FAMILY AND COMMUNITY TOGETHER

FACT OREGON: MISSION AND HISTORY FACT OREGON PROVIDES FREE, PEER-DELIVERED SERVICES TO FAMILIES, INCLUDING A SUPPORT LINE, TRAININGS, RESOURCES, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ADVOCACY. IN OCTOBER 2025, THE ORGANIZATION UPDATED ITS MISSION AND VISION TO BETTER REFLECT ITS WORK: MISSION: FACT OREGON EMPOWERS FAMILIES, YOUTH, AND COMMUNITIES TO NAVIGATE DISABILITY SYSTEMS, ADVOCATING TOGETHER FOR DISABILITY JUSTICE AND POLICY CHANGE SO THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO THRIVE AT HOME, IN SCHOOL, AND IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)VISION: WE WORK TOWARD A FUTURE IN WHICH COMMUNITIES ARE ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE, AND WHERE THE SELF-DETERMINATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IS ASSURED. FOUNDED IN 2002, FACT OREGON BEGAN BY SERVING THE INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY COMMUNITY IN THE PORTLAND METRO AREA. THE ORGANIZATION QUICKLY BECAME CROSS-DISABILITY AND EXPANDED ITS REACH STATEWIDE. SINCE 2012, FACT OREGON HAS SERVED AS OREGON'S PARENT TRAINING & INFORMATION CENTER UNDER CONTRACTS FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE OREGON DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. STAFF, BOARD MEMBERS, AND VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTE TO NUMEROUS STATEWIDE COMMITTEES AND COALITIONS, INCLUDING THE STATE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON SPECIAL EDUCATION, STATE INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COUNCIL, STATE REHABILITATION COUNCIL, OREGON CONSORTIUM OF FAMILY NETWORKS, OREGON DD COALITION, AND OREGON PARTNERS FOR EDUCATION JUSTICE. THE NEED IN OREGON, APPROXIMATELY 80,000 YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES RECEIVE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES. THEY FACE DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH RATES OF SEGREGATION AND DISCIPLINE, LOW READING AND MATH PROFICIENCY, AND SOME OF THE STATE'S LOWEST GRADUATION RATESFACTORS THAT LIMIT ADULT OPPORTUNITIES. FAMILIES OFTEN STRUGGLE TO UNDERSTAND AND PARTICIPATE IN THE SYSTEMS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC MAGNIFIED THESE CHALLENGES, DISRUPTING WHOLE-LIFE PLANNING, YOUTH SELF-DETERMINATION, AND POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORTS. SINCE THE 2020-21 SCHOOL YEAR, BEHAVIOR-RELATED SUPPORT REQUESTS HAVE REMAINED ELEVATED. FAMILIES URGENTLY NEED EARLY, ACCURATE, AND FAMILY-FRIENDLY INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE TO ENVISION FULL, INCLUSIVE LIVES FOR THEIR CHILDREN, NAVIGATE COMPLEX SYSTEMS, AND ADVOCATE FOR SYSTEMIC CHANGE THAT CREATES ACCESSIBLE, INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES. OUR WORK IN FY24-25, FACT OREGON DELIVERED IMPACTFUL SUPPORT, TRAINING, AND ADVOCACY FOR FAMILIES, EDUCATORS, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS. FEEDBACK DEMONSTRATES STRONG SATISFACTION AND EFFECTIVENESS: SUPPORT LINE: 96-97% OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS REPORTED THE INFORMATION PROVIDED WAS USEFUL, RELEVANT, UNDERSTANDABLE, INCREASED THEIR KNOWLEDGE, AND/OR HELPED THEM IDENTIFY NEXT STEPS. TRAININGS: 95-97% OF PARTICIPANTS SAID SESSIONS WERE HIGH QUALITY, CLEAR, RELEVANT, AND HELPED THEM BETTER SUPPORT THEIR CHILD. PARENT LEADERSHIP (ACTIVATE YOUR ADVOCACY): 100% OF SURVEYED GRADUATES REPORTED CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT IN EDUCATION AND DISABILITY EQUITY WORK. KEY FY24-25 HIGHLIGHTS: PROVIDED 1:1 SUPPORT TO 1,855 UNDUPLICATED FAMILIES AND SCHOOL PROFESSIONALS IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, AND ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES VIA INTERPRETERS, GENERATING 32,322 CONTACTS (AVERAGING 13 PER REQUEST). DELIVERED OVER 100 TRAININGS AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SESSIONS TO 1,019 UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS (TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 2,610). PARTICIPATED IN STATEWIDE POLICY AND ADVISORY GROUPS, INCLUDING THE CHILDREN'S AGENDA STEERING COMMITTEE, OREGON PARTNERS FOR EDUCATION JUSTICE, SACSE, SICC, STATEWIDE CTE ADVISORY COUNCIL, OREGON HEALTHY SCHOOLS ADVISORY GROUP, CADRE DISPUTE RESOLUTION COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE, AND MANY MORE. EXPANDED OUTREACH VIA E-NEWSLETTERS, SOCIAL MEDIA, RESOURCE FAIRS, LISTSERVS, AND THE WEBSITE, RESULTING IN: 77,000 WEBSITE VISITS (15% INCREASE FROM PRIOR YEAR) 61,000 UNIQUE VISITORS (17% INCREASE) 135,000 PAGE VIEWS LAUNCHED NEW RESOURCES, INCLUDING: SELF-PACED TRAININGS: UNDERSTANDING SPECIAL EDUCATION: INTRODUCING THE SIX CORE PRINCIPLES OF IDEA (335 UNIQUE VIEWERS SINCE JAN 1, 2025) OVERVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES SERVICES IN OREGON (141 UNIQUE VIEWERS SINCE APR 1, 2025) GET READY STORYBOOKS TO HELP YOUTH PREPARE FOR EMERGENCIES: EARTHQUAKE, FIRE, FLOOD CONTINUED WORK TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCIES THROUGH UPGRADES TO PROGRAM PLATFORMS AND PROCESSES.