|
Join The Arc of Aurora Members, Family, and Friends at
|
|
Saturday, July 30, 2016 - 2:30PM-7PM
Summerfest FUNdraiser at Pitcher's Sports Restaurant
Family-friendly dance, silent auction, ladder of liquor. Proceeds benefit The Arc of Aurora; fun benefits EVERYone! Music by Arc of Aurora favorite Runaway Train.
|
| Have you checked out our YouTube videos?
- Check out whether you part of some of The Arc of Aurora's memories in "Making Memories".
- See the rest of our videos here.
|
|
Support Us When You Shop Online!
Did you know that with each purchase at Amazon.com you can support The Arc of Aurora?
Amazon Smile is a 501(c)(3) foundation that lets customers enjoy the same selection of products, etc., as on Amazon.com. The difference is that when customers
shop on AmazonSmile
, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to The Arc of Aurora.
eBay for Charity
is another online-shopping option that allows you to support The Arc of Aurora with each purchase. eBay for Charity teams up with a nonprofit called PayPal Giving Fund to ensure that 100% of every donation processed is given to the allocated organization.
goodsearch
is a Yahoo-powered search engine that offers funding to nonprofits like The Arc of Aurora with each online search. All you have to do is use the internet like you normally do, except The Arc of Aurora can earn a portion of goodsearch.com's advertising profits.
|
|
 |
|
|
From the Editor
Greetings in the Heat! 
Two exciting things happened/are happening this month:
- Mandatory Reporting of all crimes against people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) became law on July 1;
- Summerfest #10 is July 30.
At long last, many professionals often involved in the lives of our neighbors with I/DD MUST report to law enforcement within 24 of witnessing or suspecting a crime against a person with I/DD. Read more about mandatory reporting in the Hot Topic section below. What a terrific tool to help improve people with I/DD's access to justice! Need a break from the heat? Join your Arc of Aurora  friends at Summerfest 2016 at Pitchers Sports Restaurant for dancing with member favorite Runaway Train and a terrific silent auction, the proceeds of which 100% benefit The Arc of Aurora's advocacy work. Read more about Summerfest in the Members' Corner section just below.
Have you renewed your membership with The Arc of Aurora? Your (nominal) $30 Contributing Membership  fee helps insure the advocacy support you rely on is here when you need it. Information on Contributing Membership with The Arc of Aurora, as well as a link to join, are also in the Members' Corner section just below.
See you at Summerfest, Saturday, July 30!
Jean Solis
Editor and Director of Marketing and Development
___________________________________________
|
|
Summerfest 2016 - July 30, 2:30-7PM at Pitchers
Calendar the date to bid, dance, and support The Arc of Aurora's advocacy work! Member favorite Pitchers Sports Restaurant, 1670 S. Chambers Road, Aurora, 80017, is our 10th year host (WOW!!!! -- That's a LOT of support -- thank you, Pitchers!), and  member favorite Runaway Train plays from 4-7PM. The silent auction and ladder of liquor begin at 2:30PM. The silent auction closes at 6PM, and the dance contest (no fee to enter) begins at 6:05PM. 100% of the proceeds support the advocacy work The Arc of Aurora offers you and others in our community all year long. Come join in the fun -- all are welcome!
Do You Love to Bowl and Are You 16+ Years Old?
Then you can join The Arc of Aurora's Sunday Get Together Bowling League! The group meets at the AMF Aurora Lanes, 16700 E. Mississippi Avenue, Aurora 80017, on Sundays starting September 11. Practice  begins at 12:45PM, games at 1PM. Cost is $9/week for 3 games and shoes. Use a wheelchair? No problem! Supervision is NOT provided. Got questions? Call Dottie at 303.337.5540.
Looking for a GREAT Deal?
How about a Contributing Membership with The Arc of Aurora?! Here's what your $30 annual dues get you from July, 2016 - June, 2017:
- 15% off discount card for arc Thrift Stores - good through Summer, 2017
- Access to apply to Annual Scholarships (eligibility requirements apply)
- Voice in organization direction
- Discount and/or no fee event opportunities
- Food bank access
- Eligibility for consideration for Members' Help Fund and Holiday Support
- This News You Can Use newsletter and other publications
Where or how else could you spend $30 and get that kind of bargain over an entire YEAR?! Click here NOW  to start/continue your great deal of Arc of Aurora Contributing Membership.
Still not convinced that $30/year is worth it to you/your family?
