Resources for Living

The Salem Convention and Visitors Association’s website has a listing of events in and around Salem each month. Go to: www.travelsalem.com/events.html

    Check out the Oregon Employment Department's website to learn more about living wage jobs in your community: www.oregon.gov/EMPLOY
    You can use the "Occupation Explorer" tool to search for high-wage, high demand positions, to see what kind of training you need, and to see who's hiring. Visit Occupation Explorer here: www.qualityinfo.org/olmisj/OCX

    IDAs are a useful tool for low income individuals interested in purchasing, repairing or modifying a home, saving for school or training, or purchasing equipment or technology in support of an employment plan.

    Participants select an asset goal, attend financial education classes and save to achieve their savings goal.

    For more information, visit the Neighborhood Partnership Fund’s website at http://ida.tnpf.org

NEDCO is a private, non-profit Community Development Corporation that has a history of helping neighborhoods and families build assets through homeownership, neighborhood revitalization, and business development. Visit NEDCO's website at www.nedcocdc.org

Options for Insurance

1. Private insurance through an employer or higher education institution. Insurance coverage should be an important consideration in choosing an employer.

2. Private or military-sponsored insurance as a dependent

• If a person is dependent on parents and under the age of 24, they are usually eligible for insurance under their parents’ coverage.
• If a person is over age 24 and disabled, many plans have a provision for continuing insurance. Review your plan to see if this applies to you. Documentation from a psychiatrist will be required.

3. Oregon Family Health Insurance Assistance Program (FHIAP). This program provides a subsidy based on income for uninsured adults to obtain insurance coverage. If you have been without insurance for six months or longer, FHIAP can pay up to 95% of the premium for you to get insurance. FHIAP will pay for employer-sponsored coverage if this is available; if you don’t have employer-sponsored coverage available, FHIAP has a list of private insurance plans which they will help pay for. People who are coming off of the Oregon Health Plan are eligible immediately without waiting six months. For more information, go to: http://egov.oregon.gov/IPGB/FHIAP/ , or call 1-888-564-9669.

4. Oregon Medical Insurance Pool (OMIP). OMIP offers coverage for people who have been turned down for insurance due to a medical condition or who have lost their eligibility for health insurance after leaving an employer (you must apply within 63 days of losing health insurance to be eligible). For more information, see http://egov.oregon.gov/DCBS/OMIP/apply_omip.shtml.

5. Oregon Health Plan or “OHP” (See http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/healthplan/ or call 1-800-359-9517).

• Oregon Health Plan Standard. This program provides health insurance to people based on income. However, the number of people covered is limited due to legislative budget cuts. Call to check on whether it is possible to apply.
• Oregon Health Plan Plus.
  This program provides coverage for people who:
  • Are receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for a disability and have no other insurance.
  • Qualify under “Presumptive Disability” (formerly General Assistance; the financial benefit of General Assistance was eliminated by the legislature, but the insurance benefit remains). This category is for people who have applied for SSI and are waiting for their application to be processed by the Social Security Administration (SSA). Once you have submitted an application to SSA, call your local Senior and Disabled Services Office (http://www.dhs.state.or.us/spwpd/offices.htm ) and ask to apply for “Presumptive Disability” or “General Assistance”.
  • Qualify under the “Employed Persons with Disabilities” (EPD) program: People who meet the federal definition of disability but who are now working and earning a minimum level of income are eligible for EPD, which provides OHP Plus. For more information go to http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/spwpd/empserv.shtml#epd. The application process goes through Senior and Disabled Services Division (http://www.dhs.state.or.us/spwpd/offices.htm ).
  • Qualify under another category such as foster child or Child Health (applications directly to OHP; if you call OHP, they can help you sort out whether you qualify).