About Us
The Oregon Office on Disability and Health is a public health entity under the Institute on Development and Disability at Oregon Health and Science University and the Public Health Division of the Oregon Health Authority. Oregon Office on Disability and Health has been funded since 1994 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Our mission is to promote health equity and well-being of people with disabilities. We collaborate with disability communities, public health entities, healthcare systems, and community-based organizations to prioritize access and equity throughout Oregon.
We envision a future that is accessible, welcoming, and inclusive of all people with disabilities in Oregon. This vision extends beyond the individuals and their families to benefit entire communities.
Our work is guided by the following values:
Health equity means that people with disabilities have access to everything they need to reach and maintain their full health potential. Many health problems experienced by people with disabilities are driven by systemic poverty, discrimination, and ableism and are often compounded for people with multiple marginalized identities. We support the equitable redistribution of resources and power to achieve health equity.
Social model of disability: The social model of disability states that the physical and social environment was constructed without consideration of all people. It is this phenomenon that restricts people with disabilities from having the same access and opportunities experienced by those without disabilities. Therefore, we work to remove barriers that stem from ableist environmental, communication, attitudinal, economic, institutional, and political systems that limit opportunities for people with disabilities.
Disability is a natural part of the human experience. As such, the disability community is varied and diverse. People hold many different identities including race, gender, sexual orientation, and others that intersect disability. We celebrate the unique differences among and within communities of people with disabilities and work to ensure people with disabilities are valued and included in every aspect of society.
Racism and ableism are deeply intertwined systems of oppression. Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, Asian, and other people of color have been, and continue to be, essential forces for disability justice. We strive to combat racism in ourselves and our work because a truly inclusive society will only be possible when racism is eradicated.
We regularly reflect on what we’re doing and how we’re doing it. We invite constructive feedback to help us improve. We are continually evolving and are committed to acting on what we learn.
We work in partnership with the communities we serve because we believe nothing about us without us. We take direction from diverse stakeholders and community members on our Advisory Council and collaborate with partners at the state, county, and local level to ensure our work meets the needs of people with disabilities throughout Oregon.
Overview of 2021-2026 Funding Cycle
Current OODH Activities
Current target areas of the Oregon Office on Disability and Health include:
- Establish, expand, and enhance partnerships
- Conduct statewide needs assessments
- Administer and evaluate a training for health care providers on accessible preventive health care
- Implement and evaluate a demonstration project to link adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to needed health care and health promotion programs
- Conduct evidence-based health promotion interventions for adults with disabilities
- Collaborate with partners to implement policy, systems, and environmental changes to improve access to health care and health promotion opportunities
- Share key findings and lessons learned with public health professionals and policymakers statewide
Funding
Since 1994, Oregon Office on Disability and Health has been continuously funded as a Cooperative Agreement with the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Oregon Office on Disability and Health is a collaborative effort between Oregon Health & Science University and the Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division.