2025 Legislative Session
By: Kristina Ericson The 2025 legislative session was a period of growth, successful advocacy, and community building for the Developmental Disabilities Council. We celebrated major wins for the disability community, worked with a growing number of legislators from across the State, and poured our time and effort into advocating for change for Coloradans, both here […]
Statement on HHS Budget Leak
April 18, 2025 Plain language summary: A federal budget proposal was shared in the news during the planning process. The first round of proposed federal budget cuts includes Councils and many other important programs. These are not final decisions. There is still a lot of work that must happen and Congress must approve any budget […]
Overcoming Fears: A Parent’s Journey to Embrace Supported Decision-Making
By Marcella Schieffelin As parents, we strive to nurture, guide, and protect our children, especially those with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD). When considering their future, the Supported Decision-Making (SDM) concept can feel daunting. Unlike legal guardianship, which transfers decision-making authority to another person, SDM empowers individuals with I/DD to make their own choices with […]
One Year, and Also Post-Election Thoughts
On November 6th, I woke up to two things: the election results and my one year anniversary as Executive Director of the Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council. When I think about the last year, I think about the immense trust and support I have received from Council members, staff, community partners and advocates across the state […]
Heartland Disability Employment & Innovation Symposium
On October 1, 2024, The Harkin Institute, Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities, CareSource, and the National Down Syndrome Society hosted a symposium in Topeka, Kansas to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Over 25 speakers from around the U.S. addressed more than 70 attendees who came to hear about local and national efforts in employment […]