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.

There are only TWO Forums left to attend!

Look for the Regional Forum coming to a Colorado community  near you!

The Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council (CDDC) and The Legal Center for People with Disabilities and Older People proudly announce a series of regional forums, featuring presentations by fellow Colorado citizens concerning cutting-edge ideas for people with disabilities and their family members being active and contributing members of their communities. We need to hear from you! Let the Council and The Legal Center know some of the important issues and concerns for people with disabilities and their family members in our region of Colorado.

Forums will be held in:

Alamosa
Denver metro area
Fort Collins
Glenwood Springs
Greeley
Lamar

Check this site for upcoming dates.

The Glenwood Springs forum was held on June 16, 2010.

The Denver metro area forum was held on August 14, 2010 

The Lamar forum was held on August 16, 2010 

The Fort Collins forum was held on August 30, 2010 

The Alamosa forum is confirmed for TODAY, August 31, 2010 
4:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Alamosa Senior Citizens' Center
92 Colorado Avenue 
Alamosa, CO 81101

Contact: Mary Russell
719-580-4029
mrussellco@msn.com 

The forum will begin with presentations and information from the Council and The Legal Center, with a focus on cultural responsiveness and implementing best practices in including people with developmental disabilities as active members in the life of their community.  After the presentations we will be sharing dinner together (food is provided at no cost). After dinner there will be focus groups, led by the Council and The Legal Center, so that we may learn what some of the important issues and concerns for people with disabilities and their family members in the region around Alamosa. 

The Greeley area forum is confirmed for September 9, 2010 
3:00 PM to 8:00 PM
City of Evans Community Complex
1100 37th Street 
 Evans, CO 80620

Contact: Menda Warne 
970-545-1344
access-ability@prodigy.net 

The forum will begin with presentations and information from the Council and The Legal Center, with some highlights from projects that the Council has funded over the last five years.  Before dinner there will be a presentation by Access and Ability, one of the Council's current grantees.  After the presentations we will be sharing dinner together (food is provided at no cost). After dinner there will be focus groups, led by the Council and The Legal Center, so that we may learn what some of the important issues and concerns for people with disabilities and their family members in the region around Greeley. 

This is dedicated to all those involved in changing human service systems to work better for people that rely on them for support.
Adapted by Michael Steinbruck from The Paradoxical Commandments by Kent M. Keith and Do it Anyway by Mother Theresa.

2010 Dan B. Davidson Excellence in Inclusion Awards
July 28, 2010

The Dan B. Davidson Award for Excellence in Inclusion honors Dan Davidson, whose very life defined inclusion.  Dan defied the odds, set aside the advice of others, and followed his dream to live independently in the community.  

In honor and recognition of Dan’s spirit, the Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council recognizes exemplary practices of inclusion that support people with disabilities to become fully participating members of their community.  

Awards were given to individuals, agencies or organizations that have demonstrated visionary practices— providing exemplary service and supports — for people with disabilities that lead to inclusion as active and valued members of their communities.  With these awards, the Council recognizes outstanding examples of inclusion in the following categories:

• Community Life  
• Education

Awardees were recognized at the Council’s annual celebration on July 28, 2010. Awardees were honored for their efforts with a $500 honorarium.

Excellence in Inclusion in Community  

The Dan B. Davidson Awards are an annual event to recognize both individuals and agencies that have gone beyond the usual, provided ethical leadership, and have participated in cutting edge experiences.  Sadly, the practices are typically based on the person, and tend to fade when the person leaves.  However, for the time individuals are present, they have had great impact on an individual or a practice or policy.  The following individuals and agencies fit the above criteria.

Barb Yeager

Jeanie Benfield nominated Barb Yeager, who is the Executive Director of Community Residential and Respite because the actions Barb took changed Jeanie’s life.  Jeanie indicates that low expectations were the norm most of her life (how could anyone learn to read when they could not turn the pages of a book?), participation in a day program was demeaning, as were many of the low paid direct care staff.  After starting to receive services from Community Residential and Respite, Jeanie’s life changed in that her request to volunteer was taken seriously, retaliation does not take place, and there are no behavioral issues that require punishment.  Additionally Jeanie has an office set up with a laptop, FAX, printer, file cabinet, and speakerphone.  Not bad for someone who was not allowed to be taught to read. 

Origins Martial Arts

Was nominated by Dr. Katherine Koehler-Hak for not being special, but being inclusive.  The studio serves all kids, some of who have labels of one kind or another; however, the expectations for the children are the same for all children.  All children, those with and without disabilities are honored for their strengths and held to high expectations.  This attitude embodies the essence of inclusion.  It is not about trying to make kids fit in; it is about treating them with dignity because they already do fit in. 

