A summer program directory is produced and distributed annually. In addition to Direction Service's in-house resources, the organization maintains a close working relationship with the University of Oregon and benefits from collegial relationships with faculty and access to the library and other campus resources. The Direction Service Counseling Center had its origins in research begun in 1985 at the Oregon Research Institute and aimed at providing support for families who have children with disabilities. Researchers found that families of children with disabilities experience greater stress, disruption and depression than families of non-disabled children and needed a variety of support services including counseling. The Counseling Center uses a variety of strategies including behavioral, family systems and problem-solving approaches and works with children who have a variety of special needs including emotional and behavioral disorders, developmental and physical disabilities, prenatal drug exposure, ADHD, chronic illness and other disabilities.
Services are community based and family centered.