Tuesday, June 11, 2019

CCDC strongly urges Governor Polis to commit to Colorado’s disabled citizens.


Last week the disability community learned that it is the Polis administration's intent to not keep the disability policy focused person after June, and to say we are disappointed is an understatement. We believe strongly in "nothing about us, without us, ever”.  Moreover, there are numerous public policy issues that affect people with disabilities and our families.  These issues intersect most state agencies and deserve a coordinated thoughtful approach.  Caitlin Adams was hired during the last year of the Hickenlooper administration and has helped the state address issues before they erupt into litigation or escalate in the political arena.  Caitlin is currently working on several important initiatives described below.

We have fantastic advocates for disability issues in Lieutenant Governor Primavera and Elisabeth Arenales the Governor's fantastic health policy lead, however disability issues are intertwined through nearly every state agency so having someone dedicated to our issues is critical.

For an administration committed to both equity and data-driven decision making keeping this position should be an easy sell.Our issues are complex, our community is impacted greatly by state agencies, nearly half of state Medicaid spending is on people with disabilities (including seniors with disabilities), we are incarcerated at a higher rate, we are homeless at a higher rate, we are unemployed at a higher rate, and we need someone in the Governor's Office focused on our issues as their sole job.   After the 2018 election several organizations representing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities sent you a letter with several recommendations including an Office of Disability.  We agree that is the direction the Governor's Office needs to move rather than eliminating the sole representative we have focused on our issues now.

Caitlin Adams, the person currently in the position spent time learning our community and our issues when she was hired.  She then worked with the disability community and state agencies to compile a follow-up report to the Community Living Advisory Group report and the Colorado Community Living Plan (the state's Olmstead plan).  This had laid dormant before her intervention.   Caitlin's title of "Community Living Coordinator" undersells the work she does, "State Disability Policy Coordinator" would be more accurate.   She has intervened on numerous occasions where had we not had her help we would have had to go to legislators or agency directors to solve problems, but she helped to resolve the problems at a lower level.  She has facilitated positive, productive meetings with three cabinet members to date with more in the works.  She helped connect us to the new director of Boards and Commissions.   While many other interest groups have paid lobbyists making these meetings happen, our community does not.  We do have many amazing citizen advocates eager to assist but this assistance has to be done respectfully and in a coordinated fashion. She is also in the process of helping create a system so that events held by state actors or on state property do not violate disability rights laws.

Approximately 10% of Colorado residents have a disability.  One in five people experiences disability in their lifetime.  Disability directly affects a quarter of the population (family members, jobs, etc.,) and a significant amount of state resources are spent on disability programs.  We have demonstrated that when our community is involved in policy decisions, public policy outcomes are more effective and cost less.  When we are left out, the state is left open for litigation, excess spending, and poor outcomes.  Someone needs to be in the Governor’s office coordinating all of this work.   The organizations noted are strongly opposed to removing this position.  Likely the list of opposed organizations will grow, we just found out about this and have a short timeline to respond.

Sincerely
Dawn Russell, ADAPT
Candie Burnham, Atlantis Community
Christiano Sosa, Arc of Colorado
Linda Skaflen, Arc of Adams
Darla Stuart, The Arc of Aurora
Gavin Attwood, Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado
Julie Reiskin, Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition
Hope Hyatt Colorado Mental Wellness Network
????? Global Down Syndrome
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PLEASE INDICATE
Martha Mason, SW Center for Independence
Patricia Yeager, Colorado Springs Independence Center
Maria Stepayan Center for People with DIsabilities
Lisa Franklin, Parent to Parent of Colorado
Ian Engle, Northwest Colorado Center for Independence
Joan LaBella Disabled Resource Services
David Henninger, Bayaud Enterprises
Ryan Zeiger/David Bolin CLASP
Emma Hudson, Alliance


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