State guide
Oregon
Programs, dollars, and people that serve autism families in Oregon. Federal protections always apply on top of what you see here.
Oregon overview
Oregon DHS Developmental Disabilities Services administers Oregon's K Plan (Medicaid HCBS waiver). Oregon uses a Support Services Brokerage model for self-directed services — a relatively unique structure that gives families more control. Contact your county DD program or brokerage to begin enrollment. FACT Oregon is the state's PTI center and one of the most well-resourced family advocacy organizations in the Pacific Northwest. The Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Institute on Development and Disability is Oregon's major clinical and research resource for autism evaluation and treatment.
Verify program names, URLs, and eligibility on official .gov sites — these change.
⏰ Act now — Medicaid waiver waitlist
K Plan (Community First Choice) and ODDS waivers
Typical wait: No waitlist for K Plan in-home services
Call 971-673-3000 or submit a referral form to ODDS. In-home services under the K Plan go to every child who meets the eligibility standard — there is no queue to join.
Oregon delivers most in-home support through the 1915(k) K Plan rather than a waiver, which is why there is no waiting list for it.
Statewide resources
These four programs exist in every state and are the fastest entry points for most families.
Parent Training & Information (PTI)
FACT Oregon(503) 581-8156
Federally funded — free help with IEPs, evaluations, and special ed rights.
Early Intervention (Birth to 3)
Oregon Early Intervention (ODE)(503) 947-5600
Part C IDEA services for children under 3. Apply immediately after diagnosis.
Medicaid / HCBS Waiver
Oregon K Plan / HCBS Waiver (ODDS)State waiver program for home and community-based services. Apply the day of diagnosis.
State Autism Organization
Oregon Autism CoalitionState-level autism advocacy, family support, and community connection.
Insurance Coverage
Whether private insurance must cover autism treatment in Oregon.
Oregon requires insurance to cover autism treatment
ORS 743A.190
- Ages:
- Children under 18 with a pervasive developmental disorder, which Oregon defines to include autism spectrum disorder, developmental delay and developmental disability.
- Limits:
- No dollar cap in the statute. Be aware of the trade-off, though: Oregon expressly permits plans to impose treatment limitations on the number of visits or the duration of treatment, which several states forbid. A plan can be compliant here and still cap your hours.
Self-funded employer plans (ERISA) are typically exempt — ask your HR department which type of plan you have.
How to use it, and how to appeal a denial →Medicaid Waiver
Home and community-based services (HCBS) for autism families in Oregon.
K Plan (Community First Choice) and ODDS waivers
Oregon Department of Human Services, Office of Developmental Disabilities Services (ODDS), through local Community Developmental Disabilities Programs (CDDPs)
Oregonians with an intellectual or developmental disability, including autism, who meet the state's eligibility standard.
How autism qualifies
Autism qualifies as a developmental disability. Oregon has no autism-specific program and does not need one, because the general route is not rationed the way most states' are.
What it can pay for
- In-home support services
- Attendant care
- Respite
- Behaviour supports
- Employment services
- Community living supports
- Assistive devices and home modifications
How the waiting list is ordered
Oregon is structurally different from most states and it is worth understanding why. Rather than funnelling in-home support through a capped waiver, Oregon uses the 1915(k) Community First Choice option — the K Plan — which is a state plan benefit rather than a waiver. That distinction is the whole story: state plan benefits are not capped at a fixed number of slots, so in-home services go to every child who meets the eligibility standard, with no waiting list. Oregon's reported waiting lists are for other things and are strikingly small on the developmental disability side. Residential and some specialized supports can still involve waits. So the practical advice inverts here as it does in Wisconsin: do not rush to apply years early in order to bank a place, because there is no place to bank. Focus on establishing eligibility, and ask specifically whether what you need falls under the K Plan or under a waiver, because only the second has a queue.
How to apply
Call ODDS on 971-673-3000 or submit a referral form through the ODDS website, then work with your local Community Developmental Disabilities Program. Ask directly which services come through the K Plan and which through a waiver.
Verified August 2026 against 3 official sources.
Medicaid Managed Care
How Medicaid pays for ABA therapy in Oregon.
Oregon Health Plan (OHP)
ABA covered: All ages (ages 1–12: intensive or less-intensive ABA; 13 and older: targeted ABA for problem behaviors only)Find or choose your plan
OHP Client Services (choose or change your CCO)
Plans in this state
- Advanced Health
- AllCare CCO
- Cascade Health Alliance
- Columbia Pacific Coordinated Care Organization
Your coordinated care organization (CCO) depends on where you live, and the state's CCO Plans page lets you filter by county and ZIP code. OHP covers ABA for autism with a diagnosis and a prescription from a doctor who can diagnose and treat autism. The ABA provider must get OHP approval for the treatment plan, then again every six months. Under Oregon's Prioritized List, intensive ABA is for ages 1–12; from 13 on, only targeted ABA for problem behaviors is covered.
⚠️ Prior authorization is required before starting ABA services.
Checked against 5 official sources, September 2026. Plans change when states rebid contracts, so confirm with the state.
Oregon guides
Deeper guides where the facts are genuinely specific to Oregon.
Financial help for autism in Oregon
SSI, Medicaid, the waiver and what insurers must cover — and which to apply for first.
Autism evaluation in Oregon
The two free routes, the deadlines they run against, and verified diagnostic providers.
ABA therapy in Oregon
Verified providers, what the state mandate covers, and the questions to ask.
Oregon insurance mandate
The statute, the caps, and how to complain when a plan ignores it.
Money & benefits
Education
- Oregon DOE — Special Education
- Oregon FACT — Families and Communities Together
- Disability Rights Oregon
Therapy & care
- Oregon Early Intervention (Part C EI)
- OHSU Institute on Development & Disability
- Autism Society of Oregon