Well consider that:
- Advocacy support costs The Arc of Aurora an average of $60/hour (staff salaries, travel, building/office expenses and more)? That is $60 per HOUR... Think about how many hours you talk/meet with your advocate. Click here to apply and make a debit/credit card payment for Contributing Membership now.
- The Arc of Aurora does not receive any public/government funding or tax dollars to help pay for advocacy support. That is, we receive NO government monies to provide the advocacy support you/your family rely on. Think about how you rely on us being here when you call, have an IEP/IP, or just need someone to listen. Click here to apply and make a debit/credit card payment for Contributing Membership now.
- The Arc of Aurora depends entirely on donations to pay for the advocacy support we provide you/your family. Our doors are open and we answer the phone because of public support. We are asking you to be part of our PUBLIC. Click here to apply and make a debit/credit card payment for Contributing Membership now.
 So are you STILL not sure about whether your $30 is worth Contributing Membership with The Arc of Aurora?
T
hink, for a moment, of what life would be like if we weren't here... If we weren't here to answer the phone when your child is bullied at school or you need a change to his/her IEP to add additional supports for him/her, or if we weren't here when your IP meeting is happening and you REALLY want fewer restrictions. If we weren't here when you called because your child is hospitalized and the medical staff just don't understand his/her needs. If your holidays weren't as bright without a bit of help, or your weekends as fun without a bowling league. Scary, isn't it?
Click here
to apply and make a debit/credit card payment for Contributing Membership ($30 for the year July, 2016 - June, 2017) with The Arc of Aurora now! 
If you have questions about the impact or use of your $30 Contributing Membership dues, call or email Jean at the office, [email protected] or 720.213.1420.
Join an Aktion Club!
Are you a self-advocate 18+ years old who wants to volunteer in the community? Are you interested in meeting  regularly with other people with disabilities who share your interest in community service? Might you be interested in helping to lead a community service club? Then the Aurora Kiwanis Club's Aktion Club is for you! Meetings will be at The Arc of Arapahoe-Douglas' office, 6538 S. Racine Street in Centennial, on Monday, August 15th from 1-2:30PM. Community service project work may be at other times and other places. If you are interested in getting more information about the Aktion Club, contact Jean at 720.213.1420, x106 or [email protected].
|
Hot Topic:
Mandatory Reporting --
A Brief Layman's Snapshot
Contributed by Nancy Bowden,
Director of Advocacy
Senate Bill 109,
Mandatory Reporting of Mistreatment Against an Adult with a Disability, was signed into Colorado law by Governor Hickenlooper on June 5, 2016. Senator Kevin Grantham and Representative Dave Young spearheaded the passage of Senate Bill 109 with a great deal of support, word-smithing, and honest education from a number of strong leaders from the disability advocacy field. Great work everyone!
Senate Bill 109 went into effect on July 1, 2016.
Read more by clicking here.
|
|
Policy Profile: Summary of the 2016 Session
contributed by Director of Systems Advocacy Hanni Raley
Colorado's Legislative session
adjourned on May 11, 2016,
and tallied many successes for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Thanks to the many hours of testimony,  advocacy, and connecting with local legislators, we should expect improvements in many critical quality of life elements from education to trainings to Medicaid enhancements. Below you'll find information about legislation that was passed and signed by Governor Hickenlooper which will significantly impact our community.
The budget for DD services presumes that all children eligible for the CES Waiver and adults eligible for the SLS waiver will receive services!
- The Adult DD waiver (Comprehensive Residential Supports) expects 141 new enrollments: 14 enrollments will be used to transition people with I/DD currently living in nursing homes or at Regional Centers in Intermediate Care Facilities, 40 for emergency placements, 55 enrollments for persons transitioning from foster care to the adult I/DD waiver, and 32 placements for persons aging out of the CES waiver.
House Bill 16-1027: Criminal Disposition
For At-risk Persons,
Sponsored by Representative Danielson
- This bill allows the prosecution to request to take the deposition or statement of a victim or witness who is an at-risk adult and/or an at-risk elder if they may be unavailable at trial (likely due to death or incapacity) to be used in future trial. 1027 helps to recognize and realize new tools to increase prosecution afforded by the Hearsay Exception and Mandatory Reporting which, in turn, will increase the likelihood that victimization of a person with I/DD has substantial chance of prosecution and justice.
