January 2020 Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Watch our web site for upcoming events.

Events are at DDRC offices,11177 W 8th Ave Lakewood, 80215, unless noted otherwise.

Jan. 22 Wed. (10 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. approx.) Hearing on Status of the Wait List. Colorado State Capitol, Old Supreme Court Chambers, 200 E. Colfax, Denver. More

Jan. 23 Thurs. (9 a.m. - 3 p.m.) Introduction to Applied Behavioral Analysis ( i.e. motivating behavior) at DDRC. Free. Advanced registration required. Details.

From our friends in the community:

Feb. 20-21 Peak Parent Center Conference on Inclusive Education, held in Denver. Details . 

Hearing on the Status of the

DD Waiver Wait List - January 22

Come show your support!

The status of the Developmental Disabilities Waiver wait list will be heard in legislative committee at the Colorado State Capitol on Wednesday, January 22 from 10 a.m. until approximately 12:30 p.m. in the Old Supreme Court Chambers within the Capitol (200 E. Colfax). We encourage you to attend and to wear blue as a way of showing support for this crucial issue.

House & Senate Health and Human Services Committees and the Joint Budget Committee will get an update on the DD waiver waiting list. The Colorado Health Care Policy and Finance office will be reporting on the wait list. Representatives of several organizations will provide comment and testimony. Funding decisions on the End the Wait campaign are anticipated to be addressed later this legislative session.

Learn How to Encourage Positive Behavior

Free Class

Thursday, January 23  9 a.m.- 3 p.m.

Caregivers, family, teachers and staff - learn how human behavior is created, maintained and improved, how to make decisions for behavior motivation, gain an understanding of behavior plans and more. Learn from DDRC’s Behavioral Health expert, while also gaining understanding through class discussion.

Join us for the free DDRC Behavioral Health Team Training – “Intro to Applied Behavior Analysis in the Home and Community” on January 23, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. (lunch not included). Class held at DDRC, 11177 W. 8th Ave. Lakewood. Advance registration is required. Call 303-462-6503 or email zachary.maple@ddrcco.com to register. More.

Employee Engagement Enhances

Outcomes

Employees who are invited to provide input to their work, whose opinions matter and who are recognized for their contributions are employees who focus on doing and being better at their jobs. DDRC keeps this at the forefront and continues to support and encourage its managers to cultivate that approach.

We recently celebrated the successes that our managers have had in this area as they gathered at the start of 2020, shared ideas and heard how their efforts are making a difference.  

FSSP Funding Available for Disability Needs

Family Support Services Program (FSSP) Funding is available now through June 30, 2020.

A link to the FSSP Most In Need (MIN) Assessment and funding request forms were emailed to families this year. You can also find the forms on our DDRC web site at https://ddrcco.com/accessing-services/family-support-services . Additionally, you can email Jessica.Leon-Alvarez@ddrcco.com or call 303-462-6576 to request that the forms be mailed to you.

We must receive your MIN Assessment prior to the end of May 2020 to be considered for funds this fiscal year. If you have questions or would like assistance in completing the MIN Assessment, please contact your Resource/Service Coordinator. If you don’t have your coordinator’s phone contact, call DDRC at 303-233-3363 and we will connect you.  

Cultivating Quality Through Learning

DDRC’s Early Intervention (EI) Team participates in and hosts learning initiatives for DDRC EI staff and other providers with whom we interface as part of our EI program. Why does this matter? Because families and children we serve benefit when providers and service coordinators have a keen understanding of best practices and up-to-date knowledge. 

Many of these initiatives are done in coordination with outside experts, delving into topics like dynamic and postural reflex integration, torticollis & plagiocephaly, and diagnostic classification of mental health and developmental disorders in infancy and early childhood. Several of these learning sessions have already been offered this January.

DDRC's EI Program also practices a “transdisciplinary team” approach where therapists, providers and service coordinators are able to connect professionally and emotionally, and learn from each other. The team setting allows them to learn how to more effectively work with families, coordinate and provide services, and develop additional professional skills. DDRC facilitates four team meetings each month organized by geography, and between the four meetings, there are over 55 people who participate monthly.

