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Jambo Human Service Heros, Sheros, and Theyros. Welcome to the second edition of the OEMS Equity in action Newsletter. In our quest to reach our Equity North Star, this newsletter is designed to highlight a few agency-wide equity efforts and provide tools, resources, dates, and events designed to remove barriers and create equitable and accessible outcomes for all.
April is Autism Acceptance Month, previously known as Autism Awareness month. The name was changed in 2021 for a simple reason. "Awareness" is knowing that someone has autism, whereas "acceptance" is when you include the person with autism and help them to connect with others.
In celebration of Autism Acceptance Month, the Office of Equity and Multicultural Services honors the contribution of people on the autism spectrum and the autism community. We recognize the importance of supporting, understanding, accepting, including, and empowering all people on the autism spectrum, and we hope you take time this month to learn more about their beautiful contributions to society and humankind. Here is a great short video and website to learn more.
Dion Jordan
Director of the Office of Equity and Multicultural services
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I read an article last week that said we should resist the temptation to give out our email when signing up for anything online. In the hands of an identity thief, our email address can become a key to unlocking our online world.
Our office recently rolled out an ODHS REALD & SOGIE listserv that you can join to stay in the loop on data equity going-ons. The list will only be used to share occasional REALD & SOGIE news and opportunities with you. However, given the risks of identity theft, I should warn you…
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Do not sign-up for the REALD & SOGIE listserv unless you want to receive resources like the FAQ page or Explainer video that answers basic questions about the data standards.
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Do not sign-up for the REALD & SOGIE listserv unless you want to learn about the rulemaking status of SOGIE questions.
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Do not sign-up for the REALD & SOGIE listserv unless you want to find out about upcoming trainings, workshops, or learning labs that teach how to do a better job asking questions or learn about data equity.
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And whatever you do, do not sign-up for the REALD & SOGIE listserv unless you want to share feedback, resources and experience across our agency to better gather, analyze, and apply data through a trauma-informed and culturally responsive framework.
On the other hand, if you're feeling a bit rebellious, feel free to join us. Many fast-moving and important changes are happening with data in our agency and with state and federal guidelines. We'd love to keep you in the loop and promise to take good care of your email.
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The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) have teamed up to do a little spring cleaning on our shared Language Access Services Policy. We’re committed to supplying culturally and linguistically appropriate communication services to people who are not primary English speakers, Deaf, DeafBlind, Hard of Hearing, people who are neurodivergent, and people with communication, intellectual, cognitive, developmental or learning disabilities.
As we continue sprucing things up, you’ll find Language Access Services Resources for ODHS and OHA within one shared location on the Language Access Services OWL Site, an easy-access desktop icon and articles rolling out on the Daily Discover Digest to help you better familiarize yourself with the revised policy and how to promote accessible communication best practices.
If you have questions regarding language access, contact your respective agency at the appropriate email below.
ODHS: OEMSLanguage.Services@odhsoha.oregon.gov
OHA: LanguageAccess.Info@odhsoha.oregon.gov
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As RiSE continues to grow across our agency, the RiSE Team would like to take a moment to shout out some of the amazing RiSE-ing Stars across ODHS! Do you know someone doing great RiSE work that should be recognized? Send us an email at: DHS.RiSE@odhsoha.oregon.gov
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Branch 2401 South Salem SSP RiSE Huddle Team
In 2021, this South Salem SSP office team began putting together monthly RiSE huddles for their whole branch! It’s been a great way to share good practices and build a RiSE culture, particularly the element of Collective Responsibility and Growth! Shout-out to Ariana Sekafetz, Julia Garcia, Heaven Hopkins, Kurt Garcia-Ottens, Helen Frater and Tom McConathy for your hard work!
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Shawn Sullivan & the Roseburg Sensory Room
RiSE Champion Shawn Sullivan is a champion for RiSE and other autistic and neurodivergent children and adults. He saw a need for a calming and supportive space for children coming for family time at the Child Welfare Office, and he got the support of his leadership and made it happen! Shout-out to Shawn and District 5 leadership for being RiSE-ing stars for Safety, Well-Being and Belonging.
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Barbara Robertson and Oregon Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services
In 2022, RiSE Champion Barbara Robertson undertook an ambitious project to further Meaningful Participation and Shared Power for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Oregonians working for and with ODHS. She led work to support communication for on-demand ASL Interpreting, Real-Time Captioning and Speech Amplification! Shout-out, Barbara, for helping ODHS RiSE!
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Pssst...
Maybe this is your first time hearing about RiSE, or perhaps you're familiar with the movement and are looking for a digestible way to share info about RiSE with your colleagues; you've come to the right spot!! With the fabulous support of the ODHS Communications Team, we've created these two videos that introduce RiSE by talking about what RiSE is and why RiSE matters. Spoiler alert, it's because YOU matter!
