This bill requires that youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are 18 years of age and older who are currently being served through child welfare services be transitioned to the adult home- and community-based services program, and requires that a plan be developed for the ongoing transition of such youth when they turn 18 years of age.
Topic(s): Connecting Activities, Systems Coordination
This bill expands the state's business enterprise program to allow people who are blind to operate additional types of businesses on state property, beyond vending facilitates. In addition, it directs the Department of Labor and Employment to convene a working group to examine avenues to expand job and business opportunities, as well as corresponding trainings, for people who are blind.
This bill establishes the Colorado Deafblind Citizens Council, which will advise various government entities on how to increase competitive integrated employment, enlarge economic opportunities, enhance independence and self-sufficiency and improve services for people who are deafblind.
This bill creates peer-run recovery support services organizations, which will help expand peer support services for people with behavioral health needs throughout the state (including services related to employment) and expand the behavioral health workforce.
This bill establishes the Employment First Advisory Partnership, a multi-agency entity tasked with developing a strategic plan to expand competitive integrated employment outcomes for people with disabilities, including by identifying training and knowledge gaps among agency staff, agency vendors and individuals with disabilities and their families that may create obstacles to advancing competitive integrated employment. It further establishes that the Department of Labor and Employment is responsible for promoting youth transitions that focus on public-private collaboration and employer engagement that emphasizes free-market solutions.
This bill creates a technical demonstration forum to study solutions to improve transportation access for people with disabilities, including so they can access work. Members of the forum include representatives from the State Rehabilitation Council.
Topic(s): Connecting Activities, Systems Coordination
This bill requires all vendors of supported employment services to obtain a nationally recognized supported employment training certificate or certification. The bill further requires the Executive Director of the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to facilitate Employment First policies by reporting various datapoints for individuals eligible for supported employment services.
This bill creates and appropriates funding for Parents Encouraging Parents conferences to help parents of children with disabilities advocate for their child's education and life plans.
Topic(s): Family Engagement
This bill eliminates subminimum wage employment by providing supports to ensure successful transitions for individuals with disabilities currently working in subminimum wage jobs.
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
This program enables individuals with disabilities, service providers and others to learn about, access, and acquire assistive technology needed for education, employment, and community living. Services include device demonstrations, reutilization, loans, and financing.
Operating Entity: University of Colorado Denver
Entity Type: College / University
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
The Calabrese Life Opportunities Fund provides funds for individuals with disabilities to obtain technological devices and training on the use of such devices.
Operating Entity: The Arc of Colorado
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
This program enables eligible individuals with disabilities to save money in a tax-exempt account that may be used for qualified disability expenses while keeping their eligibility for federally-funded, means-tested public benefits. Eligible expenses include education, employment training and support, and assistive technology.
Operating Entity: Colorado Department of Higher Education, CollegeInvest
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
Colorado Workforce Centers serve job seekers, including individuals with disabilities, through career counseling, training, and computer and internet access. Colorado Workforce Centers cater to individuals with disabilities by maintaining a "No Wrong Door" policy and an integrated system so that if a client needs additional services and assistance, the workforce center can provide accurate and timely information.
Operating Entity: Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
CTP provides communications resources and tools, such as amplified and captioned phones, smartphones and tablets, as well as ring signalers and neck loops or head sets and specialized equipment at no charge to qualified deaf, hard of hearing and deafblind. The program is designed to give people access to the community at large.
Operating Entity: Colorado Department of Human Services
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
This program assists individuals with disabilities to acquire income, health insurance, and other basic needs to stabilize their lives, health and living situations. It includes Comprehensive Work Incentives & Benefits Counseling and Disability Webinar Trainings.
Operating Entity: Easterseals Colorado
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
Employment Works provides job placement services to adults and youth with disabilities through referrals from the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Ticket to Work and in collaboration with community service providers. Services include assistance with job search and job placement, help developing job-seeking skills, and post-employment support.
Operating Entity: Ability Connection Colorado
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
IPS is a program that helps people with mental illness and/or substance use disorders find and keep jobs. It is offered in collaboration between the Department of Human Services Office of Behavioral Health and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, as well as at mental health centers throughout the state.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
This program supports Parent Training and Information Centers and Community Parent Resource Centers in 11 western states plus two territories. Services include one-to-one consultations, trainings and webinars, peer-to-peer mentoring, site visits, non-profit management tools, and more.
Operating Entity: PEAK Parent Center
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Partners in Leadership Advocacy is a program to help parents and individuals with developmental disabilities develop as leaders in making positive, long-lasting change for themselves and their communities. Individuals with disabilities learn about self-advocacy and families learn about advocating for their child's educational and future service needs.
