ODDS Waiver Application Oregon: How to Apply for DD Services

Oregon's DD Services System

Oregon's developmental disability services are administered by the Office of Developmental Disabilities Services (ODDS), a division of the Oregon Department of Human Services. Unlike most states, Oregon has no statewide waitlist for adult DD services. The K Plan (Community First Choice Option) is a Medicaid entitlement — if an individual meets the eligibility criteria, they are entitled to services regardless of how many other people are already enrolled.

This is a meaningful advantage. In states with capped waiver programs, families can wait years or decades for a spot. In Oregon, the bottleneck is provider capacity, not administrative enrollment. But the eligibility process itself still has steps, timelines, and documentation requirements that trip up families who start late.

Who Qualifies for Oregon DD Services

To receive ODDS-funded K Plan or waiver services, an individual must meet both developmental-disability eligibility criteria and Medicaid financial eligibility:

1. Intellectual or developmental disability diagnosis

The individual must have a documented intellectual or developmental disability that:

• Originated before age 22
• Is expected to continue indefinitely
• Significantly impacts adaptive functioning

The CDDP evaluates the functional limitations and supporting records.

Qualifying diagnoses include intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, epilepsy (when accompanied by other qualifying conditions), and other conditions that meet the functional limitation criteria.

2. Medicaid financial eligibility

Because ODDS services are funded through Medicaid waivers and the K Plan, the individual must be enrolled in or eligible for Oregon Health Plan coverage through OSIPM or another qualifying Medicaid pathway. The income cap for OSIPM in 2026 is $2,982/month; the resource limit is $2,000.

The County CDDP Intake Process

Eligibility is determined by the county Community Developmental Disabilities Program (CDDP). Every Oregon county has a CDDP — some are run directly by county government, others are contracted to non-profit agencies.

The intake process:

1. Contact the county CDDP serving the individual's county of residence. A list of all 36 county CDDPs is available through the ODDS website.
2. Submit an application with supporting documentation: diagnostic evaluations, school records (IEPs, psychoeducational evaluations), medical records, and any adaptive behavior assessments.
3. Complete the eligibility determination interview with a CDDP service coordinator. The coordinator reviews the documentation, may request additional evaluations, and makes the eligibility determination.
4. Receive the eligibility decision. If approved, the individual is enrolled in the DD system and assigned to the CDDP for case management (or may choose a Support Services Brokerage — more on this below).

The timeline from initial contact to eligibility determination varies by county. Urban counties like Multnomah (Portland), Lane (Eugene), and Washington (Beaverton area) process more applications and may have longer queues. Rural counties may have fewer staff but also fewer applicants.

The Oregon Needs Assessment

Once determined eligible, the individual undergoes the Oregon Needs Assessment (ONA) — a standardized evaluation tool that measures support needs across multiple domains. The ONA determines the service level: how many hours of personal support, what types of services, and the overall support budget.

The ONA looks at:

• Personal care needs (bathing, dressing, toileting, eating)
• Health and safety risks
• Behavioral support needs
• Community participation goals
• Communication support needs

The results translate into an Individual Support Plan (ISP) that authorizes specific services and the number of hours allocated. The ISP is reviewed annually and can be adjusted when needs change.

K Plan Services: No Waitlist

The K Plan provides the core home-and-community-based services that most adults with DD use:

• Attendant care — personal support workers who assist with daily living activities
• Skills training — teaching independent living, community navigation, and social skills
• Relief care (respite) — temporary support to give primary caregivers a break
• Assistive devices and technology — communication devices, adaptive equipment
• Environmental modifications — home accessibility adaptations (ramps, bathroom modifications, door widening)

Because the K Plan is a state plan service (not a waiver), it has no enrollment caps. Oregon cannot limit the number of people who receive K Plan services. If the individual meets the level-of-care criteria and has Medicaid, they are enrolled.

Support Services and Comprehensive Waivers

Beyond the K Plan, Oregon operates two 1915(c) waivers that fund services the K Plan does not cover:

• Support Services Waiver: for adults living in their own homes or with family. Covers case management, non-medical transportation, supported employment, and community inclusion services.
• Comprehensive Waiver: for adults who need 24-hour licensed residential care. Covers group home placement, intensive behavioral support, and nursing services.

These waivers also have no statewide waitlist in Oregon. But the Comprehensive Waiver has limited residential capacity — finding a group home with an open bed, especially one that can handle complex behavioral needs, is the most difficult placement in Oregon's DD system.

The Provider Capacity Problem

Oregon's lack of a waitlist is real, but families should understand what it means in practice. Being enrolled in the K Plan and having an ISP that authorizes 40 hours per week of personal support does not mean someone is available to fill those hours.

The state faces a severe shortage of personal support workers, particularly in rural and coastal counties. High turnover, low reimbursement rates, and competition from higher-paying employers mean that authorized service hours often go unfilled for weeks or months.

Strategies that families use to navigate the shortage:

• Start recruiting personal support workers before the ISP is finalized
• Consider family members as paid PSWs (Oregon allows parents and other family members to be enrolled as PSWs in many situations)
• Explore both CDDP-assigned agencies and independently hired workers
• Connect with the local Support Services Brokerage for help identifying providers

The Oregon SSI at 18 & Adult Disability Benefits Guide includes a provider search log template and the step-by-step ODDS enrollment timeline coordinated with SSI, OHP, and VR applications.

See more Oregon guides →