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Humans Serving Humans: Interview Request
At the Oregon Department of Human Services—we do good. We’re ordinary people who come to work every day making extraordinary asks of our government officials, community partners and each other for the well-being of all Oregonians. While some may say we should be doing more, the truth is, we do more than we’re ever given credit for. We go above and beyond our job descriptions to serve the humans of Oregon equitably, timely and when they need human compassion the most.
Humans Serving Humans is an agency-wide project series focused on the employees and partners of ODHS and their stories about what it means to be human serving humans. While our focus is on positive, uplifting stories—we know that there will be some stories that don’t always show us putting our best foot forward. These stories are also a part of the human experience and are the ones that help better direct us toward our Equity North Star and to create a more inclusive RiSE culture that is Trauma Aware.
If you have a story you’d like to share with ODHS—we want to hear it. Humans Serving Humans is inspired by the captivating Humans of New York social media series and New York Times best-seller.
Complete the form to interview for an uplifting opportunity to share your story or nominate someone you know who may have a story that needs to be told.
Stories may appear on Discover, and ODHS social media accounts and in a physical book to be published at the end of the series.
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Vocational Rehabilitation
Vocational Rehabilitation is embarking on a journey to identify program improvements to empower change. Keith Ozols, Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Director and VR leadership, recently welcomed the consultation and guidance of former U.S. Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration, Mark Schultz, to help establish a new pathway to progress.
Mark has a unique perspective in advocating for direct services and leading administrative innovation for individuals, families, and community partners seeking VR services and supports at the state and federal levels. Mark sat with VR staff, leadership, and community partners to understand what program improvements best benefit, support, and uplift the program.
The recommendations were shared during a VR All-Staff Broadcast on March 7, 2023. Now, staff and administration are planning to start the first phase of introducing changes within the program by July 1, 2023, to align best practices with enhanced service delivery. We recognize the need to remain transparent and communicate program updates, including our commitment to equitable action and the ODHS Equity North Star.
Equity Highlights
Vocational Rehabilitation's new Service Equity Manager (SEM), Rochelle Perez (she/her/ella), supports the program's transformation, bringing a lens of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access. Rochelle prioritizes connecting with the diverse voices within VR to facilitate a unifying mission toward inclusion and belonging.
Currently, the VR SEM is building a shared space for diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA) facilitators to join in community to learn from and support one another. Additionally, the Service Equity Council (SEC) is planning to diversify its membership. The objective is to sustainably create a platform to support staff and Oregonians who historically have been disproportionately impacted and underserved. Finally, VR and the State Rehabilitation Council have partnered to renew the dedication to commit to equitable service by committing to provide an accessible consumer satisfaction survey. Western Oregon University's Research Institute is the community partner supporting and facilitating the feedback process. The consumer survey has fostered valuable insights, demonstrating the importance of nurturing connections to the intersectional voices within the disability community.
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- April 11, 2:00-3 p.m. Improving Collection and Respectful use of SOGI Data Tuesday, April 11 via Zoom Registration
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April 20, 12:30 - 2 p.m. Rethinking Data: A Panel Discussion on Justice, Equity and Decolonization Linn Benton Health Equity Alliance and OSU Center for Health Innovation Thursday, April 20 via Zoom to register visit the Linn Benton Health Equity Alliance Facebook page
- April 25, Noon-1 p.m. Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Learning Collaborative Mountain West AIDS Education & Training Center Tuesday, April 25, noon-1:00pm via Zoom Registration
- May 12, 10 a.m. Disaggregating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) data to achieve Health Equity and Justice Community Engagement Alliance Consultative Resource (CEACR) Speaker Series Registration
- May 24, 2-3pm – REALD & SOGIE 101: An introduction to the REALD & SOGIE Data Standards – Why they matter, how they work, and what you can learn from them
- May 25, 11am-noon - REALD & SOGIE 101: An introduction to the REALD & SOGIE Data Standards – Why they matter, how they work, and what you can learn from them
- April 14, 8:30 a.m. TRAINING: Supporting LGBTQ+ Elders and Older Adults Friday, April 14, 8:30 am – 12:30 pm via Register on Workday Learning
- April 18, 1:05 - 3:25 p.m. ERG Mentorship Orientation Session Zoom Registration required
- April 20, 1-3 p.m.: APINet Monthly Boba Tea Talks
- April 24, 10 a.m. - Noon: Women, Power, and Revolutionizing Speech with Eliza VanCort (ODHS WELD, VERG, RaIN, and Mi Gente) ZoomGov Registration required
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May 1, 10:00 AM to Noon: disABILItea AbleNet ERG presents Dr. Temple Grandin (speaker on autism) Register in advance for this meeting
- May 4, 8:30 am – 12:30 p.m.: Supporting LGBTQ+ Children, Youth, and Young Adults Thursday, May 4, via Register on Workday Learning
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