Operating Entity: Sewall Child Development Center
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Topic(s): Family Engagement, Youth Development & Leadership
Pre-ETS assist students with disabilities in identifying career interests and developing skills to be successful in the workplace. This includes five required activities: job exploration counseling, work-based learning experiences, workplace readiness training, counseling on comprehensive transition or postsecondary educational programs, and instruction in self-advocacy.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
Project SEARCH is a one-year transition-to-work program for students with significant disabilities that includes classroom instruction, career exploration, and internship rotations. It is a collaboration between local businesses, state agencies, local school systems, and other entities, and is offered at several locations.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
RAMP is a career-focused mentoring program for youth with disabilities who are currently involved with or are at risk of becoming involved with the juvenile justice system. RAMP supports successful life transitions to employment, continued learning opportunities, and independent living through a variety of mentoring approaches.
Operating Entity: Ability Connection Colorado
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
This program provides an opportunity for individuals with disabilities and their families to meet with staff about concerns and participation in higher education, training, employment, or independent living.
Operating Entity: Colorado Department of Education, Office of Special Education
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
This program helps youth with disabilities and their parents plan for transition to college or the workforce, gain skills in self-advocacy, and access services after leaving school. Services are provided through Transition Advisors, interactive workshops, and webinars.
Operating Entity: PEAK Parent Center
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
This program works with youth in transitioning from high school to post-secondary life, which includes college or employment. The program provides the necessary resources and life skills to gain independence.
Operating Entity: Atlantis Community Inc.
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
This program help out-of-school and in-school youth with one or more barriers to employment (including having a disability) prepare for and secure employment and postsecondary education opportunities. Services include tutoring; work experiences; occupational skills training; leadership development opportunities; and postsecondary education and training preparation activities.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
This program encourages and empowers individuals ages 5-30 living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) through education and employment in the skilled trades industry. Services are provided through a variety of introductory workshops and hands-on educational programs.
Operating Entity: Teaching the Autism Community Trades (TACT)
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
This program helps young people with disabilities transition from living at home to living independently, including through instruction in life skills and vocational skills. Topics include budgeting money, goal setting, stress management, time management, and more.
Operating Entity: Center for Independence
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Colorado created a document that provides comprehensive information on distance learning for students with Autism and relevant resources and activities. These resources include resources produced by private non-profits for students with Autism, activities for students with autism who struggle with distance learning, and resources for teachers who teach students with autism.
Operating Entity: Colorado Department of Education
Topic(s): Assistive Technology, Distance Learning
This program is designed to support individuals and communities impacted by the challenges of COVID-19. The program provides free, anonymous crisis counseling to promote recovery, resilience and empowerment for survivors and those affected by the pandemic.
Operating Entity: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Topic(s): Mental Health
This program provides at least three free behavioral health sessions for Colorado youth ages 18 or younger; or 21 or younger if receiving special education services. It was established by Colorado House Bill 21-1258 to provide access to mental health and substance use disorder services for youth, including addressing needs that may have resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Operating Entity: Colorado Behavioral Health Administration
Topic(s): Mental Health
The Colorado Department of Education developed a web page contains a curated collection of resources intended to guide educators and families through the challenges presented by the delivery of remote learning for Colorado children with disabilities. This includes assistive technology, mental health, accessibility, transition, telehealth, and much more.
Operating Entity: Colorado Department of Education
This podcast episode features pediatric experts discussing post-acute-COVID in children, including symptoms, prevalence and treatment.
Operating Entity: Children's Hospital Colorado
Topic(s): Long-COVID
Colorado created a document that provides information pertaining to resources and services that help students with disabilities transition to independent living and employment. It focuses on assisting families and students with disabilities in the employment transition process, listing virtual resources for career and employment placement, adjusted living arrangements, and family involvement.
Operating Entity: Colorado Department of Education
Topic(s): Distance Learning, Family Engagement, Independent Living, Transition
The Colorado Department of Education developed a web page which provides access to resources for families and caregivers of children with disabilities, as they support their children during the COVID-19 pandemic including topics such as distance learning, mental health, and IEP provision.
Operating Entity: Colorado Department of Education
Topic(s): Distance Learning, IEP, Mental Health
Colorado provides a general FAQ document including information pertaining to IEPs and distance learning for students with disabilities. Specifically, it provides guidelines under which students with IEPs may qualify for compensatory education services, guidelines for creating contingency learning plans for students with IEPs based on ongoing COVID-19-related developments, virtual means by which IEP teams may conduct IEP meetings, and policy for teachers attempting to monitor the progress of students with disabilities.
Operating Entity: California Department of Education
Topic(s): Distance Learning, IEP
The Colorado Department of Education developed a web page that shares guidance provided by Federal and State agencies, pertaining to the continued provision of Special Education services to Colorado children with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic including distance learning, IEP, and telehealth services..
Operating Entity: Colorado Department of Education
Topic(s): Distance Learning, IEP, Telehealth
This webpage provides information and resources on how educators can attend to student and staff well-being during the pandemic.
Operating Entity: Colorado Department of Education
Topic(s): Mental Health