Why North Star Oregon

An honest, sourced comparison to other Oregon I/DD support agencies

How we compare — and why it matters

Choosing a disability support agency for someone you love is one of the most consequential decisions a family makes. The differences between providers are real, but they aren’t always visible from a website. This page lays them out plainly.

Figures about other agencies come from each agency’s own public materials or salary aggregators (Indeed, Glassdoor). We don’t cite hearsay, we don’t guess at numbers, and we update this page when public information changes.

North Star Oregon vs. Other Oregon I/DD Agencies

Dimension	North Star Oregon	Rever Grand	DSP Connections	Community Access Services	Premier Community Supports	Enable Oregon	Empowered Services	Encompass Person Centered
DSP starting wage	$25–$26/hr	$24–$26/hr	~$22.20/hr	Posted range: $21.50–$24.50/hr, depending on location and role Source: Current CAS job postings	$23–$26/hr	$30/hr	$22–$25/hr	Starting at $23/hr Source: Encompass hiring post (checked Sept 2026)
Overtime policy	Available to all employees	Allowed	Overtime available	Not publicly disclosed	Overtime allowed with pre-approval	Does not allow overtime	Pre-approved overtime	Not publicly disclosed
Maximum realistic earnings (with OT)	$140K–$145K/yr achievable. No annual cap.	OT available — earnings depend on approval	OT available — earnings depend on hours	Not publicly disclosed	OT requires pre-approval — earnings vary	Capped at ~$62K — no OT permitted	OT requires pre-approval — earnings vary	Not publicly disclosed
401(k) employer match	Up to 3.5% of comp	401(k) with match (% not disclosed)	401(k) offered	403(b) with 3% company contribution after qualifying period Source: Current CAS job posting	Up to 4% match after 90 days	401(k) offered (match % not disclosed)	Match offered (details not public)	Not publicly disclosed
Health insurance	Medical, dental, vision for FT employees, eligible after 30 days. NSO pays 50% of employee premium.	Medical/dental/vision for FT after 6 months	Health, dental, vision offered	Medical, dental, and vision; employer-paid shares disclosed in current posting Source: Current CAS job posting	No-cost health for 26+ hrs/pay-period; D/V FT after 6 mo (50% paid)	Health and dental offered (vision not mentioned)	Medical, dental, vision offered	Not publicly disclosed
DSA program (Day Support Activities)	6 Willamette Valley community hubs + new Grants Pass/Medford site, trip-based, Mon–Fri	No DSA program	Community outings, not a structured DSA hub	Offers DSA; public site does not list hub count or schedule Source: CAS services	Outings-style (southern OR)	No DSA — in-home only	Not specified	Outings-style, single site
Organization size & staffing model	Small, founder-led team with cross-trained staff. Clients work with the same handful of people — not passed between departments or coordinators.	Large agency — ~100 administrative/support staff visible on company site	Mid-size; multiple Salem-area offices and a separate training center	Private nonprofit offering residential, community living, employment, and DSA services across multiple Oregon communities Source: CAS about and services	Large agency operating across Oregon	Tech-enabled marketplace — families self-direct caregiver selection	Not publicly disclosed	Small, single-site team
Relief / respite care	Offered	Not offered per public materials	Not publicly disclosed	Not publicly disclosed	Not publicly disclosed	Not publicly disclosed	Not publicly disclosed	Not publicly disclosed
Paid time off (PTO)	Accrued PTO that rolls over year-to-year	PTO offered; rollover not disclosed	~40 hrs/yr; rollover not disclosed	PTO, sick leave, and personal days; accrual and rollover not disclosed Source: Current CAS job posting	~40 hrs/yr; cash-out after 1 yr; rollover not disclosed	Not publicly disclosed	Not publicly disclosed	Not publicly disclosed
Paid holidays	Paid holidays that roll over year-to-year	Not publicly disclosed	Not publicly disclosed	Paid holidays offered; count and rollover not disclosed Source: Current CAS job posting	Not publicly disclosed	Not publicly disclosed	Not publicly disclosed	Not publicly disclosed
Annual paid staff training	24 paid hours/year	Compensated training; hours not disclosed	Hours not disclosed; in-house training center	Paid training and certifications; annual hours not disclosed Source: Current CAS job posting	Paid training; hours not disclosed	State-required training; hours not disclosed	24 paid hours/year	24 hours/year required (paid status not stated)

Scroll horizontally to see all columns.

