Disability Rights Oregon

10/12/2026

Ready to vote? The deadline to register in Oregon is TOMORROW, October 13.

In November, Oregon voters will elect leaders who make decisions that affect people with disabilities: a U.S. senator, six members of Congress, the governor, the labor commissioner, 15 state senators, 60 state representatives, and hundreds of local officeholders.

People with disabilities have the same right as everyone else to cast a private and independent ballot. But people with disabilities vote at lower rates than other people.

Make sure you’re registered, and check in with friends and family who might not be.

10/10/2026

If you have the Oregon Health Plan (OHP), you may have gotten a letter from the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) about new rules that start in January 2027. OHP is Oregon's Medicaid program.

The letter does not mean you’ve lost your coverage.

For now:
✅ Make sure OHP has your current contact info
✅ Open every letter from OHA
✅ Start saving your medical records

Our FAQ explains who must follow the new rules, how exemptions work, when renewals will happen, and where to get help.

👉 Read the FAQ: droregon.org/ohp-new-rules

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about incoming changes to the Oregon Health Plan, Oregon's Medicaid program. New work or activity rules go into effect on January 1, 2027.

10/10/2026

Presented by Sammy’s Place & Oregon COAAST Network
​October Emergency Awareness events all month
Register for emergency go bag program here: https://tinyurl.com/5eetta8c
Questions? Contact [email protected]

10/09/2026

10/08/2026

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. 💜

According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, people with disabilities are twice as likely as people without disabilities to experience crime. They also face major barriers to equal access to the criminal justice system and support services.

If you're a survivor of crime with a disability, you have a right to justice. You have a right to be treated with dignity and respect, to fair treatment throughout the criminal justice process, and to reasonable protection from the offender.

Disability Rights Oregon's Crime Survivor Know Your Rights guides can help you understand those rights, including:

📍 Reporting crime to police
📍 Privacy and the right to be present
📍 Restitution and crime victims' compensation
📍 Accommodations to access courts
📍 Crime survivor rights in plain language

Read the guides at droregon.org/crime-survivor >

10/07/2026

🚖♿ Good news for Eugene! A new Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Pilot launched Oct. 1.

Anyone who uses a wheelchair or power chair can now book an accessible taxi, any time of day, for rides within Eugene's urban growth boundary and to and from the Eugene Airport. Riders pay a standard fare, and the City subsidizes it. Taxis can fit up to two wheelchair users, service dogs, and up to three other passengers.

📞 Book by calling 541-345-1234 or using the Direct Medical Transport app.

The pilot runs through September 2027, and rider feedback will help the City decide whether to continue it, so if you use the service, share your experience.

Read more:

A new Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Pilot program begins Oct. 1 to ensure people who use wheelchairs can get transportation any time, filling a longstanding need i

10/05/2026

🗳️ Your vote is your voice — make sure it counts!

The November 3 General Election is one month away. Are you ready?

People with disabilities have the same right as every other American to register, vote, and have their opinion heard.

Are you registered? Do you need assistance or accommodations? We've got you covered.

👉 Check out our voting resources: https://www.droregon.org/voting-resources

Let's make sure every opinion in our community is counted this November!

Learn how Oregon voters with disabilities can register, vote, get support, and access accessible polling places. Your rights, explained by Disability Rights Oregon

10/03/2026

Is your child starting kindergarten in Fall 2027? 🎒

Disability Rights Oregon's Kindergarten Inclusion & Transition (KIT) program is a free, 8-session virtual learning series for families of children with disabilities entering kindergarten in Fall 2027. Through presentations, group discussions, and planning exercises, you will gain the knowledge, confidence, and tools to support your child's transition to school and beyond.

📅 Sessions run on Tuesdays, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm — from November 17 through April 20
👨‍👩‍👧 Space is limited to one parent or caregiver per family
⏰ Register by November 12

Every child has a right to an education. Details and registration: droregon.org/kit >

Kindergarten Inclusion & Transition (KIT) is an 8-session, virtual learning series for families of children with disabilities who will be eligible for kindergarten in Fall of 2027.

09/30/2026

We're proud to have represented Tina Argetsinger in her landmark disability rights case against Regal Cinemas.

In 1998, Tina and her mother were turned away from equal seating at a new movie theater — wheelchair users were relegated to the concrete floor right beneath the screen. That experience launched a five-year legal battle that went to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court, ultimately forcing Regal to redesign over 1,000 auditoriums nationwide.

Tina recently shared the full story of that fight, from the first news interview to the courtroom to returning to that same theater decades later. It's a story about persistence, and about what it really takes to make "equal access" a reality rather than just a phrase in a law.

👉 Read her story here:

In 1998, a brand-new multiplex banished wheelchair users to the front row. Here is the five-year fight that forced an entire industry to redesign.