Day 1
Submit your intake
A short online form (about 5 minutes), or a phone call if you’d rather talk first.
Start intake
Oregon IDD Support Services
Empowering lives, one person at a time.
Person-centered support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities — matched 1:1 with trained DSPs and local Care Coordinators across 11 Oregon counties.
1:1 DSP MatchingPersonality, Routines, Language
11 Oregon Counties4 Active Regions · Statewide Vision
Oregon ODDS-Licensed AgencyStandard Model · 200+ Families
Build Your Path
What do you need today?
Pick the situation closest to yours. We’ll guide you to the clearest next step.
01
Get matched with a DSP / caregiver
Tell us about the person, county, support goals, communication style, and what kind of match would feel like the right fit. An Intake & Contract Specialist typically follows up within 1–2 business days.
Learn more about our IDD support and services
Quick links to all paths: Start intake · Empowered Choice · Work with Empowered · Referral partners · Already with us · IDD resources
Where We Serve
Local support across 11 Oregon counties.
Empowered Services organizes around real Oregon regions, with Care Coordinators who live and work in the communities they serve.
Portland Metro
3 counties
Washington · Multnomah · Clackamas
North Coast / NW
2 counties
Clatsop · Columbia
North Willamette
3 counties
Yamhill · Polk · Marion
South Willamette
3 counties
Benton · Linn · Lane
Coming next · Service Vision
Southern, Central & Eastern Oregon · Douglas · Jackson · Deschutes · Klamath · Umatilla · 13 more · 18 counties total
Do we serve your county?
Choose a county to see your Care Coordinator and start a county-specific intake.
Kennedy supports families in Washington and Yamhill counties.
Spanish-speaking families: bilingual EN/ES intake and support are available statewide.
Oregon Coverage
Four active regions. One team across Oregon.
We organize support around real Oregon regions — and we’re building toward statewide coverage as we expand.
Don’t see your county? Contact us — we welcome inquiries from all 36 Oregon counties and can route the next step.
How It Works
From hello to ongoing support.
Realistic timing, no surprises. Here’s exactly what to expect from your first call onward.
Days 1–2
Your specialist connects
Your Intake & Contract Specialist reaches out within 1–2 business days to confirm eligibility, county availability, and walk through next steps.
Your teamIntake & Contract Specialist
Week 1
DSP matching
Our Matching Specialist works with the Recruitment & HR team to match thoughtfully across personality, routines, communication, goals, language, and location — then arranges a meet-and-greet so you confirm the fit feels right.
Your teamMatching Specialist · Recruitment & HR Specialist
Interested in DSP work? Join our team
Ongoing
Support begins
Your DSP starts. Your Care Coordinator stays in touch and adjusts support as life changes — because life always does.
Your teamCare Coordinator
The Empowered Match Method
Support works better when the match is right.
Seven dimensions shape every great DSP relationship — because daily support depends on more than a calendar.
Three commitments at the heart of every match
01
Inspiration
We see possibility first — helping each person imagine more independence, more confidence, and more meaningful connection in daily life.
Independence
Confidence
Belonging
Personality
The kind of company that feels easy, safe, and human.
Routines
Morning rhythms, evening habits, what makes a day feel steady.
Communication
Words, signs, devices, quiet presence — how someone feels heard.
Goals
Independence, community, employment, confidence, and growth.
Language
English, Spanish, ASL, or another preferred way to connect.
Location
Same county, nearby community, or a short drive from daily life.
Support Style
Hands-on coaching, gentle company, or somewhere between.
Tell us what matters.
We’ll find your match.
What We Do
Our core support services.
Personalized support tailored to individual needs — coordinated locally, grounded in real relationships.
01Life skills training
Daily routines, personal care, home skills, and practical independence.
02Community involvement
Social activities, appointments, recreation, and everyday community life.
03Meal planning support
Meal routines, grocery planning, food choices, and day-to-day structure.
04Cooking & self-sustenance
Safe cooking, simple meals, kitchen routines, and self-care.
