U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

RSA-227 for FY-2025: Submission #11

Oregon
09/30/2025
General Information
Designated Agency Identification
Disability Rights Oregon
900 SW 5th Ave
Suite 1800
Portland
Oregon
97204
https://www.droregon.org/
503-243-2081
Operating Agency (if different from Designated Agency)
Additional Information
Corinne Schram
Molly Silverstein-Bode
9717102739
msilverstein-bode@droregon.org
Part I. Non-case Services
A. Information and Referral Services (I&R)
29
0
1
0
0
0
30
B. Training Activities
1
40
Presentation to Epilepsy Foundation:

Disability Rights Oregon’s Client Assistance Program (CAP) presented to the Epilepsy Foundation on the topic of employment rights and accommodations. Those in attendance learned about the process of requesting reasonable accommodations in employment, and specific types of accommodations that may be appropriate for people living with epilepsy. The purpose of this presentation was to educate people with epilepsy about their rights to have reasonable accommodations in the workplace. In attendance at the presentation were 40 individuals living with epilepsy and their advocates.
C. Agency Outreach
Know Your Rights (KYR): Pre-Employment Transition Services FY25:
Disability Rights Oregon finalized a “Know Your Rights Guide” on the topic of pre-employment transition services through vocational rehabilitation. This “Know Your Rights Guide” includes a breakdown of what Vocational Rehabilitation pre-employment transition services are, who is eligible for these services and how to request them. This guide was disseminated through Disability Rights Oregon’s website and remains there as an ongoing resource.

Know Your Rights on Vehicle Modifications  FY25:
Disability Rights Oregon finalized a “Know Your Rights Guide” on the topic of Vehicle Modifications. This “Know Your Rights Guide” includes information about how to get vehicle modifications as service from Vocational Rehabilitation, how to request that service, what criteria Vocational Rehabilitation uses to determine eligibility and what would not be included such as payments for insurance or routine maintenance. This guide was disseminated through Disability Rights Oregon’s website and remains there as an ongoing resource.

State Independent Living Council (SILC) FY2025:
Disability Rights Oregon continued to monitor the State Independent Living Council’s meetings in order to learn more about their efforts to promote full inclusion of people with disabilities. Disability Rights Oregon attends the quarterly meetings to learn more about the work that fellow advocacy agencies are carrying out throughout Oregon. This allows us to stay current on the resources that we provide to our constituents. The quarterly meetings also provide an opportunity to interact with individuals with disabilities in attendance and community partners.

Region X CAP Meeting (FY25):
Disability Rights Oregon participated in quarterly meetings with other Client Assistance Program (CAP) practitioners from across the Pacific Northwest. The purpose of this work was to exchange knowledge and improve Client Assistance Program-related advocacy in the region. These meetings are an opportunity to share information regarding approaches to advocacy, outreach, issues with Vocational Rehabilitation and how to best support Vocational Rehabilitation participants. As a result, our CAP practitioners have developed a more robust practice that has incorporated approaches from other regional CAP practitioners.

Hillsboro Stand Down:
Disability Rights Oregon participated in outreach at this Washington County community event in November 2024. The event included resources such as housing, employment, health care, education, clothing, pet care, legal assistance, advocates for state and federal benefits, and more. Disability Rights Oregon tabled with various disability resources, including vocational rehabilitation, general disability information and specific information about mental health, developmental disabilities, voting, and employment. DRO provided information and referral to approximately 47 community members in attendance.
D. Information Disseminated To The Public By Your Agency
0
3
19
88363
2
0
Other (Details):

Facebook page: 11,468
Twitter: 4,503
Email database (listserv): 3,399
Instagram: 3,455
LinkedIn: 1,715
Eblast (listserv): 3,399
E. Information Disseminated About Your Agency By External Media Coverage
FY2025 Client Assistance Program Media Coverage
(3 stories published 10/1/24 thru 9/30/25)

BLOGS & PODCASTS
-Emily Ross: A Journey of Resilience, Passion, and Empowerment (Virginia Commonwealth University, October 14, 2024)

EDITORIALS/STORIES WE HELPED SHAPE THAT DON’T MENTION
-US Seeks to End Subminimum Wage for Workers With Disabilities (Bloomberg, December 2, 2024)
-It’s Legal to Pay US Workers With Disabilities as Little as 25¢ an Hour (Bloomberg, April 17, 2025)
Part II. Individual Case Services
A. Individuals served
9
8
17
0
2
B. Problem areas
1
3
9
3
0
1
0
0
0
0
C. Intervention Strategies for closed cases
3
3
4
4
0
1
0
15
D. Reasons for closing individuals' case files
6
4
1
0
0
0
3
1
0
0
0
0
No cases fell into the other category.
E. Results achieved for individuals
4
1
0
0
0
3
1
2
0
4
There were four instances of primary outcomes that would be categorized as “Other.” In one case, the client ultimately decided not to move forward with Vocational Rehabilitation and terminated the case. In another, the client decided to file a tort claim independently. One client who was hoping to get an earlier intake appointment with Vocational Rehabilitation could not. Finally, in one case, a client passed away.
Part III. Program Data
A. Age
1
1
8
7
0
17
B. Gender
9
8
0
0
17
C. Race/ethnicity of Individuals Served
3
0
0
1
0
10
1
2
D. Primary disabling condition of individuals served
0
3
0
0
0
0
2
0
1
2
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
4
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
17
E. Types of Individuals Served
5
0
10
2
0
0
Part IV. Systemic Activities and Litigation
A. Non-Litigation Systemic Activities
2
Employment First Workgroup:

