Disability Resources
Community-Based Resources
Many resources exist in the Portland Metro area and beyond for people with disabilities. Here are some links to organizations offering services and information:
Community Building & Recreation
Oregon Spinal Cord Injury Connection (OSCI)
https://www.oregonsci.org
OSCI exists to build community and create opportunities for people affected by spinal cord injury including families, friends, caregivers, and partners in Oregon and SW Washington. OSCI assists members of our community to navigate the health and social service systems to get the services and resources they need to thrive. Programs offered by OSCI include:
– OSCI Community Meetups
– Wheelchair Maintenance
– Online Educational Forums
Oregon Adaptive Sports (OAS)
http://oregonadaptivesports.org/
Based in central Oregon, OAS provides year-round adaptive recreational lessons and opportunities for adults dependent on wheelchairs for mobility.
Portland Parks and Recreation Adaptive & Inclusive Recreation (AIR)
https://www.portlandoregon.gov/parks/39830
AIR offers activities designed to help people who have a disability and/or special needs to use their leisure time in ways that enhance their health, well-being, and independence.
Portland Pounders
http://www.portlandpounders.org
Portland Pounders are Portland’s award-winning wheelchair rugby team. The Pounders challenge the personal public perception of the athletic limitations of spinal cord injured adults. Games are exciting, fast-paced, and family friendly.
Career and Education
Oregon Department of Health Services Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VR)
https://www.oregon.gov/dhs/employment
VR assists disabled individuals with disabilities to get and keep a job that matches their skills, interests, and abilities. VR staff work in partnership with the community and businesses to provide individualized services that are essential to employment success.
Incight
https://www.incight.org
Incight is dedicated to assisting people with physical disabilities unlock their true potential through educational resources and scholarships.
Oregon Employed Persons with Disabilities (EPD) Program
https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/
The employed Persons with Disabilities Program (EPD) is a medicaid program that helps people with disabilities go to work while keeping their Medicaid coverage, including coverage for long-term services. To read more, click the link above.
Disability Rights & Activism
Disability Health & Employment Equity Coalition
http://disabilityequitycoalition.org/
The Disability Health & Employment Equity Coalition of Oregon is a group of stakeholders personally invested in the health and prosperity of the disability community. Medicaid and the Americans with Disabilities Act help people with disabilities but create a cycle of poverty and exclusion that contributes to poor health. Through state-level system and policy changes, we strive to create equity in health and employment so the disability community can thrive and prosper in health and wealth.
The coalition is focused on supporting the Oregon Senate Bill 20 that requires the Department of Human Services to administer a program to provide medical assistance to employed individuals with disabilities without regard to the individuals’ income or resources.
Click the link to learn more about the coalition, SB 20 and how to help advocate for its approval!
Disability Rights Oregon
Disability Rights Oregon (DRO) is a non-profit advocacy organization that helps people with disabilities with their disability-related legal issues in Oregon. DRO’s legal advocacy spans every type of disability, at every age, in every type of place. DRO advocates for lasting change through public education & outreach; information & referral; legislative advocacy; direct client representation; and class-action litigation.
Transportation
TriMet Lift Paratransit
http://trimet.org/life/index.htm
LIFT is TriMet’s shared-ride service for people who are unable to use regular buses and trains due to a disability or other health conditions.
LIFT service covers all locations that are within three-quarters of a mile of TriMet’s bus, MAX Light Rail, and also within the TriMet service area. Per the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), LIFT does not serve locations outside the TriMet service area, the legal boundary for TriMet. Click the link above to learn more about LIFT and how to enroll.
Accessible Transportation
The Portland metro area offers several accessible transportation options. Check out this list and see which one best suits your needs:
- Wheelchair accessible taxis available via https://broadwaycab.com/
- City buses and light rail https://trimet.org
- Door-to-door transportation https://rideconnection.org/
- Accessible van rental https://www.unitedaccess.com/rent-wheelchair-van/
Other Disability Resources
Independent Living Resources
https://www.ilr.org/
ILR Offers programming, community-based resource references, and social groups that enable people with disabilities to live as independently as possible.
Multnomah County Aging & Disability Services
https://multco.us/ads
The Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) helps seniors, people with disabilities, care providers, and loved ones, identify and connect with necessary resources such as enrollment in government services, investigating abuse, locating adult care homes, and connecting with culturally specific services.
Street Roots Rose City Resource Guide
https://www.streetroots.org/rose-city-resource
The Street Roots Rose City Resource Guide is a publication of Street Roots and is the Metro region’s most comprehensive, up-to-date list of services for people experiencing homelessness and poverty. It includes a variety of resources within Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington Counties. You can find information on food boxes, grocery assistance, health care, counseling and more.
Digital & Print Resources
Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation
https://www.christopherreeve.org/
Dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries and their families, the Reeve Foundation is a great resource for information regarding daily living, medical research, connecting with mentors, and discovering resources available in your local community.
New Mobility Magazine
http://www.newmobility.com/
This magazine is the official publication of the United Spinal Association. It’s goal is to encourage the full integration of active wheelchair users into mainstream society. Ninety percent of its writers live with disability!
*A listing or link on QUAD’s website does not indicate any endorsement of programs or services.*