House Bill 16-1101: Medical Decisions For  Unrepresented Patients,
S
ponsored by Rep. Young
- The bill allows an attending physician or his/her designee to make health care treatment decisions
as a patient's proxy decision-maker for a patient deemed incapacitated, in certain circumstances, after review by a hospital's Ethics Committee. Considerable concerns regarding the lack of safeguards for people with disabilities have been discussed and some have been addressed through amendments.
House Bill 16-1254: POST Training for People with Disabilities, Sponsored by Rep. Young and Sen. Grantham
- The bill requires the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board to provide a training curriculum on abuse and exploitation of persons 18 years of age and older who have an intellectual and developmental disability.
House Bill 16-1277-Appeal Process for Medicaid  Benefits,
Sponsored by Reps. Landgraf and Lontine and Sens. Kefalas and Roberts
- The bill requires the department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) to give a Medicaid recipient a 20-day advance notice if medical assistance benefits are being suspended, terminated, or modified, unless certain conditions are met. Under current law, the state department allows an applicant or recipient to file an appeal within 30 days after the date of notice of the intended action. The bill extends the time for appeal to 60 days after the effective date of the intended action.
House Bill 16-1321-Medicaid Buy In for Certain Waivers, Sponsored by Rep. Young/Sens. Merrifield and Tate
- The bill directs the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) to seek federal authorization for and to implement a Medicaid buy-in program for persons who are eligible for home- and community-based services under the Supported Living Services, Spinal Cord Injury and Brain Injury Waivers. Allowing Buy-in options allows people using these waivers to work and earn beyond the typical asset limit allowances and to essentially purchase their services.
House Bill 16-1373: Medical Marijuana Use at  Schools, Sponsored by Rep. Singer and Sens. Holbert/Marble
- Under current law, a school district can allow a parent or guardian or other authorized caregiver to administer non-smokeable medical marijuana to students with a valid prescription but requires districts to adopt a policy for doing so, but no Colorado district had enacted such a policy. The bill no longer requires districts to enact local policy. The bill describes the conditions under which medical marijuana products can be administered on school property, a school bus, or a school function.
House Bill
16-1394: Aligning Issues for At Risk Persons with Developmental Disabilities, Sponsored by Rep. Young and Sen. Grantham
- The bill implements recommendations of the At-risk Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Mandatory Reporting Implementation Task Force charged under SB 15-109. The bill:
- Standardizes statutory definitions among ColoradoCriminal Code, adult protective, and the office of communityliving
- Specifies enhanced penalties for crimes against anat-risk person apply to all persons 70 years of age or olderand to all persons with IDD; and
- Clarifies the definitions of persons whoare required to report instances of mistreatment of at-riskelders or at-risk adults with IDD.
- Reduces the time when a law enforcement agency orcounty department is required to prepare a written reportfrom 48 hours to 24 hours;
- Specifies that a county department of human or socialservices is to conduct an investigation of allegations ofmistreatment of an at-risk adult; and
- Clarifies that the human rights committee is responsible forensuring that an investigation of mistreatment of an adultwith IDD occurred.
House Bill 16-1398: Implement Respite Care Task  Force Recommendations, Sponsored by Reps. Young and Landgraf and Sens. Steadman and Martinez-Humenik
- The bill appropriates $900,000 from the I/DD Cash Fund for CDHS to use a competitive bid process to identify a contractor to (among other things):
- conduct a study to demonstrate the economic impact of respite; provide an analysis of caregiver populations and the differences between caregivers who do and do not use respite services;
- show the impact of funds spent on respite services compared to funds saved in health care;
- use an evaluation tool to assess the respite care provided through Medicaid waiver programs and all Colorado respite care programs
- create an up-to-date online inventory that lists existing training opportunities and providers along with information on how to become a respite care provider;
- develop a statewide training system for people who want to provide respite care services;
Senate Bill 16-038:
Transparency Of Community-centered Boards, Sponsored by Representative Young and Senator Aguilar
- The bill was hotly contested, advocated for by the community, and underwent many amendments. Ultimately it was amended in the House to require Community Centered Boards (CCBs) to post notices of, agendas, and minutes of Board meetings and provide copies of materials distributed at Board meeting to the public; provide opportunities for public comment at Board meetings; and provide individual contact information for Board members. The bill also requires these agencies to provide revenue and expenditure information about services related to the CCB contact upon request. The bill further requires the state auditor to conduct financial and performance audits of CCBs every five years.