Disability Rights Oregon participates in the State of Oregon’s Employment First Workgroup and Rules Advisory Committee. The primary goal of Disability Rights Oregon's participation is to ensure the commitments from the Lane v. Brown lawsuit are maintained to ensuring people with intellectual or developmental disabilities continue to have access to competitive integrated employment. This group reviews activity and planning of Employment First activities and policy in Oregon. Participating in the reviews are state agency representatives and community partner leaders. In 2025, much of the work revolved around planning and coordination of services for Vocational Rehabilitation’s Order of Selection. Order of Selection is a state-mandated policy that dictates how Vocational Rehabilitation services are prioritized. It was determined that the Office of Developmental Disabilities Services would provide case management services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities instead of Vocational Rehabilitation. Disability Rights Oregon had been advocating for improved planning and services from Vocational Rehabilitation, and since Vocational Rehabilitation instituted the Order of Selection, wait times for services have decreased.



State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) :

Disability Rights Oregon continues to serve as a member of the State Rehabilitation Council (SRC), which oversees Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) policies and practices to ensure VR participants are receiving the best, most effective services to enable them to find or maintain competitive, integrative employment. Disability Rights Oregon also serves on the State Rehabilitation Council’s Rules Advisory Committee, which reviews proposed changes to VR policy. A Disability Rights Oregon attorney participated in the State Rehabilitation Council quarterly meetings and Rules Advisory Committee meetings to review and comment on proposed rules changes. One focus of the State Rehabilitation Council this year was Vocational Rehabilitation and higher education. Through this work, Vocational Rehabilitation policies changed, including new policies that provide clearer direction to VR staff on higher education approvals. As a result of this policy change, more individuals with disabilities can now receive support in achieving their employment goals through education and training programs.
B. Litigation
0
0
0
N/A
Part V. Agency Information
A. Designated Agency
External-Protection and Advocacy agency
Disability Rights Oregon
No
B. Staff Employed
Professional:

Fulltime: .864 FTE (Round up to 0.9 FTE)

Parttime: 0



Administrative:

Fulltime: 0.107 FTE (Round Down to 0.1 FTE)

Parttime: 0



Total: 0.971 FTE
Part VI. Case Examples
Case Examples
Case (1):

A client contacted Disability Rights Oregon regarding a goal of becoming a Landscape Architect which requires completion of a master's degree. This individual’s Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor did not support this plan as they wanted the client to find a related job that could be acquired immediately without a degree. Disability Rights Oregon provided information and referral, investigation, and technical assistance in self-advocacy to the client to support their pursuit of training and higher education. As a result of this intervention, Vocational Rehabilitation agreed to support the client in receiving training in software that would be required for pursuing a master's degree in landscape architecture.

Case (2):

A Disability Rights Oregon client developed an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) to become a sports medicine doctor. Vocational Rehabilitation denied funding for the client’s secondary education. Disability Rights Oregon represented this client at an administrative hearing to appeal the Vocational Rehabilitation decision. The hearing officer ultimately found in favor of the client’s position and ordered Vocational Rehabilitation to provide services accordingly. As a result of this work, Vocational Rehabilitation is now supporting this individual in achieving their employment goals.

Case (3):

A client contacted Disability Rights Oregon with concerns that their Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor was mistreating them. This individual had been employed for 6 months and had requested assistive technology accommodations due to limited mobility. While the client had received the equipment, there was a long delay in Vocational Rehabilitation sending someone to install the equipment. The client was also struggling with their Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor and felt that the Counselor was not supportive of their needs. Disability Rights Oregon contacted Vocational Rehabilitation on the client’s behalf to ensure that the needed equipment was delivered and installed. The client was also transferred to a different counselor. As a result of Disability Rights Oregon’s work, this client now has the appropriate equipment at their worksite, and they have a new Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor. The assistive technology allows this client to remain employed.
Certification
Reports are to be submitted to RSA within 90 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this report. Please be reminded that you can enter data directly into the RSA website via the internet. Information on transmittal of the form is found on pages 19 and 20 of the reporting instructions.
Name and Title of Authorized Certifying Official
I agree to submit this form by electronic means. By signing this form electronically, I certify under penalty of perjury that my answers are correct and complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand that an electronic signature has the same legal meaning and can be enforced in the same way as a written signature.
Molly Silverstein-Bode
Administration and Grants Manager
Yes
2025-11-17
OMB Notice

OMB Control Number: 1820-0528, approved for use through 07/31/2023

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 16 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain a benefit (Section 13 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended). Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4537 or email ICDocketMgr@ed.gov and reference the OMB Control Number 1820-0528. Note: Please do not return the completed form to this address.