DSP starting wage

North Star Oregon: $25–$26/hr
Rever Grand: $24–$26/hr
DSP Connections: ~$22.20/hr
Community Access Services: Posted range: $21.50–$24.50/hr, depending on location and role
Source: Current CAS job postings
Premier Community Supports: $23–$26/hr
Enable Oregon: $30/hr
Empowered Services: $22–$25/hr
Encompass Person Centered: Starting at $23/hr
Source: Encompass hiring post (checked Sept 2026)

Overtime policy

North Star Oregon: Available to all employees
Rever Grand: Allowed
DSP Connections: Overtime available
Community Access Services: Not publicly disclosed
Premier Community Supports: Overtime allowed with pre-approval
Enable Oregon: Does not allow overtime
Empowered Services: Pre-approved overtime
Encompass Person Centered: Not publicly disclosed

Maximum realistic earnings (with OT)

North Star Oregon: $140K–$145K/yr achievable. No annual cap.
Rever Grand: OT available — earnings depend on approval
DSP Connections: OT available — earnings depend on hours
Community Access Services: Not publicly disclosed
Premier Community Supports: OT requires pre-approval — earnings vary
Enable Oregon: Capped at ~$62K — no OT permitted
Empowered Services: OT requires pre-approval — earnings vary
Encompass Person Centered: Not publicly disclosed

401(k) employer match

North Star Oregon: Up to 3.5% of comp
Rever Grand: 401(k) with match (% not disclosed)
DSP Connections: 401(k) offered
Community Access Services: 403(b) with 3% company contribution after qualifying period
Source: Current CAS job posting
Premier Community Supports: Up to 4% match after 90 days
Enable Oregon: 401(k) offered (match % not disclosed)
Empowered Services: Match offered (details not public)
Encompass Person Centered: Not publicly disclosed

Health insurance

North Star Oregon: Medical, dental, vision for FT employees, eligible after 30 days. NSO pays 50% of employee premium.
Rever Grand: Medical/dental/vision for FT after 6 months
DSP Connections: Health, dental, vision offered
Community Access Services: Medical, dental, and vision; employer-paid shares disclosed in current posting
Source: Current CAS job posting
Premier Community Supports: No-cost health for 26+ hrs/pay-period; D/V FT after 6 mo (50% paid)
Enable Oregon: Health and dental offered (vision not mentioned)
Empowered Services: Medical, dental, vision offered
Encompass Person Centered: Not publicly disclosed

DSA program (Day Support Activities)

North Star Oregon: 6 Willamette Valley community hubs + new Grants Pass/Medford site, trip-based, Mon–Fri
Rever Grand: No DSA program
DSP Connections: Community outings, not a structured DSA hub
Community Access Services: Offers DSA; public site does not list hub count or schedule
Source: CAS services
Premier Community Supports: Outings-style (southern OR)
Enable Oregon: No DSA — in-home only
Empowered Services: Not specified
Encompass Person Centered: Outings-style, single site

Organization size & staffing model

North Star Oregon: Small, founder-led team with cross-trained staff. Clients work with the same handful of people — not passed between departments or coordinators.
Rever Grand: Large agency — ~100 administrative/support staff visible on company site
DSP Connections: Mid-size; multiple Salem-area offices and a separate training center
Community Access Services: Private nonprofit offering residential, community living, employment, and DSA services across multiple Oregon communities
Source: CAS about and services
Premier Community Supports: Large agency operating across Oregon
Enable Oregon: Tech-enabled marketplace — families self-direct caregiver selection
Empowered Services: Not publicly disclosed
Encompass Person Centered: Small, single-site team

