Skip to main content

Oregon State Flag An official website of the State of Oregon »

Oregon Department of Human Services Search Site

Individual Support Planning

What is an Individual Support Plan?

An Individual Support Plan is called an "ISP" or "the plan." Everyone has an ISP as a part of their intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) services.

  • An ISP helps each person plan how they want to live a good life.
  • Each person's ISP is different because each person is unique.
 ISP Redesign project Find resources Get involved

ISPs have the following information about a person:

  • What matters most to them.
  • Who is important to them — their relationships and community.
  • Their culture, dreams, goals and interests.
  • How they communicate — their languages.
  • What their good life is and things they want to avoid.
  • What they want to focus on this year.
  • What kinds of help they need to do the things they want.
  • Whose help they want.
  • When and how they want to be helped with different things.
  • How services are paid for — K Plan, waivers or another way.

How does the ISP process work?

Each person and what they want guides the process of making their ISP. Services coordinators and personal agents help a person create and update their ISP. A person can also invite family, friends or supporters to help. Together they discuss the person's life goals, desires and what kinds of help they would like. They use this information to write the person's ISP.

The Oregon Needs Assessment (ONA) is also a part of the process to identify the person's unique support needs. An ONA assessor leads a person through this process. At this time, the ONA is not being redesigned.

Each person has the right to choose:

  • When and where their ISP conversations take place.
  • Who they want to be involved.
  • What they want to talk about.
  • What they don't want to talk about.
  • How decisions will be made.

A new ISP is created at least once each year to:

  • Continue the things that are going well.
  • Change what is not working.
  • Try new things the person wants.

If someone wants, they can change their ISP more than once a year.


Resources

We have various resources available to help you learn about the current ISP and download forms.

You can find forms, examples and recorded ISP trainings on the Oregon ISP website. You can also sign up for live ISP trainings or ask for help. The team at The Arc Oregon is contracted to support people with questions about planning. They can also consult with you or your team to help find solutions to ISP-related questions.

Sometimes it helps to connect with someone who has been through their own ISP or has helped create an ISP with someone they love. Oregon's Family Networks, self-advocate organizations or the DD Council can help to understand your ISP and your options.


ISP Redesign: Help us make a better ISP

ODDS wants to hear from you!

We are improving the ISP to make your planning process easier and better. We want to hear from everyone, especially from people who receive I/DD services in Oregon. We also want to hear from families, providers, case managers and anyone else who helps in planning. Everyone who helps with planning has an important role.

Project overview

The goal of this ISP Redesign project is to create a better ISP from start to finish, based on what people tell us they need.

  • This means that we will have a new planning process that is flexible, trauma-informed and customizable to each person and their family. The process is about the steps to build a plan, who's included and how and where planning meetings happen.
  • We will create new ISP forms and helpful tools that are simple and accessible. People will be able to use these digitally or on paper.

  • We will have trainings and other ways for people to learn and about the new ISP and all of their support options. We want people to know about their roles, rights and responsibilities when it comes to planning.

  • People will have the option to use technology to make planning more accessible. It will also help case managers spend more time with people, and less time on paperwork.

Project timeline

Timeline graphic coming soon

Get involved


Review draft materials

ISP Process infographic

ISP Redesign infographic


Join our public ISP Redesign meetings

We need more input from our communities to make this project successful.

We're starting a series of meetings about the project. These meetings are public. We'll cover different topics related to the ISP Redesign project at each meeting.

If you come, you'll learn more about the project, who's involved and what steps are coming. We'll go over some materials. You'll have several options to share your input with our team. Your feedback will help us make the ISP work better for you.

Our next ISP Redesign feedback session is on Jan. 15, 2025 from noon to 1:30 p.m. It will be an ODDS Update and Open House held on Zoom.

During this meeting, we'll talk about how the project is going. We'll share drafts of the proposed ISP process. We're not yet finished and want more your input. The agenda for January's meeting will be posted soon.

To attend, join online by Zoom. You can also call 669-254-5252 on your phone. When asked, enter 161 252 6246.

We'll post the schedule for future meetings here shortly.