Empowered Services

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Corporate Office

8101 SW Nyberg St. Suite: 217 Tualatin, OR, 97062

Phone Number

503-855-3581

Start Intake DSP Interest
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Empowered Choice Program

Already have someone they trust?

Some Oregon families already know who feels safest, most familiar, and most steady. Eligible customers may be able to choose a trusted family member, friend, or longtime supporter to apply as their paid Direct Support Professional.

Explore ECP Start ECP Intake

When the right person is already there, Empowered Services helps make the support official, trained, and paid.

Family-led · Trust-based · Training and payroll support included

  • Family caregivers welcome
  • Trusted friends qualify
  • Eligibility check is easy
  • OneTrusted person, formalized
  • YesFamily caregivers can qualify
  • FullTraining & payroll support

Trust the relationship that’s already there.Then let us handle the operational side.

Find My Care Team
Customer-led choice The person or family can name a trusted caregiver.
Caregiver fast-track Family/friend caregivers start with DSP interest.
Coordinator bridge Empowered connects intake, onboarding, and support.
Oregon IDD support County availability and authorization are reviewed.

Choose Your Door

Start where you are. The pathway stays connected.

No guessing which page to use. Pick the path that matches your situation and Empowered Services can help route the next step.

Customer / family

I need support and already know who I want as caregiver.

Start customer intake so we can review services, county availability, eligibility, goals, and the trusted relationship you’d like to formalize.

Start ECP Intake Chosen caregiver

Someone asked me to become their paid caregiver.

Start DSP interest. Tell us you want to support a specific family member, friend, neighbor, or current customer — and we’ll take it from there.

Start Caregiver Interest Referral partner

I am helping a family understand whether ECP fits.

Services Coordinators, Personal Agents, schools, and community partners can route families to intake or contact our team first. We work alongside the people already in the person’s life.

Ask About ECP Not sure yet

I need help choosing between intake, ECP, and DSP interest.

Take the 2-minute Find My Coordinator Quiz — three quick questions on county, need, and timeline. We’ll connect you to your local Empowered care team or the best next step.

Find My Care Team

The Two-Person Enrollment Pathway

ECP works best when the customer path and caregiver path move together.

One side explains the person’s support needs. The other side confirms caregiver readiness. Empowered Services connects both so the relationship can become trained, documented, paid, and supported.

Path 1 · Customer / family

Start the customer intake relationship.

Use this path when the person receiving support, a parent, guardian, family member, or referral partner is ready to talk — about who they are, who already supports them, and what they need next.

  1. Submit Customer Intake Share county, contact preferences, current IDD services, goals, routines, and support needs.
  2. Name the preferred caregiverInclude the caregiver’s name, relationship, email, and phone if you already have someone in mind.
  3. Review authorization and availabilityEmpowered reviews fit, county coverage, ODDS status, authorized support, and next steps.
  4. Coordinate the start of careScheduling, documentation, training, and ongoing support are aligned before paid care begins.
Path 2 · Chosen caregiver

Start caregiver interest for a specific person.

Use this path when a family member, friend, neighbor, or someone you already support has asked you to take on the paid caregiver role. The relationship is real — this just makes it official.

  1. Submit DSP Interest Choose the option showing you want to support a specific person through ECP.
  2. Talk through fit and requirementsReview age, work authorization, transportation, documentation, training, and background check readiness.
  3. Complete official applicationWhen routed, complete the official DSP application and onboarding tasks.
  4. Begin supported DSP workOnce approved and authorized, the caregiver becomes part of the official care team.
A young person drawing at a table, representing person-centered support and daily-life care routines.
Person-centered support begins with the person’s real routines, preferences, communication style, and relationships.

Why ECP Feels Different

The caregiver is not starting from zero.

A trusted person may already know the individual’s routines, sensory needs, communication style, favorite places, stress signals, and what helps the day go well. ECP helps turn that natural support into a professional, trained, documented DSP relationship.

  • More continuityThe person receiving support does not have to rebuild trust with a stranger when a safe, qualified caregiver is already present.
  • More clarityEmpowered Services helps define the role, documentation, training, and expectations so informal help becomes supported care.
  • More support for the caregiverThe chosen caregiver is not left alone with paperwork, compliance, payroll, and onboarding questions.