Relief / respite care

North Star Oregon: Offered
Rever Grand: Not offered per public materials
DSP Connections: Not publicly disclosed
Community Access Services: Not publicly disclosed
Premier Community Supports: Not publicly disclosed
Enable Oregon: Not publicly disclosed
Empowered Services: Not publicly disclosed
Encompass Person Centered: Not publicly disclosed

Paid time off (PTO)

North Star Oregon: Accrued PTO that rolls over year-to-year
Rever Grand: PTO offered; rollover not disclosed
DSP Connections: ~40 hrs/yr; rollover not disclosed
Community Access Services: PTO, sick leave, and personal days; accrual and rollover not disclosed
Source: Current CAS job posting
Premier Community Supports: ~40 hrs/yr; cash-out after 1 yr; rollover not disclosed
Enable Oregon: Not publicly disclosed
Empowered Services: Not publicly disclosed
Encompass Person Centered: Not publicly disclosed

Paid holidays

North Star Oregon: Paid holidays that roll over year-to-year
Rever Grand: Not publicly disclosed
DSP Connections: Not publicly disclosed
Community Access Services: Paid holidays offered; count and rollover not disclosed
Source: Current CAS job posting
Premier Community Supports: Not publicly disclosed
Enable Oregon: Not publicly disclosed
Empowered Services: Not publicly disclosed
Encompass Person Centered: Not publicly disclosed

Annual paid staff training

North Star Oregon: 24 paid hours/year
Rever Grand: Compensated training; hours not disclosed
DSP Connections: Hours not disclosed; in-house training center
Community Access Services: Paid training and certifications; annual hours not disclosed
Source: Current CAS job posting
Premier Community Supports: Paid training; hours not disclosed
Enable Oregon: State-required training; hours not disclosed
Empowered Services: 24 paid hours/year
Encompass Person Centered: 24 hours/year required (paid status not stated)

Last updated September 2026. Figures drawn from each agency’s public materials and salary aggregators (Indeed, Glassdoor). We update this page when published information changes.

What stands out

Day Support Activities is the sharpest difference

North Star Oregon runs structured Day Support Activities (DSA) from six Willamette Valley community hubs — Albany, Corvallis, Eugene, Springfield, Salem, and Tangent — Monday through Friday, with a seventh hub now serving Grants Pass and the broader Rogue Valley. Of the agencies above, no one else operates DSA at this scale. Rever Grand and Enable don’t run DSA. Community Access Services offers DSA, though its public materials do not list a comparable multi-hub schedule. Encompass, Premier, and DSP Connections offer outings-style activities, but not multi-hub structured programs.

Wages: a competitive market with a clear top

Enable Oregon leads the market on flat hourly cash at $30/hr, but it caps DSP earnings there because it does not allow overtime. North Star Oregon sits at $25–$26/hr, with Rever Grand, Premier, and Empowered close behind. Current Community Access Services postings range from $21.50–$24.50/hr depending on location and role. The base rate isn’t the full picture, though. North Star’s overtime is available to all employees, which changes the math substantially — in particular for parent caregivers hired as W-2 employees to support their own adult child. A parent working 17 hours a day, five days a week, at $25–$26/hr base, earns 40 regular hours plus 45 overtime hours at 1.5×. That comes out to roughly $140,000–$145,000 a year— higher than any flat-hourly comparison in this market. North Star’s 401(k) match goes up to 3.5% of compensation, which holds up against the rest of the field where most agencies don’t publicly disclose plan structure beyond “match offered.”

How it feels to be a client

We’re a small, founder-led team. Our leaders are cross-trained and stay close to every client. That means when you call, you reach someone who knows you and your loved one — not a queue, not a department transfer, not a different coordinator each time. Larger agencies (Rever Grand publishes roughly 100 administrative staff) tend to specialize roles, which can create handoffs between hiring, scheduling, billing, and care coordination. Both models have legitimate trade-offs — we think families with complex needs are better served by continuity.

Have questions about how we work?

We’re happy to talk through any of these comparisons in detail, share more about our model, or help you evaluate whether North Star is the right fit for your family. You can also meet our team.