Jan Bach

Was nominated by Tom Patton for a long litany of service during her lifetime as a community organizer and activist.  Jas was a Thornton City Councilwoman and prior to that service, she worked for Community Resource Center around homeless issues, as well as poverty issues representing those living in mobile home communities, testified at the Capitol, and encouraged many others to participate in the democratic process.  Jan worked against the notion that one has to be a professional advocate, and strongly believe that anyone has the right to stand up and provide a voice against injustice. 

 Excellence in Inclusion in Education

Sylvia and Jim Panzer

Were nominated by Jim Panzer and Ian Watlington respectively.  Sylvia has been an educator for over 35 years and has recently forged a program and community support in her building for all students that has become a way of doing business at her school as well has her personal philosophy.  Her students experience a rich education and welcoming environment as well as provided accommodations when necessary.  Jim is known as one of the more progressive voices in Jefferson County Schools of late specifically with students of transition age.  Jim has often been the voice for students at risk of dropping out and has worked at reforms at Warren Tech, a vocational program.  Jim is a bright light among the fog that can sometimes permeate the atmosphere and is able to move from inertia to inspiring action in those around him. 

Advocacy Denver

Was nominated by Jennie Venable and Julie Reiskin for their commitment to inclusion and civil rights via both individual advocacy as well as legislative activities.  Advocates on staff are relentless and move above and beyond what is typically required, with no one getting rich doing the difficult work of an advocate.  

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The Spring 2010 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.  Applications may be submitted directly via this link:
http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&cid=1177024890343&pagename=GovRitter%2FGOVRLayout

 

 WORDS CAN HURT...OR WORDS CAN WELCOME: RESPECTFUL LANGUAGE MAKES A DIFFERENCE

Click here for a bookmark from the New York State Parent-to-Parent organization

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. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/add/ddact/DDACT2.html  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.

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.

Looking Ahead:
Grant Projects and Activities
Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council 
2010  

Council Grants and In-House Projects:

Cultural Competence & Responsiveness Conference

           The first annual conference was held in October 2008, and the second conference was held on October 9-10, 2009 in Aurora.  The conferences included a two-day conference and a follow-up one-day workshop to be held after the conference.  At both conferences participants contributed to the planning of the agenda for the follow-up workshop in a session based on person-centered models. 

The Council offered a unique model by combining the conference with a follow-up workshop, based on the assumption that a follow-up workshop is more effective than the more typical training provided by a one-time conference. The workshops encourage participants to frame the content of the workshop, implement some of the ideas they learned at the conference, and engage in an interactive discussion of concepts, obstacles and opportunities. 

Dan B. Davidson Annual Awards for Excellence in Inclusion, July 28, 2010

            These awards recognize outstanding examples of inclusion of people with disabilities, and honor Dan Davidson, who died in 1996 at the age of forty-one. Defying the odds, Davidson had followed his dream of living independently in the community. To celebrate his spirit and memory, the Developmental Disabilities Council recognizes individuals and organizations that have demonstrated visionary practices—providing exemplary supports—for persons with disabilities leading to meaningful lives in their neighborhoods and communities.

El Grupo Vida Leadership Development and Empowerment Project

            Conducted by El Grupo Vida, the project is guided by four goals: 1) Conduct training sessions in Spanish that will provide an overview of the service system and written materials in Spanish, 2) teach Spanish-speaking families about the empowering tools of Future Plans and Personal Networks, 3) Support a group of family members and people with developmental disabilities to pursue their own plans for leadership development, and 4) Provide computer training to family members so that they may better access information needed to support their children with developmental disabilities and their own community leadership efforts.

Enhanced Person-Centered Planning Initiative Project

            PEAK Parent Center just concluded the second year of the Enhanced Colorado Person-Centered Planning Initiative Project to build upon and expand existing person-centered planning efforts in Colorado.  During the third year the project will continue to offer person-centered planning to young adults with developmental disabilities, ages 21 to 30, to address the need for best-practices in life planning for young adults, and to build upon and expand existing person-centered planning efforts in Colorado.  The project will include young adults with developmental disabilities who represent the broad range of ethnic, cultural and geographic diversity in Colorado. All materials and training will again be offered in English and in Spanish. The project will produce outcomes in the following areas:

1)      Person-centered planning facilitation services, with a focus on Aurora for a Live-Building training series;

2)      Leadership and self-advocacy development offered through a five-session course entitled “Taking Charge!”

