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NATIONAL ADVOCACY UPDATE (APRIL, 2025)

4/23/2025

 
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At UCP Oregon, advocacy is more than just a word—it’s a commitment we embrace every day.

Whether we’re speaking up for (and with) our customers at the Oregon State Capitol or partnering with other organizations to defend vital services, we believe that every voice deserves to be heard—loudly, clearly, and often.

If you're wondering what's happening on the national advocacy front, we hope you'll read this brief newsletter from our Executive Director, Ann Coffey.
Read the Newsletter

Executive Order Update: What It Means for UCP Oregon

3/15/2025

 
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A recent Executive Order is bringing changes that will impact the disability community, and we know many people have questions. We're here to break down what this means for the individuals and families we serve. 

In this update, you’ll find:
  • A summary of the Executive Order.
  • How it affects UCP Oregon and our services.
  • What comes next and how you can stay involved.

Read the full update here.
​

Stay informed and connected—your voice matters!
Read the full update here.

Make a Call Today to Protect Medicaid

3/5/2025

 
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UCP Oregon Community,

As many of you know, UCP Oregon is currently wading through tides of information related to the President’s recent Executive Orders. 

One Executive Order relates to Medicaid.

As a non-profit, it is not UCP Oregon’s role to represent political opinions. Rather, our role is to focus on legislation and the potential impact to our mission, values and the communities we serve.

However, these Executive Orders, if implemented, will have a large impact on the entire UCP Oregon Community.

Medicaid provides essential healthcare for millions of people, including children, seniors, and people with disabilities.

Right now, Medicaid is at risk, and we need your help to protect it. Luckily, a simple voicemail can make a difference!

​Call 1-866-426-2631 to be connected to your members of Congress. It only takes a minute.

​NOTES:
  • If you are an employee of UCP Oregon, please make this call as an individual, not as a representative of the organization. You can say you work in the disability community but should not claim to speak on behalf of UCP Oregon.
  • If you or a loved one use Medicaid, you are encouraged to share your personal experience—real stories have a big impact!
  • Pro Tip: Does the thought of talking to a Congressional office make you nervous? UCP's Marketing Coordinator (Corrie Hausman) has a tip. She says, "If you call the number after 5pm PST, you're almost guaranteed to hit voicemail instead of a human being. I just called, and it was super easy."

Every call helps show that Medicaid is vital to our community. Thank you for taking action!


Sincerely,
​
Ann Coffey
Executive Director
UCP Oregon


how it works:

  1. Dial 866-426-2631.
  2. Enter your ZIP code when prompted.
  3. You’ll be connected to your Representative or Senator’s office.
  4. If desired, you can then use this simple script:

Hi, my name is [Your Name], and I live in [Your City and ZIP Code].

I’m calling to ask you to protect Medicaid. Medicaid is critical for people with disabilities, families, and seniors. Medicaid saves lives.

Please oppose any cuts or changes to Medicaid. Thank you!

a pdf to share:


​Want to share this advocacy opportunity with your friends, family and community?Feel free to send this link to folks.

Also, thanks to one of UCP's partners, Independence NW, who created the spiffy images below, which you may share as well.
Download PDF

MORE INFO:
​

Later this week, we'll be sharing more information, including how UCP Oregon is responding to the Executive Orders.

We'll also be sending out links where you can learn more. In the meantime, we suggest this link, where you can learn from the Arc about the proposed funding cuts.
Arc Memo

EASY ADVOCACY EFFORT

5/24/2023

 
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Do you have three minutes to spare? This week, it’s urgent for you to tell Congress to support disability services within the current budget negotiations.
 
ANCOR (a national association representing disability service providers) created a webpage to help you.

​Simply enter your contact information, and the webpage will generate emails to your national Representatives and Senators.
 
Several UCP families tested the webpage, and they all said it was super simple to do!

DO IT NOW!
ANCOR SAYS:
 
Your engagement during this budget negotiation is crucial to ensure that people with disabilities continue to have access to the Medicaid-funded services they require. It is essential that your representatives in Washington hear directly from you, regardless of their prior involvement with disability issues. Your elected officials need to understand the significance of Medicaid-reliant supports and the importance of increased funding for their sustainability.
 
Please act today to let Congress know:
  • The DSP workforce and Medicaid-funded long-term support services (LTSS) provider infrastructure are in deep crisis due to decades of underinvestment.  
  • Investments in Medicaid community-based programs are desperately needed to ensure individuals with I/DD have the necessary services to succeed.
 
Together, we can strengthen the Medicaid program and ensure that millions of Americans continue to have access to the care they need. Your advocacy can make a tangible difference, and we deeply appreciate your commitment to supporting people with I/DD.


MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD

HAPPY CEREBRAL PALSY AWARENESS MONTH, 2023

3/1/2023

 
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March is a busy month!
 
It’s Women’s History Month. It’s also National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. And it’s National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month!

Since UCP Oregon’s roots are in cerebral palsy, we thought we’d start out by talking about National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month.

The goal of National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month is to push for positive change in education, healthcare, and the employment world. 

UCP Oregon does advocacy work on a local, state and national level. You can make a difference, too!