The right caregiver isn’t a stranger. They already know the routines, the signals, the small things that help the day go well.

ECP turns that natural support into a trained, documented, paid care relationship.

Fit + Guardrails

Best-in-class care is warm, clear, and responsible.

ECP is powerful because it honors trusted relationships. It also needs clear rules, safe onboarding, and realistic expectations.

The person comes first.

Empowered Services confirms our Oregon IDD service model can support what the person actually needs. Intake reviews county, current services, goals, timing, and authorization.

The caregiver still applies.

Trust opens the door; training, documentation, and background checks make it official. Family members, friends, and longtime supporters complete the same hiring steps as any DSP — so the support is real, sustainable, and protected for everyone.

Hours and pay are not promised upfront.

Schedule, pay tier, overtime eligibility, and start date depend on service authorization, position requirements, approval, and onboarding completion.

Privacy belongs in secure paths.

Use the intake and coordinator process for private details. Avoid sending sensitive medical, financial, or personal information through general email.

Emergency needs use emergency channels.

If there is immediate danger, a medical emergency, abuse in progress, or a life-safety concern, call 911 or use the existing crisis plan first.

Coordination prevents rework.

When customer intake and caregiver interest both identify the same relationship, Empowered can connect the process more cleanly.

The DSP Role

What the chosen caregiver may help with.

Direct Support Professionals help people build independence, participate in community life, stay safe, and follow person-centered goals. The exact role depends on the individual’s support plan, authorization, needs, preferences, and schedule.

Daily living

Support routines, personal care, household tasks, meals, hygiene, organization, and the practical rhythms that help life feel steady.

Community access

Help with appointments, recreation, errands, volunteering, social connection, transportation coordination, and meaningful participation.

Skill building

Encourage independence, communication, confidence, budgeting, planning, personal goals, and everyday problem-solving.

Safety + documentation

Follow training, document services, communicate with the team, and support the person’s wellbeing within approved expectations.

Want the full service overview? Visit IDD Services to see how Empowered Services supports daily living, personal care, life skills, community involvement, and caregiver choice.

Pay + Sustainability

Caregiver pay should be clear, fair, and burnout-aware.

Compensation details are visible before caregivers invest time. Final placement depends on evaluation, role, authorization, schedule, training, experience, and eligibility.

Pay path 1

Up to $25/hour

  • Same compensation framework as Empowered Services’ standard DSP path — ECP caregivers are not on a separate or reduced scale.
  • Rate placement depends on a points-based review and position requirements.
  • Designed for sustainable scheduling without authorized overtime.
  • Eligible caregivers may access benefits based on role, hours, and tenure.
Pay path 2

$22/hour + approved overtime

  • Base rate of $22.00/hour for the overtime-eligible path.
  • Up to 20 hours of pre-approved overtime per week at $33.00/hour (time-and-a-half).
  • Overtime eligibility, weekly limits, and total hours are reviewed during onboarding.

Medical

Eligible employees may access medical coverage based on role and hours.

Dental + vision

Dental and vision benefits may be available for eligible caregivers.

401(k)

Eligible employees may access retirement benefits, including employer match where applicable.

Paid training

Training and professional development help caregivers grow into the DSP role.

Compensation fine print: Pay rates, benefits, overtime, schedule, start date, and caregiver eligibility are not guaranteed by this page. They are reviewed through the official hiring/onboarding process and depend on authorization, approval, role requirements, hours, tenure, and applicable rules.

Prepare Once, Route Correctly

What to have ready before you start.

You do not need every answer before reaching out. These details help the team connect the customer/family path and caregiver path without extra rework.

Start Intake Caregiver Interest
  • Customer/family contact informationName, phone, email, preferred contact method, and preferred language.
  • County and service statusOregon county, current ODDS/CDDP/Brokerage status, and whether services are already authorized or still in progress.
  • Support goals and routinesDaily living needs, communication preferences, community goals, schedule hopes, and safety considerations.
  • Preferred caregiver detailsName, relationship, email, phone, and whether they are ready to start DSP interest.
  • Caregiver readinessAge, work authorization, transportation, documentation, background check, and training willingness.