Senate Bill 16-077:
Employment First For Persons With Disabilities, Sponsored by Senator Kefalas, Representative Ginal, & Representative Primavera
- The bill asks certain state Departments to develop employment first policies for persons with disabilities and is currently being rewritten to codify Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and other Federal legislation. The departments will develop a strategic plan to incentive employers to hire people with I/DD and provide training and support for people with disabilities to identify, get, and maintain community based jobs in integrated settings.
Senate Bill 16-178: Grand Junction Regional Center Campus, Sponsored by Sens. Lambert and Kefalas and Reps. Young and Brown
- The bill requires the department of human services to vacate the Grand Junction regional center campus and list the campus for sale no later than July 1, 2018, or earlier, if the department can transition each person receiving services at the Grand Junction regional center campus to non-regional center campus residences before that date. The state would continue to operate services for people transitioned from the campus.
Senate Bill 16-192: Assessment Tool for People with  IDD Eligible for Services, Sponsored by Sen. Lambert and Rep. Young
- The bill requires the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, to select a needs assessment tool for persons receiving long-term services and supports, via the existing stakeholder engagement process. Primarily, community members are concerned that the Supports Intensity Scale (SIS) does not adequately provide the supports and services needed for a robust community life.
Senate Bill 16-196: Inclusive Higher Ed Pilot Programs, Sponsored by Sens. Cooke and Cadman and Reps. Young and Landgraf
- The bill appropriates $250,000 from the I/DD Cash fund to fund programs at UNC, CU-Colorado Springs and Arapahoe Community College. The bill requires the department of higher education the institutions participating in the pilot program, JFK Partners, and IN! -- a stakeholder group supporting inclusive higher education, to work together to develop pilot programs at the pilot sites.
In Colorado, our General Assembly breaks until the next Session, which is scheduled to convene on January 11, 2017. Because many members of the legislature are up for election and others term limited, we should expect to see a whole new cast of players come next year, thereby significantly impacting the trends and direction of future legislation.
If you have any questions about the 2016 Session or any of the legislation listed above, contact Hanni Raley, Director of Systems Advocacy, at [email protected].
_______________________________
|
Trending on Social Media
#CripTheVote this election year! See the inspiring video
here.
#Colorado has been a state for 40 years and for all 140 there has been one demographic that's been excluded from getting a college education, and that's people with intellectual disabilities." BUT this should change this fall, thanks to legislative advocacy! See the article
here.
"We have an obligation to turn our attention, as a system, to how do we achieve this without disruption to our families, If that is not the No. 1 priority, then I don't know what we are doing." #CFCM #Colorado #Justice4COIDD #ItsTimeToTalkAboutIt Thank you for your coverage, The Denver Post! See the article
here.
"With millions of children living with #autism and other #DevelopmentalDisabilities, it's time to provide full federal funding towards the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act." #IDEAadvocacy #ItsTimeToTalkAboutIt See the article
here.
How will #Colorado implement #ESSA, the Every #Student Succeeds Act? Will you be a part of the discussion? In May, education officials and representative from key stakeholder groups will launch a statewide tour to gather the public's input and feedback on how the state should implement vital components of the ESSA. Find out more, below from the Colorado Department of Education. View the information
here.
_______________________________
Don't miss anything by following The Arc of Aurora on
and
|
|
The Arc of Aurora is Getting Social*
|
|
Shark ... Shark Tank, that is!
Submitted by Darla Stuart, Executive Director
*The Arc of Aurora was selected as one of four non-profits to attend a two year program starting in January 2016 on how to start a Social Enterprise. The Social Enterprise Alliance says, "Social enterprises are businesses whose primary purpose is the common good. They use the methods and disciplines of business and the power of the marketplace to advance their social, environmental and human justice agendas."
|
We are in the final stages of finalizing our business plan and social enterprise idea. Whew ... what an exciting and exhausting journey! In September we will premier our social enterprise idea via a
Shark Tank-like opportunity (Denver style).
