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 April 2021
The Oregon Home Care Commission (OHCC) is pleased to introduce you to commissioner Mark King.
Mark has been a long-time advocate. He states, “When I joined the commission, it was my calling to help people with and without disabilities using my experience and knowledge.” Mark served on the Oregon Home Care Commission from 2010-2016. After his term was over, he joined the Oregon Disabilities Commission (ODC) in 2019. He now serves as an ODC representative on the Oregon Home Care Commission.
Mark is actively involved in the OHCC’s workforce development efforts. He is featured in a video on the OHCC workforce development website describing his experience as a consumer-employer of homecare workers and the valuable services they provide. Also featured in the video is Michelle Hayward. She has been an incredible support to Mark for the past 19 years. Please visit https://ohccworkforce.org/ to watch his video. Mark has also shared his story at workforce development events in the community.
In addition to being an advocate, Mark is a published author. In his book, From Snow Skis to Wheelchair, he chronicles his life beginning at the age of 16 when a skiing accident left him with C1 quadriplegia and dependency on a ventilator to breathe. He was given one hour to live. That was over 40 years go! Mark dedicated his book to his loving and supportive parents, Victor and Janet King whom he credits with helping him to be where he is today. Mark would like you to know this—life is not over. Don’t give up!
Family is very important to Mark and he is very close to his parents and siblings. He helped raise two stepsons, Brandon and Jesse.
Mark serves as a voice for others and it is his way of giving back. What’s amazing about this is Mark literally had to learn to speak again after the accident. According to Mark, learning to speak again was his first big step towards recovery and helped him connect to the world again.
We are so fortunate to have Mark as one of our commissioners and appreciate the knowledge and experience he brings to his advocacy work.
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 We work hard to keep out website updated and meaningful for you.
OHCC's website now includes the new COVID-19 vaccine clinics and resources page. On this page you can find:
- General COVID-19 vaccine information
- Vaccines available by county, which may include vaccine clinic locations and related details
- Additional vaccine information available in multiple languages
Take a look. If you have any vaccine location information, let us know by sending an email to OHCC.CustomerRelations@dhsoha.state.or.us or calling 877-624-6080 and we'll update the page. Together we can help get the word out!
 Background check extensions
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, workers currently enrolled as homecare workers, personal support workers, and personal care attendants will not be required to complete a new background check until 2022. If there is reason to believe there is new criminal history or abuse claims, a new background check will be completed right away. Workers will receive a notice 120 days before a new check is required in 2022.
 Certification extensions
OHCC provides training and certifications for homecare workers, personal support workers and personal care attendants to learn new skills and provide an opportunity to increase their hourly wage rate. This includes Professional Development, Enhanced, Exceptional, and Ventilator-Dependency Quadriplegia certifications. In order to earn certifications, workers must have a current CPR/First Aid card.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and physical distancing measures put into place, in-person OHCC trainings and CPR/First Aid trainings are paused. Some OHCC trainings are offered on-line. To prevent a break in workers’ certifications and their higher wage rate, OHCC extended all workers’ certifications. Now, OHCC offers temporary conditional certifications that allow workers to earn certifications without having their CPR/First Aid certification. Once CPR/First Aid training is available again, workers will be required to take it to keep their certifications.
We encourage workers to reach out to OHCC Certifications about their certification expiration dates or about conditional certifications at CERTIFICATIONS.OHCC@dhsoha.state.or.us.
Ventilator-Dependent Quadriplegia (VDQ) certification
VDQ certification courses are now available for homecare workers. The first pilot course started in December 2020. Workers who work for a consumer eligible for the VDQ program and who receive the VDQ wage rate differential ($3.00 per hour) will need this certification to maintain the differential.
Driver safety course for workers
OHCC offers a course called Driver Safety to help workers stay safe behind the wheel. It’s offered in English, Spanish, Russian, Somali, and Arabic. Over 500 students have attended the course since it was launched in May 2020. This course is approved for safety credits for the Professional Development Certification (PDC). The instructor-led webinar course encourages students to participate and share their driving experiences Workers who attend the course learn about:
- Driving risks
- Identifying distracted and fatigued driving
- Defensive driving and situational driving techniques
- Understanding the responsibilities of being a paid provider while driving
OHCC - OSU College of Public Health and Human Services partnership
Through this partnership, a 49-hour Ventilator-Dependency Quadriplegia (VDQ) Certification training program was developed.
We have shared goals of producing a high-quality training program that is relevant, engaging and effective. A pilot VDQ training for homecare workers was offered in December 2020. We received positive feedback from the training participants.
The VDQ certification offers workers a $3.00 per hour differential for supporting a person who qualifies for the VDQ program.
Professional Development Certification (PDC) in a month
OHCC offers cohorts which allow workers to complete their PDC in one month. The cohorts are offered in English, Spanish, Russian and Arabic each month.
PDC requirements include all of the following:
• Three core courses
• Two safety-type courses
• Two elective courses
For more information check out the Elevate newsletter here: https://go.usa.gov/xHYyH.
Workers who have participated in the monthly cohort appreciate the convenience of taking the webinar-style courses from home.
 We know many of you have gone the extra mile. Whether working in an office or supporting someone in their own home. Whether helping people find a vaccine clinic or providing information about personal protective equipment. The people of Oregon have been through significant hardships this past year and your dedication does not go unnoticed. Through a pandemic, wildfires, and storms you continue to show up. Thank you!
 OHCC's Customer Relations Team is here to serve you.
Do you have questions? About pay? Late payment penalty fees? Employment verification? Worker safety claims? Worker ADA claims? Send an email to OHCC.CustomerRelations@dhsoha.state.or.us or call 1-877-624-6080.
Questions about certifications? Send an email to CERTIFICATIONS.OHCC@dhsoha.state.or.us or call 503-798-6131.
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