Connected Ecosystem

ECP is not a standalone page. It is the bridge between services, intake, and DSP onboarding.

Use these direct paths when you need the surrounding context.

IDD ServicesUnderstand daily living, personal care, community involvement, life skills, and caregiver choice.Explore services → Customer IntakeBest first step for customers, families, guardians, and referral partners starting support.Start intake → Caregiver / DSP InterestBest first step for chosen caregivers exploring support for a specific person or general DSP work.Start interest → CareersFor candidates ready to browse open roles, counties, schedules, and official applications.See roles → Join Our TeamSee what relationship-based DSP work feels like before applying.Learn culture → ContactUse the smart contact guide or call when you are unsure which path applies.Contact team → IDD ResourcesBrowse Oregon IDD resources, family guidance, newsletters, and updates.Browse resources → About EmpoweredMeet the values and team behind relationship-based IDD support.Meet the agency → Call FirstBest when you need quick routing, county availability questions, or help choosing the right door.503-855-3581 →

Common Questions

Fast answers before you start.

These answers are intentionally practical: who starts, what the caregiver does, what Empowered handles, and where the guardrails are.

Who should start the ECP path first?

The customer, family, guardian, or referral partner should usually start with Customer Intake. The chosen caregiver should also submit DSP Interest so Empowered can connect both sides of the relationship.

What if I’m not sure which county is served, or which path is right for me?

Take the Find My Coordinator Quiz. Three quick questions about your county, your needs, and your timeline — in about two minutes you’ll be connected to your local Empowered care team or routed to the best next pathway. It’s the fastest way to learn whether ECP may be available for your county and pathway, and who to talk to. Available in English and Spanish.

Can a family member, friend, or neighbor become a paid DSP?

They may apply. ECP is built for situations where the person receiving support has already chosen someone they trust. The caregiver still needs to meet applicable employment, documentation, background check, training, onboarding, and authorization requirements. Spouses and legal guardians may have specific rules that the team will review.

What does Empowered Services handle?

Empowered Services supports intake routing, onboarding, training, documentation, payroll, compliance, coordinator support, and ongoing communication so the caregiver can focus on safe, person-centered support.

How long does onboarding take?

Timing varies. It depends on intake review, county availability, service authorization, background check timing, documentation, training, caregiver readiness, and role requirements. The team will clarify the next step after intake or DSP interest is submitted.

Is Empowered Choice Program private pay?

No. Empowered Services is a Medicaid/ODDS-funded agency and does not currently offer private-pay services. If you are unsure whether IDD services are active or pending, start intake or call the team for routing.

What if I already support someone informally?

That is exactly the kind of situation ECP can help clarify. The customer/family should start intake and the caregiver should submit DSP interest, indicating that they already support or want to support a specific person.

Can more than one caregiver be named?

The intake process can collect preferred caregiver details and discuss whether additional caregivers may be appropriate. Approval depends on the person’s authorized services, scheduling needs, caregiver eligibility, and onboarding completion.

What should I do if there is an urgent safety issue?

Empowered Services is not an emergency response line. If there is immediate danger, a medical emergency, abuse in progress, or a life-safety concern, call 911 or use the person’s existing emergency or crisis plan first. For non-immediate concerns, contact your Care Coordinator or call the office.

Take The Next Step

One trusted relationship can become trained, documented, and supported.

Start with the person they already trust, clarify eligibility, connect the caregiver path, and find the local care team that can help move the relationship forward responsibly.

For customers, families, guardians

Start ECP Intake.

Use this when the person receiving support needs services or wants to name a trusted caregiver.

Start ECP Intake
For chosen caregivers

Explore the caregiver path.

Use this when someone has asked you to become their paid caregiver or you already support them informally.

Explore Caregiver Path
Not sure where to start?

Take the 2-minute routing quiz.

Three quick questions — your county, what you need, and your timeline. We’ll connect you to your local Empowered care team or the best next step. Available in English and Spanish.

Find My Care Team
Call ECP Intake Caregiver Interest