05Shopping & budgeting
Shopping lists, planning purchases, money routines, and confidence.
06Movement & daily activity
Walking, recreation, active routines, and meaningful participation.
A Real Week of Support
What support can look like in real life.
Small practical steps, repeated consistently. Tap a day to see one example of how a Direct Support Professional and a customer might spend it together.
Monday
Plan routines, appointments, groceries, goals, and weekly support needs together. Set the rhythm for the week.
Empowered Choice Program
Already have the right person? We can help make it official.
Through the Empowered Choice Program, eligible Oregon families can bring a trusted family member or close friend into the official care team — fully trained, supported, and paid.
What if care could come from someone who already knows your routines, communication style, and heart?
Oregon IDD Library
What are you trying to figure out?
Pick a topic and we’ll point you toward the best Oregon IDD resource, service pathway, or next step.
Browse IDD Resources for Oregon Families
County-by-county guides, monthly community newsletters, and curated supports beyond direct services — for individuals, families, Services Coordinators, and Personal Agents across Oregon.
Browse all topics: IDD Resources · Eligibility · County Guides · Inside DSP Work · Family Caregiver
From Our Founder
Hear our story in John’s words.
Empowered Services was founded by John D. Marvin and his late first wife, Sarah, with one belief: individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities deserve more than care — they deserve dignity, opportunity, and people who truly see them.
That legacy continues today across Oregon through Care Coordinators, person-centered DSP matching, and the Empowered Choice Program that turns trusted relationships into supported care.
Family-rooted. Oregon-grown. Built around real people, real relationships, and support that feels personal.
200+ Families
Currently supported in Oregon
200+ DSPs
Trained & matched 1:1
11 Counties
Currently served · statewide vision
Bilingual
English & Spanish support
Already With Us?
Find your next step.
Whether you’re a DSP referring another caregiver, a family referring someone, or just looking for resources — here’s where to go.
For DSPs · Referral Bonus
Refer another DSP and earn up to $1,000.
$500 when your referral is matched and works 20+ hours per month for 3 months. Another $500 at 6 months — $1,000 total.
The best DSPs often come from people we already trust. If you know someone who would be great at this work, refer them — and earn the bonus when they’re matched and working consistently.
Need help with HR, payroll, scheduling, or referral questions? Contact the Empowered team.
For Customers & Families
Already part of our family? Help us grow it.
If someone you know could benefit from IDD support like yours, refer them through customer intake. Or find Oregon IDD resources — eligibility guides, forms, and county information — for your own family.
Customer and family referrals are word-of-mouth and are not part of the DSP referral bonus program.
Need help with billing, scheduling, or service details? Contact your Care Coordinator.
Common Questions
What people ask first.
Fast answers about services, county availability, caregiver choice, and getting started.
How do I start services?
Submit our Customer Intake form and an Intake & Contract Specialist will respond within 1–2 business days to walk through eligibility, county availability, and next steps. From there, your Care Coordinator stays with your family for the long term. Bilingual EN/ES intake available statewide.
Where in Oregon do you serve?
We currently serve 11 counties: Washington, Multnomah, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Yamhill, Polk, Marion, Benton, Linn, and Lane. Statewide inquiries are accepted; service availability may vary by county. Our strategic vision is to expand to all 36 Oregon counties.
Can a family member be paid as a caregiver?
Yes — through the Empowered Choice Program, eligible Oregon individuals can choose a family member or trusted friend to become their official paid Direct Support Professional. We handle training, payroll, compliance, and ongoing support.
How do I apply to work as a DSP?
Visit Join Our Team to learn what the work is like, DSP Interest for the 5-minute interest form, or Careers to apply for a specific opening. We provide paid training, full benefits eligibility, and supported onboarding.
What does Empowered Services do?
We provide person-centered support for individuals with IDD across Oregon — including 1:1 DSP matching, life skills coaching, community integration, personal care, meal planning, and the Empowered Choice Program for families who want a trusted person providing care. See all services →