The mission of the CDDC is to advocate in collaboration with and on behalf of people with developmental disabilities for the establishment and implementation of public policy which will further their independence, productivity and integration.

“Learning From Each Other – Things We Share”  

"Aprendiendo uno del otro: cosas que compartimos"

Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council

The Developmental Disabilities Council of Colorado is sponsoring a conference on Cultural Competence and Responsiveness.  The conference will be October 3 & 4, 2008 at the Radisson Hotel, 3333 Quebec Street, Denver.

For more information, please check the CDDC web site, www.coddc.org or call us at 720-941-0176.

October 3–4, 2008, 3 y 4 de octubre de 2008

Day 1, Día 1:  9:00–5:00 Conferencia, Conference
               6:00–8:00 Banquet, Banquete

Day 2, Día 2: 9:00–3:00 Conference, Conferencia

Check Upcoming Events for information on conferences and events in Colorado and around the nation.

The Council meets every other month, and the meetings are open to the public. Please join us! Click here for a schedule of upcoming Council meetings.

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The Summer 2008 Newsletter, "Between the Lines," is available now online.  Just click here.

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The Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council is seeking applications for membership on the Council 

The Council seeks applications throughout the year from interested citizens of Colorado.  Appointments by the Governor are generally made effective July 1 of any year, but can be made at any time during the year when a Council member resigns their position.

Click here for the application form for Governor appointment to the Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council, and  for additional  information about Council membership. 

About the Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council:

The Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council is a 24-member body appointed by the Governor to advise the Governor and General Assembly on matters affecting persons with developmental disabilities under the federal definition.  United States Public Law No. 106-402 (the Developmental Disabilities Act) mandated creation of a Council on Developmental Disabilities in each state and in all U.S. possessions and territories.  The CDDC was established in 1977. The Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council functions independently, advocating for the development and implementation of public policy to further the independence, self-determination and community inclusion of Coloradoans with developmental disabilities.

Areas of Emphasis and Goals and Objectives for 
Five-Year Plan 2007-2011 
Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council

Employment 

Goal 1: Support and sustain successful community inclusion and employment of people with developmental disabilities. 

Objective 1: Participate in and support a network of agencies providing education, training, employment and other supports to employers, community members and people with disabilities. 

Objective 2: Support the cultivation of natural supports within employment settings that foster job retention, skill achievement/enhancement and employee success. 

Objective 3: Promote and increase the active participation of people with developmental disabilities in designing the approach and implementation of employment strategies. 

Goal 2: Promote community-supported employment

Objective 1: Reestablish a policy through legislative advocacy that sheltered workshops will not receive any new funding.

Objective 2: Establish a policy that no person transitioning from education to work would be transitioned into sheltered work.

Formal and Informal Community Supports

(Individuals have access to other services available or offered in a community, including formal and informal community supports that affect their quality of life.) 

Goal 1: Support communities and community organizations to increase their capacity to create new options and strategies to meaningfully include people with developmental disabilities and their family members.

Objective 1: :  Promote and support person-centered approaches in planning with people with developmental disabilities, including children and family members, regarding individuals transitioning into adult life, employment, post-secondary education, home ownership, transportation and recreation.

Objective 2: Inform the legislature and other policymakers of the benefits of implementing policies that promote the inclusion and participation of people with developmental disabilities in all aspects of community life.  

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Health

Goal 1: Engage in and support systems advocacy and legislation on health issues.

    Objective 1: :  Engage and support systems advocacy and legislation for targeted health care such as the reduction and elimination of the wait list, universal access for healthcare (208 commission activities,) and person-centered planning such as the implementation of House Bill 05-1243.  

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Council member, Dr. Irene Aguilar, co-chaired the Vulnerable Populations Task Force of the 208 Commission. Her presentation to the House Health and Human Services Committee from March 2008 is available by clicking here.

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Quality Assurance 

(People have the information, skills, opportunities, and support to live free of abuse, neglect, financial and sexual exploitation, and violation of their human and legal rights and the inappropriate use of restraints or seclusion. Quality assurance systems contribute to and protect self-determination, independence, productivity, and integration and inclusion in all facets of community life.) 

Goal 1: Promote and support the development of leadership and self-advocacy capacity among people with developmental disabilities and their family members.

Objective 1: Support leadership training by people with disabilities and their family members for other people with developmental disabilities and family members who may become leaders in Colorado. 

Objective 2: Support policy-making groups to actively include people with developmental disabilities and family members in decision-making processes.

Objective 3: Serve as a representative voice of the cultural competence and cultural diversity interests and concerns among Colorado citizens with developmental disabilities.

Objective 4: Support and expand participation of people with developmental disabilities in cross-disability and culturally diverse leadership coalitions.

Objective 5: Establish or strengthen a program for the direct funding of a State self-advocacy organization led by people with developmental disabilities.

Goal 2: The Council and its Committees receive staff and administrative support to effectively implement the Council’s mission and goals.

Objective 1:  Each year of the State Plan, provide input as appropriate representing the philosophies and positions of the Council on public policy issues affecting people with developmental disabilities, and coordinate various activities to provide information to the public.

Objective 2:  Each year of the State Plan, coordinate the Council’s planning processes, develop and evaluate model projects, and provide monitoring to grant projects

Objective 3:  Each year of the State Plan, provide support and coordination for meetings of the Council and Committees, and leadership and administrative coordination to implement Council approved activities.

As part of the Council's implementation of Objective 1 under Quality Assurance the Council directly supports self-advocacy and leadership development through a grant to Watch Our Words (WOW).   WOW is a group of facilitated communication users, their facilitators and friends who meet monthly alternately in Lafayette and in Denver.  WOW offers trainings to any groups interested in learning about facilitated communication.  WOW has also produced two DVDs, one with short documentaries about 5 WOW members, and another that can be used as a training video.  Click here for the documentaries on Michael Hoover, Jaison Hart, Daniel Sutter, Sharisa Kochmeister and Chris Patton. Click here for the training segments "What is FC" and "Learning to be a Facilitator." 

You may call or email the Council to have a set of DVDs mailed to you, at no charge. Please use the "Contact Us" form on this website, or call the Council at (720) 941-0176.  Thanks!

In this booklet the Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council presents its Five-Year Plan for 2007-2011:

Folder and Goals and Objectives

Summary of Grant Projects on the
Implementation of Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council 
Five-Year Plan 2007-2011

Access and Ability located in Weld County, was granted funding for its project, Full Access for All Abilities.  Access and Ability will provide training and advocacy services to students and young adults with developmental disabilities and their family members and to community-based organizations.  The project will be specifically directed toward Spanish speaking students and students with developmental disabilities who need behavioral supports.  Additionally, the project will result in the development of a database that will track and identify barriers to participation by people with developmental disabilities in all aspects of community life.  

Access and Ability's presentation to the Planning and Grants Committee on March 17, 2008 is available by clicking here.

CAPRA, the Colorado Association of Private Resource Agencies, was granted funding to carry out the Good to Great project.  CAPRA will provide Essential Lifestyle Planning trainings to people with developmental disabilities, their family members and related staff, including members of Alliance (a Community Centered Boards Association and associated service agencies) and Wheat Ridge Regional Center with the result being changes in organizational and systemic policies and practices.

Good to Great's presentation to the Council on May 28, 2008 is available by clicking here.

PEAK's presentation to the Council on May 28, 2008 is available by clicking here.