In This Issue:

• How the Government Shutdown Affects People with Disabilities
• Bring a Friend to Next Week's Coffee House
• Scary Savings on Halloween Costumes at arc Thrift!
• Get Ready to Vote!
• Ask Congress to Raise SSI Asset Limits
• Help Shape Transition Services Through Focus Group
• Save Money on Phone and Internet Bills with Lifeline
• Applications Open for Colorado Family Respite Voucher

How the Government Shutdown Affects People with Disabilities

As you likely know, since October 1, the federal government has been shut down after Congressmembers did not come to an agreement on legislation to fund the government. The shutdown will continue until enough Congresspeople can agree on a bill to fund the government.

In the meantime, you may be wondering: How could the government shutdown affect people with disabilities? The Arc of the United States has written a blog post with the details, including information about:

• Social Security and Supplemental Security Income
• Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, and WIC
• The Department of Health and Human Services
• HealthCare.gov
• Disability civil rights investigations

To learn more about whether each program or service will be affected during the shutdown, and how, read the blog post here.

Get Ready to Vote!

This year, Election Day will take place November 4. If you’d like to vote in this year’s election, now is a great time to make sure you’re registered to vote!

• You can check your voter registration here.
• If you are not registered, register online or print a registration form. If you are registering using the printable form, return your completed form by following the instructions at the top of the form.
• Mail ballots will be sent to voters beginning October 10. If you would like to receive a ballot in the mail, make sure you are registered to vote and that your address is up-to-date.

In this election, all Colorado voters will be able to vote on two statewide questions, which are called propositions. The Arc of Aurora’s THINK+change has created a plain language ballot guide to explain the two issues. Click here to view the guide.

Depending on which county and city you live in, you may also be asked to vote on county issues, city issues, or candidates for local offices. Visit your county or city’s 2025 election webpage for more information.

To learn more about registering to vote, click here.

Ask Congress to Raise SSI Asset Limits

Do you think people who get SSI should be allowed to save more money without losing their SSI benefits? Tell Congress: Raise asset limits for people who receive SSI!

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments are government-issued benefits for certain people who have limited resources, including people with disabilities, people who are blind, and older adults.

To stay eligible for SSI, recipients must meet certain criteria. Single people cannot have more than $2,000 in assets (such as money in bank accounts or most retirement accounts), and married couples cannot have more than $3,000 in assets. Because of this, people with disabilities who need SSI payments are forced to live in poverty. They cannot save for future emergencies.

The SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act would increase the asset limit to $10,000 for single people and $20,000 for married couples. The bill is currently under consideration by Congress.

If you want to help ensure that people with disabilities can save more money for the things they need, take action! Click here to contact your representatives about the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act.

Help Shape Transition Services Through Focus Group

On October 15, PEAK Parent Center and Family Voices Colorado will hold a virtual focus group all about transition services. People with disabilities and their family members are invited to share about their experiences with transition services, including any challenges they've faced and any ideas they have to make the system better.

Additionally, the virtual meeting will cover:

• Map My Path, a new tool to support families with transition planning
• What else is being built, including school-based teams, accessible trainings, and an advisory group

When: October 15, 12:00pm-1:00pm

Where: Virtual meeting. Register to receive the meeting link.


Participating families will receive a $30/hour stipend for their time.

Learn more about the Virtual Focus Group on Transition Services.

Save Money on Phone and Internet Bills with Lifeline

Did you know? If you receive certain government benefits or meet income requirements, you could be eligible for a discount on your phone and internet costs!

The Federal Communications Commission’s Lifeline program offers a monthly discount of $9.25 on phone, internet, or bundled services for those who qualify for the program.

You may qualify for the program if:

• You or someone in your household participates in certain government programs, including Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
• Your income is 135% or less than the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

Learn more about Lifeline or apply here.

Applications Open for Colorado Family Respite Voucher

The Colorado Respite Coalition is accepting applications for its Colorado Family Respite Voucher, which funds respite care for individuals who are supported by family caregivers. This resource supports individuals of all ages with any extensive healthcare need.

The voucher program relies on a self-directed model of care, giving caregivers and those they serve more decision-making power over who provides respite services.

Please note that the Colorado Family Respite Voucher is a payer of last resort.

If you would like to email the Colorado Respite Coalition to access an application, or if you would like to learn more, click here.