Family Support Services

Philosophy

Family Support Services is built on the principles of family support and self-determination. All people, regardless of disability, chronic illness, or special need, have the right to a permanent and stable family, and that supporting families in caring for children at home is in the best interest of the children, families and communities. The surest, most cost-efficient ways to foster and preserve family and community membership can be constructed and managed by the people receiving the services. Family Support Services fosters and strengthens flexible networks of community-based, private, public, formal and informal, family-centered and family-directed supports designed to increase families' abilities to care for children with developmental disabilities and to support the integration and inclusion of children with developmental disabilities into all aspects of community life.

We will be compiling a resource list of available providers and would like to know if you would be interested in having your name and information included. This list will be made available to clients and their families and other individuals inquiring about possible resources in respite care. If interested, please submit the online Provider Questionnaire.

Principles

  • Support families in their efforts to raise children with disabilities in the family home.
  • Strengthen the role of the family as the primary caregiver.
  • Support families in determining their needs and in making decisions concerning necessary, desirable, and appropriate services.
  • Promote the use of existing formal and informal supports and social networks, strengthening natural sources of support, and helping build connections to existing community resources and services.
  • Involve youth with disabilities in decision-making about their own lives, consistent with their unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities and capabilities.
  • Prevent unwanted out-of-home placement and maintain family unity and, when possible, reunite families with children with disabilities who have been placed out of the family home.
  • May use private and volunteer resources, publicly-funded services, and other flexible dollars.
  • Is built on a relationship of respect and trust.
  • Is sensitive to the unique needs, strengths and multicultural values of an individual and the family.
      

Family Support Expenditures  

  1. Behavior Consultation: assessment of the child. The needs of the provider or family and the environment; development of a positive behavior support plan; implementation of the positive behavior support plan with the provider or family; and revision and monitoring of the plan as needed.
  2. Community Inclusion: assists a child to acquire, retain or improve skills in the community.
  3. Environmental Accessibility Adaptations: physical adaptation to a child’s home or family vehicle which are necessary to ensure the health, welfare, and safety of the child in the home, or which enables the child to function with greater independence around the home and in family activities.
  4. Family Training: training, coaching, and support provided to the family of a child with developmental disabilities to increase capabilities to care for, support and maintain the child in the home.
  5. Occupational Therapy / Physical Therapy: the services of a professional licensed under ORS 675.240 that are defined and approved for purchase under the approved State Medicaid Plan. These services are available to maintain a child’s skills or physical condition when prescribed by a physician and after the service limits of the State Medicaid Plan have been reached, either through private or public resources.
  6. Respite Care: short-term care and supervision provided on an intermittent basis because of the absence, or need for relief, of persons normally providing the care to a child with developmental disabilities.
  7. Special Diets: specially prepared food supplements or particular types of food supplements needed to sustain the child in the family home, ordered by a physician, and monitored at least every six months by a dietitian licensed according to ORS 691.415 through 691.465.
  8. Specialized Equipment and Supplies: equipment, furnishing, or supplies which are not commercially manufactured specifically to serve a medical or remedial function, but which have or may be easily modified to have important characteristics that safely and cost-effectively provide necessary supports.
  9. Speech, Hearing, and Language Services: services of a professional licensed under ORS 681.250 that are defined and approved for purchase under the approved the approved State Medicaid Plan. These services are available to maintain a child’s skills after the service limits of the State Medicaid Plan have been reached, either through private or public resources.
  10. Transportation Services: payment per mile for extraordinary mileage required to transport a child to urban medical centers from distant rural communities.