About Us

Philosophy

Mission Statement

“To support people with disabilities to determine and direct their lives. Since 1997.”

Self-Determination Resources, Inc. (SDRI) is a unique organization. SDRI’s overarching goal is to assist people with developmental disabilities and their families to achieve true choice and control of the supports and resources available to them. This goal is grounded in the concept of self-determination; a concept built on the fundamental belief that if people gain control of their supports and resources, their lives will improve and costs will decrease.

Working towards that aim, SDRI values: Freedom, Personal Authority, Support & Responsibility.

 

Principles of Self-Determination

Self-determination is based on the following principles:

Freedom. The freedom to plan and live the life you choose.

SDRI believes in the ability of individuals with freely chosen family and/or friends to plan a life, with necessary support, rather than purchasing a program.

Authority. The authority to decide what is right for you.

SDRI recognizes the authority of a person with a disability (with a social network, if needed) to control a certain sum of dollars in order to purchase their own supports.

Support. Support in your decision to build the life you want.

SDRI enables the arranging of resources and personnel – both formal and informal – that will assist an individual with a disability to live a life rich in community association and contribution.

Responsibility. Responsibility for the decisions you make about your life.

SDRI encourages the acceptance of a valued role in a person’s community through employment, organizational affiliations, spiritual development, and general caring for others in the community, as well as accountability for spending public dollars in ways that are life enhancing for persons with disabilities.

 

Services

Self-Determination Resources, Inc. is a “full service” brokerage. This means that SDRI can provide many different kinds of support to people with developmental disabilities. SDRI has been providing self-directed supports since 1997.

You can choose what you want and how you want to do it. This is what self-determination means. A Personal Agent from SDRI works for you and acts as a facilitator for your supports. SDRI is in contact with many different kinds of service providers and will help you find the right person or agency.

If you live in Oregon, are over 18 years of age, meet the definition of developmental disability under Oregon law, and are not already receiving comprehensive services from the state, you can qualify for these services. You have to be referred to the program by the county.

 

Full Service Brokerage

SDRI is not designed to be a direct service provider in the traditional sense. Instead, SDRI is a “full service” brokerage organization designed to assist individuals with developmental disabilities achieve the supports they need by providing an array of supports. These supports include:

Brokering services. The linking of people with disabilities or their families with community-based supports they need or desire. These supports may be supplied by existing organizations or professionals capable of providing the needed supports or by SDRI, if appropriate. This function may also include assistance in researching and securing the resources they need to acquire supports. This function will also include assisting people with disabilities to identify and establish a support network of individuals who are willing and able to support that person on an ongoing basis or otherwise serve in a supportive role.

Individual planning and budgeting. All individual planning activities will be based on person centered planning techniques. In addition, SDRI staff will assist people in developing a specific individualized support budget from the resources available to them for the purchase of supports. This individual budget will be used in securing the supports they need or lifestyle they desire.

Fiscal intermediary services. Administrative support services are available to persons with disabilities and their families to help manage the support funds made available to them.

Training and technical assistance. Persons with disabilities or their families may need an array of skills to fully assume control of their supports and achieve their desired lifestyles. Skills such as managing and supervising paid employees, resource management, negotiating skills, assertiveness and decision making are examples. SDRI staff will provide this training on an as-needed basis.

Community education and development. It is recognized that the ongoing education of the general community about persons with disabilities and their families is still needed. Additionally, the natural supports and opportunities that the general community has to offer must be further developed to add traditional resources used by people with disabilities and their families to achieve their support needs. SDRI staff will engage in both of these activities since both of these activities are critical if the concept of self-determination is to be achieved.

 

A Personal Plan

A Personal Agent will work with you to help you get the support you need, through Person-Centered Planning.

A Personal Agent from SDRI works for you and acts as a facilitator for your supports. SDRI is in contact with many different kinds of service providers and will help you find the right person or agency.

    Personal Agents can:

  • Help you determine your goals and create a plan to make them happen
  • Help you create a budget for your plan
  • Help you find people to work for you, who you can interview and hire
  • Help you determine what you need to make your life better

 

Support

Support can come in many forms and can happen in many places. You can receive support at work, in the community and in your home.

    Here are some examples of areas where support can help:

  • Job development, exploration, placement and coaching
  • Skills assessment and training (budgeting, meal planning, personal skills)
  • Attendant Care
  • Overnight Relief Care (by a qualified family member or independent provider)
  • Transportation
  • Changes to make your home more functional and accessible
  • Communication devices
  • Specialized behavioral support
  • Specialized medical equipment

 

Roadmap to Support Services

To get a better idea of what support services and brokerages are all about, please refer to the Roadmap to Support Services.

The roadmap discusses the philosophy of self-determination and of support services, the role of brokerages, the roles of the county and the state, the basics of eligibility, how to enroll in services, what services might be provided to customers enrolling in support services, the basics of support plans, funding, what to expect from providers, how provider rates are set, high school transition services, vocational rehabilitation / employment planning, protective services, grievance policy, and a number of other useful issues.

 

Hours of Operation

SDRI’s normal hours of operation are as follows:

Monday – Friday
9 am – 5 pm

Weekends & Holidays
Closed

Snow Days
Same as Beaverton Public Schools (if Beaverton schools are closed, SDRI is closed. If Beaverton schools start late, SDRI opens late. Individual staff may also occasionally not be in if road conditions in their area are deemed unsafe for travel.)

Please keep in mind that our personal agents are often in and out of the office at meetings, and working with customers on a personal basis. If you are unable to reach the person you are calling for during our normal hours of operation, we ask that you leave a message on the individual’s voice mail, and they will return your call as soon as possible. Or, you may dial 0 to be transferred to the operator for further assistance.

If it is an emergency you may contact our Executive Director at extension 111 and he will assist you, if possible.