)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs each fresh rosemary and thyme (or whatever herbs you love)
1/2 cup frozen peas
sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
Mashed Potato Topping
2.5 pounds potatoes (either Russets, Yukon golds, or a mix of the two)
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup whole milk, or more as needed
2 ounces cream cheese (or 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt)
sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Cook the mashed potatoes. Follow the instructions here to prepare a half batch of this mashed potatoes recipe. Once the mashed potatoes are ready to go, remove from heat and set aside until ready to use.
Brown the beef (or lamb). Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef (or lamb) and cook until browned and crumbly. Transfer the cooked beef to a separate plate and set aside, reserving any grease in the sauté pan that it has left behind.
Sauté the veggies. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the carrots, celery, mushrooms, garlic and sauté for 5-7 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Add in the flour and wine. Stir the flour in with the veggie mixture until evenly combined, then continue to sauté for 1 minute more, stirring frequently. Stir in the wine (if using), then use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Add the remaining sauce ingredients. Immediately stir in the stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, herb sprigs and frozen peas until combined. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a low simmer, and continue cooking for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard the bay leaves and herb sprigs. Stir in the cooked meat. Taste and season the mixture with salt and pepper as needed.
Layer it all up. Transfer the filling mixture to a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and spread it out in an even layer. Spoon the mashed potatoes on top and carefully spread them out in an even layer as well.
Bake. Bake uncovered at 400°F for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are lightly golden and the filling has started to bubble up around the edges. (If you would like the potatoes to be a bit more browned, you can turn on the broiler for 1 or 2 extra minutes, keeping a close eye on the potatoes so that they do not burn.)
Garnish and serve. Remove the baking dish from the oven, sprinkle a few extra herbs on top if you would like, then dish up your servings while the shepherd’s pie is still nice and warm. You can store the pie in sealed containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Upcoming Events
2021 DD Advocacy Days, Go! Project
Date: March 10, 2021
Time: 10:00AM – 1:00PM PST
For more information, visit the coalition’s website or their Facebook page (@orddcoalition).
PHAMEtastic - PHAME's Annual Gala
It's the same party you know and love—but this year it's online.
Dress like your favorite One Hit Wonder band and join PHAME for their Costume Contest and Preshow at 6:30. You won't want to miss a special performance during the Preshow, and you can join One Hit Wonder Bingo—you'll receive your Bingo card in the mail so you can play along at home!
Visit their website to learn more about ways to participate or find more info about the fabulous evening they have planned.
Date: March 18, 2021
Time: 6:30 PM Preshow, 7:00 PM Program
Adaptive & Inclusive Recreation (Portland Parks & Rec) – Spring Term registration
Source: Parks & Rec Facebook
Spring term registration begins on March 22nd at 12:30pm for Portland Parks & Rec Adaptive & Inclusive Recreation! Term is April 5 – May 2, 2021.
Office hours: Mondays and Wednesdays, 1:00-3:00pm / Call: 503-823-2883 or 503-823-2525 to register!
Free Classes – March 2021
St. Patty’s Day Virtual Dance / March 5th 5:30 – 7:30
Don’t forget your green!
Join here and type in the Meeting ID and Passcode below.
Meeting ID: 987 8371 4995
Passcode: 109998
Collage Arts / March 6th 11:00 – 12:30pm
Join here and type in the Meeting ID and Passcode below.
Meeting ID: 859 6391 3095
Passcode: create
Suggested materials: Colored paper, scissors, crayons/pens/pencils, old magazines
Games, Games, Games / March 9th 5 – 7:00pm
Join here and type in the Meeting ID and Passcode below.
Meeting ID: 746 244 2422
Passcode: games
Free Classes – April/May 2021
Teen Social
Grab your soda or a bottle of water and an afternoon snack, as you come visit with your friends each week. Each week we will have a different theme/ activity these topics will be decided on in our 1st meeting by the participants. Ages 12-21!
Date/Time: Tuesdays, 4 – 5pm / April 6th – May 25th
Course: 1127974
Adult Social
Grab your soda or a bottle of water and an afternoon snack, as you come visit with your friends each week. Each week we will have a different theme/ activity these topics will be decided on in our 1st meeting by the participants. Ages 18+!
Date/ Time: Tuesdays, 3 – 4pm / April 6th – May 25th
Course: 1127973
More than words Book Club
There's nothing as satisfying as a good book! Have a timeless story read to you and then offer opinions & insights with your peers. Practice expressive communication, cooperation & listening skills while analyzing fun literature. This session book will continue with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Ages 12+!
Date/Time: Thursdays, 4 -5 pm / April 8th – May 27th
Course: 1127981