CoBank Award and

Aaron's Dedication

CoBank supports the volunteer and philanthropic efforts of their employees. Fortunately, DDRC’ Therapeutic Learning Connects (TLC)-Recreation program has had a special place in CoBank employee Aaron Chase’s heart. 

Aaron has volunteered for DDRC’s TLC-Recreation program for more than 18 years. He has been an active partner and coach, mentoring athletes in several Special Olympic sports as well as “unified” sports, where athletes with and without disabilities come together to enjoy camaraderie, competition and fitness. Aaron helped represent DDRC and Colorado at the Unified National Basketball competition in Iowa, bringing home the silver medal. He strives to help each teammate reach their full potential and his caring in shown in gestures like buying a new pair of basketball shoes for a teammate who had holes in his shoes.

CoBank recently chose Aaron as their CoBank Associate to receive the Volunteer Service Award along with a $5,000 check for Aaron to designate as a gift to a nonprofit. We are so grateful that Aaron choose DDRC’s Therapeutic Learning Connections- Recreation. Thank you CoBank and thank you Aaron!

Community Supporters Show up for DDRC on Colorado Gives Day

A heartfelt thank you to all of DDRC’s supporters during Colorado Gives Day 2019. We are grateful for all of the support in 2019 and are excited to welcome several new supporters to the DDRC family. Through the generosity of our community, over $115,000 was contributed to advance DDRC’s mission. 

Pinnacol Assurance and ACTC Foundation Grants

We are pleased to share that Pinnacol Assurance granted DDRC $10,000 for improving the restrooms at the DDRC Weiland Center in Lakewood, CO, and the ACTC Foundation granted DDRC $5,000 for use in our Early Intervention department.Thank You, Pinnacol Assurance and the ACTC Foundation.

Volunteers Brought Cheer Over the Holidays

“It takes a village, and once again many volunteers stepped forward during the holidays to make a difference for the people we serve,” shared April Richey, Coordinator of DDRC’s Volunteer Services.

H ere are the numbers showing that generosity: 756 diapers and wipes donated, 350 DRC Holiday Bazaar, shoppers, 252 wishes fulfilled by “Secret Santas," 208 Holiday Open House gifts and gift cards collected, 100 McDonalds Meal gift cards, 75 handmade hats and decor items, 65 Target/Walmart gift cards, and gifts and cards for 13 members of 3 families were collected and distributed. Thank you, Federal Center employees, Masonic members / Masonic Lodge #41 A.F. & A.M., DDRC Board member Mary Ann Tillman and friends, McDonalds Colfax/Lakewood, the Lakewood Clements Center Sewing Group, the doctors, nurses and staff of Kaiser Wheat Ridge Pediatrics and the DDRC "angel" volunteers representing families, individuals and staff.

The power of these donations can be seen even in this one small story. Two senior adult brothers with very little to their names recently joined the ranks of those receiving DDRC services. Using some of the gift cards and items noted above, a volunteer shopped for the brothers, providing new warm clothes, food, personal care items, holiday snacks and niceties. The staff member who brought the gifts to the men shared that “they were so excited to open every gift and were smiling and clapping the whole time they each pulled out an item.”

Baker Extraordinaire Mixes-up a Final Batch for the Bazaar

Many, many people make our DDRC Annual Holiday Bazaar a success by helping with logistics, donating items for the auction, getting a vendor table, helping with entertainment and coming to shop.

One of the more popular vendors is the baked goods table, piled high with goodies prepared by staff, family members, friends and even a board member of the Developmental Disabilities Foundation. We thank all the bakers, and we owe a final thank you to Candy Markley, who has been baking and at the table since the Bazaar started 18 years ago! Candy is hanging up her apron and “passing the spatula,” but she promises to come back to DDRC to say hello. Candy is pictured here (right) along with bakers Barbara Keating (left) and Paula Emeson, DD Foundation Board member (middle).

Creating opportunities for people of all ages with intellectual and

developmental disabilities to participate fully in the community.

www.ddrcco.com

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