Shark Tank is an ABC TV show on Fridays that offers entrepreneurs the chance to bring their dreams to fruition by getting the funding they need to start their businesses. They present their ideas
 to the "sharks" in the tank -- five titans of industry who made their own dreams a reality and turned their ideas into lucrative empires. The contestants try to convince any one of the "sharks" to invest money in their idea. When more than one of the sharks decide they want a piece of the action, a bidding war can erupt, driving up the price of the investment. The Arc of Aurora, too, will be presenting our idea and asking ask for start-up funding, but not to five titans of
 industry. Rather, we will be presenting to a room full of foundation representatives, private investment entrepreneurs, and angel investors. While there will be no bidding war or a forced choice of one funder ... we will hopefully receive a single or multiple offers to move our social enterprise concept from a good idea to a good business!
|
|
The Aurora Police Department and its Special Victims' Unit
|
Mandatory reporting of crimes against at-risk adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities became law July 1, 2016, and ready to take those reports in our community is the Aurora Police Department's Special Victims' Unit (SVU), under the direction of Sgt. Damon
Vaz. The seven Aurora Police personnel assigned to this unit have been trained about communicating with people with I/DD in anticipation of this law's implementation. Too, Unit staff are providing training around the metro area about their department's preparedness for the mandatory reporting of at-risk seniors and adults with I/DD.
To the Aurora Police  Department for its vision in creating a specialized unit to work for justice for the most vulnerable among us; to
the officers who accepted an assignment in the Department's SVU; and for the Department's and Unit's fierce collaborative spirit, our hats are off to you! Thank you!
|
|
Everything Else You Need To Know
|
|
Webinars
 Aurora's Summer Concerts Celebrates 30 Years
This year, two City of Aurora summer concerts will mark special occasions: the June 30th concert will celebrate the 30 years of concerts in the park, and the July 28th concert will be in honor of Auroras 125th birthday. Concerts run from 6:30 - 8 pm and admission is free.
Click here to see the schedule and locations.
Five outdoor pools in Aurora are FREE every Friday, including Aqua Vista, Meadow Hills, Parklane, Pheasant Run and Village Green.
Note: Pools will not open if the forecast temperature is below 70 degrees. View more info
here.
This website compiles a list of all the free museums and parks in the Denver area with free admission days in 2016. Check it out to plan your family's next adventure.
The Summer Food Service Program, funded by the
USDA, helps community-based sites offer free meals to kids and teens up to 18 years old throughout the
summer on a first-come, first-served basis. Search for a free kids food site near you here or call the hotline toll-free at 855.855.4626.
JFK Partners at CU Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, CO helped launch SPARK, an online research initiative designed to become the largest autism study in the United States. SPARK, or Simons Foundation Powering Autism Research for Knowledge, aims to speed up research and advance our understanding of autism to improve lives with just a simple saliva test. Sign up
here and receive a $50 gift card after successfully participating.
The University of Denver is conducting a paid research study which will involve 3 visits to the DU campus for 4 hours of testing, caregiver interviews, and survey completion. Participants must be ages 6-25 and have a diagnosis of intellectual disability. Participants will receive compensation for their participation, as well as a feedback session on cognitive test results from a licensed school psychologist. For more information, contact Jeanine Coleman at 303-871-2496.
Aurora residents can drop off their unwanted household chemicals to recycle for free on September 10 from 9AM-4PM at 13645 E. Ellsworth Ave in Aurora, 80012.
Surveys
A federal autism advisory panel is looking for public feedback as it prepares to update the government's priorities for addressing the developmental disorder for the first time in years. The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee is soliciting comments as the group looks to revise its strategic plan. Comments should be related to the seven key topics that the panel traditionally addresses - screening and diagnosis, underlying biology of autism, risk factors, treatments and interventions, services, lifespan issues and surveillance and infrastructure - according to the notice. The IACC is accepting comments through July 29. Click
here to take the survey.
 The Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition (CCDC) and the Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center (CREEC) are gathering information about medical providers with barriers to people with disabilities through this survey
here.
Extended School Year (ESY) Disability Law Colorado is collecting data regarding the failure of schools to individualize Extended School Year (ESY) services. If your child has received ESY services in the past, fill out this survey
here in English or
here in Spanish.
Other Information
Life, Animated is the story of Owen Suskind, a young man who was unable to speak as a child until he and his family discovered a unique way to communicate by immersing themselves in the world of classic Disney animated films. The film follows Owen as he enters adulthood and takes his first steps toward independence. Watch the trailer or find a theater showing the film near you
here.
The Department of Labor (DOL) issued a user-friendly guide titled Paying Minimum Wage and Overtime to Home Care Workers: A Guide for Consumers and their Families to the Fair Labor Standards Act. Developed with stakeholder input, this guide provides examples of situations involving hiring a home care worker directly, using a home care agency, and arranging care through a self-directed program. Read more
here.
