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CDDC - Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council, Advocacy, Inclusion, Systems Change
 
 
                                                

   

 
  Background Information on the CDDC

Full Council Meetings for 2008

The Council meets from 12:30 to 4:30 PM on the fourth Wednesday of alternate months.
Except as noted, all meetings are held at Assistive Technology Partners, 
601 E. 18th Ave, Suite 130, Denver
Please call the Council for information on attending the meetings via videoconference.

Council Minutes

January 23, 2008
March 26, 2008
May 28, 2008
July 23, 2008 (Annual Meeting and Dan Davidson Awards Banquet)
Council Meeting 1 to 5 PM at AT Partners, 
Awards Banquet 5:30 to 8:00 PM at Radisson Hotel, 3333 Quebec Street in Denver

September 24, 2008

Background Information on the CDDC

History: P.L. 106-402, the most recent re-authorization of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, was signed into law on October 20, 2000. The original legislation was passed into law on October 4, 1975. P.L. 106-402 continues the establishment of Developmental Disabilities Planning Councils in each state in the United States, as well as Protection and Advocacy organizations (P&A's) and Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Service (UCEDS) in each state. Colorado's P&A organization is the Legal Center, and Colorado's UCED is JFK Partners.

The Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council was formed in 1979 as a result of a law passed by the Colorado General Assembly in that year. In keeping with guidelines established in federal legislation, the makeup of the Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council includes people with disabilities, family members of people with disabilities, and representatives of state agencies, nongovernmental agencies and private nonprofit groups concerned with services for people with disabilities. Council members: The Council must have 24 members, each of whom is appointed by the governor for a maximum of two consecutive 3-year terms. 

Purpose and Mission: 

The mission of the CDDC is to advocate in collaboration with and on behalf of people with developmental disabilities for the establishment and implementation of public policy which will further their independence, productivity and integration. 

The CDDC, being federally funded, uses the federal definition of developmental disability. The definition is broader than that used by the State of Colorado, and is as follows: 

What is the Federal Definition of Developmental Disabilities?
 In P.L. 106-402, the Developmental Disabilities Act, the term "developmental disability" means a severe, chronic disability of an individual that-- 

(A) is attributable to a mental or physical impairment or combination of mental and physical impairment; 

(B) is manifested before the individual attains age 22; 

(C) is likely to continue indefinitely; 

(D) results in substantial functional limitations in 3 or more of the following areas of major life activity: 

(i) self-care;
(ii) receptive and expressive language;
(iii) learning;
(iv) mobility;
(v) self-direction;
(vi) capacity for independent living; and
(vii) economic self-sufficiency; and 

(E) reflects the individual's need for a combination and sequence of special, interdisciplinary, or generic services, individualized supports, or other forms of assistance that are of lifelong or extended duration and are individually planned and coordinated. 

An individual from birth to age 9, inclusive, who has substantial developmental delay or specific congenital or acquired conditions may be considered to have a developmental disability without meeting 3 or more of the criteria described above in (A) through (E) if the individual, without services and supports, has a high probability of meeting those criteria later in life. 

What are the Council's by-laws?
 Please click here to access a copy of the Council's by-laws, as amended at the Council's meeting on January 23, 2008. 

Areas of Interest:

The Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council has specific areas of interest that are described in the Five-Year Plan for 2007-2011. The Five-Year Plan is something required of all Developmental Disabilities Councils across the country, as a result of the reauthorization of the DD Act in 2000. As part of the work of the Colorado Developmental Disabilities Planning Council, committees that include both Council members and community members set goals for their work, calling on the experience and interests of committee members and the guidelines for activities set out in the Five-Year Plan. Click on the committee names below to find out more about what the individual committees are doing. The Committees are: Executive, Legislative & Public Policy, Fiscal Oversight, Membership, Multicultural and Planning and Grants..   Please click here for minutes from full Council meetings.

In January of each year, the CDDC submits a report on how the Council has done in reaching the goals set out in the Five-Year Plan.  A summary of Council activities and funded projects in federal fiscal year are available in the 2007 Project Performance Report.

Council Members

The Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council (CDDC) members are citizens of the State of Colorado.  Council membership reflects the geographical diversity of Colorado.  Council members are people with disabilities, family members of people with disabilities, and representatives of state agencies, nongovernmental agencies and private nonprofit groups concerned with services for people with disabilities.  

Citizens of Colorado interested in applying to be members of the  Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council apply for membership through the office of Boards and Commissions, and are appointed by the Governor.  Terms begin on July 1st each year.  Call the CDDC office for an application.

 

CURRENT COUNCIL MEMBERS


   Penny Gonnella, Chairperson
        Denver
        Executive Committee, Multicultural Committee
        Email: pgonnella@state.co.us

Staff

Marcia Tewell, Executive Director
(720) 941-0176, ext. 14
marcia.tewell@state.co.us

Patricia D. Murphy, Administrative Assistant
(720) 941-0176, ext. 12
patricia.murphy@state.co.us

Beverly Hirsekorn, Policy Analyst
(720) 941-0176, ext. 15
beverly.hirsekorn@state.co.us

Marna Ares, Planner
(720) 941-0176, ext. 16
marna.ares@state.co.us

Mackenzie Helton, Fiscal Manager
(720) 941-0176, ext. 18
mackenzie.helton@state.co.us

 
   Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council
3401 Quebec St. Suite 6009
Denver, CO 80207

720-941-0176 (phone)     720-941-8490 (fax)