HOW TO CELEBRATE:
  1. Share your cerebral-palsy related photos or story with the world. (If you want us to help you share your story, you can use this link.)
  2. Make your voice heard. Join a disability-related advocacy group.
  3. Donate to disability organizations that are making a difference in your local community, such as UCP Oregon.

We Want to Hear Your Story

11/8/2022

 
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Have you heard of “This Is Our Voice”?
 
UCP Oregon launched this project in 2019 to talk about the workforce crisis in the Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) arena.

The platform was designed to ensure that all the voices within the disability community were heard, including those from customers, families and employees. 
 
A UCP customer and advocate, John Griffiths, was instrumental in getting the project going.
 
Fast forward into a pandemic context, and alas the workforce crisis has increased as solutions have waned. The “This is Our Voice” project is therefore receiving increased attention.
 
We’re asking you to once again share YOUR voice and YOUR experiences. We want to hear from UCP Oregon’s customers, families, employees—or anyone anywhere in the state who is affected by the I/DD workforce crisis.
 
Our Executive Director, Ann Coffey, is primed to assist to share your stories, explain avenues of advocacy, and guide you in the appropriate direction for more formal complaint and grievances processes.
 
The project webpage allows you to: (1) email us directly, (2) get easy links for being a self-advocate through the Go!Project, or (3) file a direct complaint and/or grievance with the State of Oregon or local case management entity.

LEARN MORE

Yay, Advocates!

3/25/2022

 
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Today is National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day 2022!
 
What are you doing to celebrate?
 
This week, a group of parent and adult advocates, clinicians and researchers celebrated CP Awareness Day by travelling to Washington DC, to give a briefing to Congress about CP!
 
The trip was organized by the Cerebral Palsy Foundation (which is not part of UCP), and was supported by Senator Maggie Hassan (New Hampshire) and Congressman Steve Cohen (Tennessee).
 
Way to go, advocates!

And, speaking of advocates, did you know that National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day in the United States was created by two moms? They felt it was vital to increase awareness of cerebral palsy, and to improve quality of care and research across the lifespan. Go, moms!               

Way to Go, Ann!

3/5/2021

 
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As you may already know, our Executive Director (Ann Coffey) contributes to statewide disability projects all the time. 
 
What you might not know is that Ann was on the steering committee for a national policy project.
 
The 2021 “Case For Inclusion” was created through a partnership between the national UCP organization, and ANCOR (The American Network of Community Options and Resources).
 
The report details some of the extreme difficulties faced by groups like UCP Oregon, as they dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
The report also lists specific actions that the White House and Congress can take to ensure the sustainability of community-based supports.
 
Way to go, Ann and everyone else who worked on the project!
Visit the "Case for Inclusion" Website

Advocacy Days 2020

2/14/2020

 
UCP Oregon believes that everyone should have a voice.

That's why this year, like every year, we supported lots of UCP customers as they attended the"GO Project Advocacy Days" in Salem.

Our customers advocated for their needs, and met and worked with folks from other Oregon organizations such as 
Oregon Developmental Disabilities Coalition and Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities.

Thank you to everyone who was involved!

Goals for Public Policy

10/17/2019

 
As you're probably aware, UCP Oregon is an affiliate of a national organization, which is called United Cerebral Palsy. That group partnered with several other organizations* to create a "policy guide" about the changes we'd like to see nationwide!

Read it here.

*American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities; American Network of Community Options and Resources; Autism Society of America; National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities; and The Arc).


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UCP Oregon
305 NE 102nd Avenue, Suite 100
Portland, OR 97220

​Phone: 503-777-4166
​Fax: 503-771-8048
Email Us
Photo from Jason McHuff
  • HOME
    • Mission & History
    • UCP'S Leadership >
      • UCP'S Directors
      • UCP'S Board
    • Annual Reports
    • Contact Us
    • Board Portal >
      • Board Meetings
      • Board Committees >
        • Development Committee
        • Executive Commitee
        • Family Support Task Force
        • Finance and Investment Committee
        • Human Resources Committee
        • Recruitment Committee
      • Board Members
      • Strategic Planning
      • Bill Porter
      • Other
  • SERVICES
    • Brokerage >
      • Brokerage Services
    • Supported Employment >
      • For Job-Seekers
      • For Employers
      • Be "Ability Aware"
    • Supported Living
    • Children's Services
    • Family Support
    • Bill Porter Memorial Fund: For Applicants >
      • Share Your BPMF Story
  • CAREERS
    • Why You'll Love UCP
    • Careers FAQ
  • NEWS
  • EVENTS
    • Family Support Workshops
    • OMSI Play Labs
    • Coffee Dates
    • Family Support Group
    • Skate & Roll
    • Walk, Roll 'n' Run
  • WAYS TO GIVE
    • Donate
    • Bill Porter Memorial Fund: For Donors
    • Raise Money While Shopping
    • Planned Giving
    • Corporate Partnership
    • Other Ways to Help
    • Give Parents a Break
  • This is Our Voice
    • Share Your Story
    • Be a Legislative Advocate
    • Formal Complaint
  • Share Your UCP Story
  • Join UCP Oregon's Board