Pediatricians are being encouraged to take a more active role in helping families prepare for and adapt to the changes that come with puberty for girls with disabilities. In a clinical report that will be published in the July issue of the journal Pediatrics, the American Academy of Pediatrics says that doctors should be ready to address the unique needs of adolescents with physical and intellectual disabilities surrounding puberty and menstruation.
The U.S. Supreme Court is asking the Obama administration to weigh in on a case questioning how much educational benefit schools must provide in order to satisfy the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The case was brought by the parents of a Colorado child with autism who removed their son from the Douglas County School District, believing his progress there was insufficient.
An analysis of dozens of studies shows that a growing number of youths with autism and intellectual disability are being prescribed antipsychotics.
In a notice sent to state education leaders across the country this spring, the federal agency said that it is worried that some schools "may be using Response To Intervention (RTI) strategies to delay or deny a timely initial evaluation for preschool children suspected of having a disability."
The University of California, Irvine has received $4.7 million from the National Institute on Aging to launch a five-year study this summer aimed at identifying who with Down syndrome is most at risk for developing dementia.
The developers and marketers of "brain training program" LearningRx will pay $200,000 under a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission and have agreed to stop making several false and unsubstantiated claims about their programs.
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are everywhere these days, and the Food and Drug Administration wants to know more about them. It requested more scientific evidence Wednesday to prove that hand sanitizers are both safe and effective. In particular, the FDA will be investigating whether sanitizers might be harmful to pregnant women and children.
"With the high cost of assistance to those with FASD, it is important that special education professionals understand the various in-school and out-of-school interventions that are available to those with this disability. This paper explores various interventions that have been attempted with students who have been diagnosed with FASD." - St. Cloud State University
In this report from Sleep Medicine, caregivers describe sleep disturbances in children with a diagnosis of FASD. The objective was to evaluate sleep and melatonin abnormalities in children with FASD using objective measures.
On Thursday, July 21 at 2 PM, there will be a non-partisan forum regarding Amendment 69 known as ColoradoCare. If passed, Amendment 69 would create a Medicare-like system for all of Colorado. The forum will allow individuals who are supporting the amendment (taking a "pro" position), as well as those opposed to the amendment to answer disability-specific questions. We need you to come to learn about Amendment 69 and to show both sides that our vote will matter in the fall. The Forum will be held at Atlantic Community, 201 S. Cherokee in Denver. Click
here to read more.
The American Academy of Pediatrics released its updated policy statement and clinical guidelines on teens and substance use, calling for pediatricians to expand efforts to screen and treat adolescents. The policy statement, "Substance Use Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment," along with the accompanying clinical guidelines, were published in the July 2016 Pediatrics.
Get Out The Vote: A message from the Colorado Cross Disability Coalition (CCDC)
(originally published in The Arc of Adams County E-Newsletter)
"It is crucial that we as people with disabilities vote this year. The next President will nominate Supreme Court Justices and influence decisions that will be made about healthcare. Justin Dart, father of the Americans with Disabilities Act, said, "Vote as if your life depends on it ... because it does".
You may wonder about how to become more involved and learn about issues. On Thursday, July 21 at 2 p.m., there will be a non-partisan forum on Amendment 69 known as ColoradoCare. If passed, Amendment 69 would create a Medicare like system for all of Colorado. The forum will allow individuals who are supporting the amendment (taking a Pro position), as well as those opposed to the amendment to answer disability-specific questions. We need you to come to learn about Amendment 69 and to show both sides that our vote will matter in the fall. The Forum will be held at Atlantis Community, 201 S. Cherokee in Denver.
Count Me In, a voter engagement initiative, helps average citizens understand that voting makes a difference in all of our lives. Our votes determine which schools are built, where roads are built, how Medicaid is funded, how many police are on the streets, etc. This program is for everyone' people with disabilities will benefit. The schedule of Count Me In Events can be found
here, and more information
here.
Late October through November 8, vote! Be involved, learn, and encourage others to vote!!
Getting out the Vote is not just for candidates anymore! This fall, the four most important letters for CCDC may well be "GOTV," which stands for Get-Out-The-Vote! GOTV helps CCDC fulfill its mission to advocate for social justice for people with all types of disabilities. When people with disabilities vote with what is important to them in mind, those issues are more likely to get the attention they deserve from elected officials.
Personally ask others to vote. Don't assume that your friends, family members and colleagues are going to vote; MAKE SURE they do! Personal contact before and on Election Day is vital to persuading people to vote."
|
|
|
