FROM THE DESK OF ANN COFFEY,
UCP OREGON'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:

Hold Steady

Dear UCP Oregon Community,



As we begin a new week, I want to take a moment to share an update about what’s unfolding in Portland and across the country, and to provide a few key resources.

Portland is one of many cities experiencing the chaos that results when systems are dismantled without consideration, tact, or care. The degree of anger, confusion, hurt, and mistrust is growing every day as potential solutions have yet to present themselves. Governmental systems that are ever-weakening have a negative impact, no matter the intention.

Here's a link from the Oregonian that sums up their perspective of what happened in Portland over the weekend.

On a national level, the federal government has shut down. UCP National has spoken out about how service disruptions disproportionately harm individuals with disabilities. You can read their statement here.

We are monitoring developments and adapting through:

• Advocacy at the national level through UCP National.
• Collaboration with disability and nonprofit networks at the local, state, and national levels: amplifying advocacy, sharing resources, and tracking emerging issues.
• Directly communicating with the people and families we support: anticipating needs and connecting folks quickly with trusted information.

Below, I'll be sharing two additional fast-moving updates that are especially relevant to the UCP Oregon community.

As the information continues to flow, please work with your teams to discover how best to meet customers’ needs, while continuing to support one another as colleagues. You may be called upon to share, discover, and create tools to move us through this mess together.

Most importantly, know that UCP Oregon is committed to staying steady in our values: safety, solidarity, and dignity for people with disabilities and their families and communities.

Stay safe. Stand strong in your values.

In solidarity,

Ann Coffey,

Executive Director, UCP Oregon

Autism: Federal Announcements

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently made public remarks about autism that repeated long-debunked claims — including linking autism to vaccines, Tylenol use during pregnancy, and unproven treatments.

Secretary Kennedy also referred to autism as an “epidemic,” language that stigmatizes autistic people and undermines decades of progress toward inclusion.

As an organization, UCP Oregon stands firmly with the disability community and with evidence-based supports. Vaccines do not cause autism. Families deserve sound science, accurate information, and meaningful services — not fear, stigma, or misinformation.

Here are some trusted resources responding to these announcements and reinforcing scientific integrity:

• Joint Statement from Leading Autism Organizations: The Autistic Self Advocacy Network, Autism Society of America, Autism Speaks, The Arc of the United States, the Autistic Women & Non-Binary Network, and the Autistic People of Color Fund jointly rejected the remarks and called for decision-making based on sound science and compassion.

• Autism Society of America: Statement on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Comments: The statement critiques the framing of autism as an “epidemic” and cautions against unrealistic promises of “eliminating exposures.”

• Autism Science Foundation: Response to Tylenol/Acetaminophen Claims: The statement notes that existing studies on acetaminophen and autism are limited and inconsistent, and cautions against drawing broad conclusions or reducing autism to a single cause.

• The DREDF statement: This statement by the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund describes the remarks as misinformed and harmful to the disability community.

SNAP: Federal Announcements

You may have also been hearing about big changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) has confirmed that these federally mandated changes will affect more than 300,000 Oregonians over the next year.

Groups that may be impacted include:

• Older adults and people with disabilities.
• Certain lawfully present immigrants (such as refugees, asylum recipients, and trafficking survivors).
• Adults ages 18–64 without children under age 14 (“ABAWDs”).
• Households that previously received the Heating and Cooling Utility Allowance.

Timeline:



• ODHS will begin mailing notices on October 15th, 2025.
• The first changes will take effect starting November 1st, 2025.
• Additional adjustments will continue to roll out statewide through 2026.

ODHS has emphasized that these changes are federally required. As Dana Hittle, ODHS Federal Response Team Co-Leader, explained:

“Oregon has no choice but to follow federal law that will result in increased hardship across our communities, but we remain committed to helping families adjust and prepare.”

You can read ODHS’s full announcement here.