June 1, 2019
Joe
Barela
Executive
Director
Colorado
Department of Labor and Employment
633
17th Street Suite 1200
Denver,
CO 80202
Director
Barela:
We are
writing as organizations that are gravely concerned with the process of how the
new DVR director was chosen following the resignation of Steve Anton. We represent a diverse collection of
disability rights organizations that work closely and represent people that
should be able to benefit from DVR services.
Our concern is not necessarily with your pick for the new DVR head, but
with the lack of involvement by those most directly affected in the process.
As a
disability community we have worked hard over the past few decades to be strong
partners with government agencies. We
are used to participating in these decisions and always prioritize these needs
of state agency partners and send our most experienced advocates to participate
in these high-stakes interviews. As you
are well aware, there are too few people with significant disabilities that are
connected to our community in state government, especially at high levels. The reason for this lack is a web of
discriminatory policies and historical oppression that we hope to work with you
to change. One way to mitigate this deep
exclusion has been to invite us in to help make these important decisions. When there are appropriate numbers of people
with known disabilities at all levels of state government this may not be as
urgent as the representation will be there in a natural way. Until then, we expect this kind of inclusion.
We
understand that you are new to your position, and that the lack of a
comprehensive disability policy and cabinet level office contributes to cabinet
members not getting the resources you needed to understand why this is such a
big deal to our community. We
understand that you thought you were doing the right thing for DVR. We have respected members of our community
that feel that your choice can be workable and that she has good operational
and management experience. It was
acknowledged at our meeting that she needs and is going to get training on
vocational rehabilitation. She also
needs to get training on disability cultural competency. Because people we trust think this can work,
and because you are new, we are going to let this go assuming we can get a
written commitment as follows:
1) All
senior staff hiring positions involving DVR going forward will have someone (maybe
more than one person) from the disability community on the external hiring
team. If there is no external team,
then we will be brought in as part of the internal team. We understand that confidentiality will be
required.
2) The
CLDE and DVR director will prioritize supporting and listening to the State
Rehab Council and the State Independent Living Council along with all of the
disability-led contractors such as Centers for Independent Living and the
Colorado Center for the Blind. This
includes but is not limited to strong advocacy with Boards and Commissions to
assure appropriate appointees and reduced vacancies. You also agree to come to leading disability
organizations for suggestions for vacancies.
These councils will have appropriate logistical and clerical
support. In the recent past the SRC was
left to an unemployed member who did not have the resources to effectively
manage and get agendas and minutes out, reducing the effectiveness of the
committee. Those tasks should not be
left to volunteers but should be the responsibility of paid CDLE staff.
3) CDLE
will support the disability community in advocating for a coordinated statewide
disability policy presence in the Governor’s office. In the near term this means continuing the
position of Caitlin Adams and to work over the interim and 2020 session on a
more permanent plan.
4) Quarterly
phone meetings will resume with Director Barela, Ms. Koresh, and other leaders
of CDLE to update us on policy issues regarding DVR, WOIA, and to get any input
needed on any disability issue facing CDLE.
In closing,
we hope you will use our community moving forward. We can be effective partners and would like
to use our energy to partner with you to address the egregious lack of
meaningful employment amongst people with all types of disabilities. If you reach any disability-led
organization, we will reach out to our peers to make sure the best people are
at any particular meeting.
Please let
us know if you agree to these requests please Julie Reiskin by June 20th,
2019.
Thank you
·
Ashlee Lewis, The Initiative
Brenda Mosby,
·
Candie Burnham, Atlantis Community
·
Dan Burke, National Federation of the Blind of
Colorado
·
David Bolin, AOI Homecare Dawn Russell, ADAPT
·
Ian Engle, Northwest Colorado Center for
Independence
·
Joan LaBelle, Disabled Resource Services Julie
Reiskin, CCDC
·
Martha Mason, Southwest Center for
Independence Mark Simon,
·
Patricia Yeager, Colorado Springs Independence
Center
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