3)      Follow-up and support for person-centered planning circles/networks,

4)      Training in the facilitation of the person-centered planning processes in order to increase the number of facilitators statewide,

5)      Marketing of project activities for the purposes of recruitment for the Life building and Taking Charge courses, and the increase in the number of person-centered planning networks statewide, and

6)      Forming a statewide coalition of person-centered planning initiatives.

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

Full Access for All Abilities

Conducted by Access and Ability in Weld County, the project will continue during its third and final year the collaborative advocacy and training effort between Access and Ability and the Arc of Weld County targeted to young adults with developmental disabilities and their families. The project will continue to provide materials and training in Spanish and in English to deliver a Mobilizing Families training series. The project will initiate and support a Youth Leadership Team and continue work with regional entities that provide services and supports in order to craft a cooperative agreement to address issues of concern to people with developmental disabilities and their families.  Additionally, the project has created a “Real Work” Working Group and will continue to work with local and regional partners to develop a policy that no transitioning youth will be referred to a sheltered workshop for employment training. A significant goal of this Working Group is to identify barriers to real work and post-secondary education for young adults with developmental disabilities. Finally, the project will continue with the development of a replicable database to track and identify barriers to community inclusion for people with disabilities and their family members, and to monitor the effectiveness of project training and advocacy activities.

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


Project SEARCH in Colorado

        Conducted by Employment Link, the project will replicate the essential components of Project SEARCH, which are: 

1) Lead coordinating agency that has an emphasis on business and familiarity with human resources in medium to large companies, as well as having experience with job development, coaching and follow-along for people with disabilities who have jobs in non-congregate settings; 

2) Business partner (e.g. hospital, bank, or university) that provides one classroom for 15 students and internships; 

3) Local agency partners. For example, Vocational Rehabilitation or a Center for Independent Living employs the internship support/job coaches; the school district employs the classroom teacher and recruits students; 

4) Technical Assistance from Project SEARCH consultants and the Project SEARCH curriculum; 

5) Students with disabilities and family members who are project participants shall have the opportunity to act in an advisory capacity with other project partners.

Watch Our Words

CO Watch Our Words (WOW) is an in-house project of the Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council. WOW addresses the Council’s objective to support leadership training by people with disabilities and their family members for other people with disabilities and family members who may become leaders in Colorado by continuing to conduct trainings in facilitated communication. WOW members are people with disabilities, their family members and other citizens whose mission is to train other people with disabilities, family members and interested citizens to use facilitated communication as a means to advocate for themselves and to increase the visibility and active presence of people with disabilities in many arenas.  WOW’s trainings have been designed and conducted by WOW members who are users of facilitated communication, with assistance from family members and others who are facilitators for FC users. WOW has modeled and encouraged leadership and participation by people with disabilities in a variety of ways, from initiating and participating in person-centered planning meetings to taking leadership positions in community organizations.

The 8-minute video of a group discussion at the 2008 Conference sponsored by the Institute on Inclusion and Communication provides valuable and entertaining background information: 

 http://soe.syr.edu/centers_institutes/institute_communication_inclusion/default.aspx

The Council has supported the development of this self-advocacy group of facilitated communication users through a grant that includes payment to a coordinator.  While her role is crucial to the ongoing work of WOW, it is the WOW members who are FC users who play the key leadership roles.  What is significant about WOW as a self-advocacy organization is that the FC users themselves lead the monthly meetings.  They have determined the agenda for each meeting, and have initiated the practice of cross-training facilitators who attend WOW meetings so that they learn to facilitate with different FC users. The FC users developed the training curricula and agendas for the in-home and large-group FC trainings.   WOW is following best practices, in common with others who train large groups, in that the FC users of WOW are the most important presenters at the large-group trainings.

Council Activities: 

The Council publishes a quarterly newsletter that is posted on its website and sent to the 3800-member mailing list. Minutes from Council and committee meetings are posted on the Council’s website, as well as pertinent articles and links to informative websites and publications. The website is presented in three formats; English, Spanish and accessible to screen readers. 

Please see the list of Council committees, read notes on committee meeting activities, and consider attending any committee meeting you may be interested in.

            The Council’s Legislative and Public Policy Committee meets weekly at the Capitol during the legislative session, January through May.  The Council’s legislative analyst for the 2010 legislative session, Sheryle Hutter, follows bills that the Committee determines relevant to the Council’s Five-Year Plan.

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

Please contact the Council to have a booklet mailed to you