UMATILLA COUNTY — There was a chasm between jobseekers and employers in the developmental disabilities field in Oregon.

A new website, ImpactOregon.careers, is looking to help bridge that gap.

“The developmental disabilities field has never had a centralized place where people can learn about careers and find opportunities,” said Lilia Teninty, director of the state’s Office of Developmental Disabilities Services.

The website is a project of Teninty’s Office of Developmental Disabilities Services and focuses on jobs available from independent provider agencies that provide direct support to more than 30,000 Oregonians with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Nationally, and in Oregon, there is a critical shortage of direct support professionals to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. According to the 2020 Case for Inclusion Report, there is a 9% vacancy rate nationally, with a 43% turnover rate of direct support professionals. By 2026, the industry will need almost 50% more DSPs than are needed today.

“There’s a national staffing shortage, particularly in the area of direct support professionals, which are the folks that provide direct care to people with developmental disabilities, and this is a national issue, not unique to Oregon, but it continues to be an issue in Oregon as well,” said Angela Yeager, communications officer for the state’s Office of Developmental Disabilities Services. “And so there was just a lot of areas that we thought that there could be an opportunity to have a centralized location on a job board to promote jobs in the developmental disabilities field.”

Job seekers around the state will find hundreds of available jobs, ranging from direct care to administrative and managerial positions. In addition to the job postings, the website also has a career profiles section, which highlights the way this field has room for growth and opportunity.

“We heard from some of our larger providers there, they could be spending thousands of years just on (human resources), just on trying to advertise their positions to get these positions filled,” Yeager said. “We had the thought, some of these smaller providers, they’re not going to have those kind of resources. And so, that also fills the need for those folks as well.”

Providers have struggled with a worker shortage, particularly in the area of direct support professionals who provide essential care and supports to Oregonians with developmental disabilities.

Horizon Project serves more than 150 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Umatilla County and employs more than 200 people, providing supports and services to assist with community integration and independence. Chief Executive Officer Dr. Terri Silvis said the agency is always recruiting for direct support professionals and has an average position vacancy rate that hovers between 8% and 10%.

“Many potential employees simply don’t know that organizations like Horizon Project exist nor that we provide on-the-job training and professional development,” she said. “Impact Oregon helps educate and inform people about professional development opportunities in their communities, which helps further stabilize our workforce.”

Since Horizon Project’s services are so ingrained in the community, that makes it less “visible” than other employers, Silvis said. She hopes the new website makes it easier to get Horizon Project’s name out to potential employees.

“As a nonprofit service provider, our focus is first and foremost on the people we support. We don’t have a marketing department specializing in public relations or recruitment, and it’s often difficult to get our name out there,” she said. “My hope is that this new jobs website will not only educate potential employees about the professional opportunities available at Horizon Project, but that it will also inform the general public about the importance of our mission and work in the community.”