Frequently Asked Questions

What is Community Pathways, Inc.?

Community Pathways, Inc., commonly referred to as Community Pathways or CPI, is a support services brokerage contracted by the State of Oregon to deliver case management services to adults who experience developmental disabilities and live in their own home or family home in the community. We serve 475 individuals living in Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties. Our team of personal agents (PA's) assists the individuals on their respective caseloads to access, plan, and monitor the direct support providers and services they need and want to live self-determined lives in the community.

What is a Brokerage?

A brokerage is a case management entity (CME), and a nonprofit organization, contracted by the State of Oregon to provide case management services (or "brokerage services") to adults who experience a developmental and/or intellectual disability and live in their own home or family home. Learn more about brokerages.

What sets Community Pathways apart from other brokerages?

Contracted by the State of Oregon, each support services brokerage provides the same services. What sets Community Pathways apart from other brokerages are the people who make up our team—supervisors, personal agents, and administrative staff members. Several key members of our staff, including our executive director, have been with Community Pathways since it began in 2008. That’s a lot of shared knowledge and experience! We pride ourselves on knowledgeable resource sharing and delivering high quality, person-centered support services to the individuals we serve.

What services are available to customers of Community Pathways?

As a support services brokerage contracted by the State of Oregon, Community Pathways delivers the same types of services to individuals as all other brokerages in Oregon. The services an individual receives are based on their assessed needs, Medicaid funding, and the goals they are working towards. See a list of brokerage services.

How do I become a customer of Community Pathways?

First, you must be eligible for and enrolled in Developmental Disability (DD) services through your local County Developmental Disability Program (CDDP). The CDDP is responsible for determining eligibility for DD services, including brokerage services.

You are eligible for brokerage services if you are a resident of Oregon, aged 18 years or older, have a documented developmental disability, and live on your own or in your family home. Learn more about eligibility.

Learn more about the brokerage process.

What is a Personal Agent? What is their role in services?

A personal agent (PA) is an employee of a support services brokerage who acts as a service coordinator and case manager. Their primary role is to get to know the individuals on their caseloads and assist them with accessing, planning, and monitoring the direct support services they need and want. A PA may help provide guidance and advocacy to individuals by attending various meetings (such as IEP, VR, and SSA meetings) with them.

Important note: A PA is neither a direct support provider to an individual nor the employer of an individual's direct support providers. Learn more about the role of a personal agent.

What types of providers deliver direct supports?

There are three main types of (paid) direct support providers an individual can enroll to support them in their activities of daily living:

Independent Providers (PSW's and IC's)*
Certified Provider Organizations*
General Businesses

*A service provider is any agency or individual paid for by Medicaid dollars to provide Title XIX services to individuals with developmental disabilities. Providers are employed by individuals (customers of brokerage support services) or their employer of record. Providers are not employed by support services brokerages, such as Community Pathways. We help you connect with each other.

Learn more about types of providers.

How do I find providers to deliver direct support to me?

First, talk with a personal agent (PA) who will help you connect with qualified providers. The Oregon Home Care Commission has a PSW Registry and Referral System to help individuals and families find and connect with providers. Visit the PSW Registry and Referral System.

We encourage you to conduct a thorough interview process with any provider you would like to enroll as direct support. Your PA can assist you with learning more about this process.

How do I become a direct support provider?

Providers can be agencies or individuals. All providers are licensed or qualified through the Department of Human Services (DHS). Community Pathways assists with this process as a part of our contracted role with Oregon DHS. Learn more about PSW enrollment.

To schedule a meeting, contact our provider specialist at (503) 935-5243 ext. 245

How do I update my Personal Support Work credentials?

Visit our PSW credentials page to learn more about how and when to update the credentials to be a Personal Support Worker (PSW) to individuals.

The Criminal History Check (CHC) and Provider Enrollment Application and Agreement (PEAA) expire every two and five years, respectively. The State of Oregon requires that renewal paperwork for both credentials are submitted 70 days before their expiration dates.

Where can I find PSW billing information?

Visit our PSW billing page to find a billing calendar and instructions on how to submit time sheets.

Contact eXPRS and PPL for technical support.

If you didn’t find the answer to your question, contact us. We’d love to hear from you!