Leveling Up: How Louie Is Conquering New Challenges Through DDRC ABA Therapy 

In the video game Minecraft, Louie enjoys building creative worlds and taking on one of the game's biggest challenges: defeating the Ender Dragon, the main “boss” of the game. But this 10th grader has been working on an equally important quest in real life, learning how to connect with others, build confidence, and overcome social challenges.  

Through Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy with DDRC Behavioral Health Services and Behavioral Analyst Matt Strode, Louie has spent the past year building communication, social, and independent living skills. One part of his therapy involved weekly visits to DDRC staff offices to practice introducing himself and having conversations. During initial visits, Louie rarely made eye contact or spoke. Today, he greets staff with a bright smile, a handshake, and more confident conversation. 

Louie says, “Practicing conversations is good for me,” and that it has helped him learn greetings, small talk, and ending conversations appropriately. “I like how Matt can relate to me with video games,” he shares.  

"It’s rewarding to see how behavioral health therapy and positive changes in behavior can transform a person's daily life and the outlook of their family,” Matt says. “Seeing Louie more confidently express his creativity and his desire to connect with others has been a joy. He’s a wonderful teen." 

For Louie's family, the transformation has been remarkable. His father, Adam, says Louie has become more verbal, more confident in conversations, better able to advocate for himself, maintain a self-care routine, and build friendships. “He made more progress in two weeks with Matt than he did in a year with a prior provider.” Adam credits DDRC's pairing and assent approach to ABA therapy, along with Matt's ability to build trust, as key reasons for that success. “The trust and rapport make Louie more apt to try hard things.” 

“The world isn’t necessarily built for autistic people,” Adam says, but "DDRC, Matt, and especially Louie's efforts have given us hope for Louie’s future.” ABA sometimes gets a bad rap among parents of special needs kids, Adam observed. ”My advice is to be engaged with your child and ABA therapist and make sure it’s a good fit. I honestly wish we had done it many years ago and had found Matt and DDRC earlier."  

As Louie begins the school year, he’s leveling up. He has earned a place on the school's JV soccer team and is even thinking about joining the esports team. While defeating video game villains may be exciting, the skills and confidence he's gaining to make friends, speak up for himself, and connect with others may be his greatest victory yet. 

DSP Recognition Week: Celebrating Those Who Empower Lives

September 13-19 marks National Direct Support Professional (DSP) Recognition Week, an opportunity to honor the hardworking, compassionate DSPs who provide support to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

Our DSPs are the foundation of our mission and the hands and hearts that bring it to life. They empower people to lead fulfilling lives by providing essential support at home, work, school, and throughout the community. As advocates, counselors, mentors, and valued members of a person's circle of support, they help individuals achieve their goals and pursue their dreams. We are deeply grateful for their compassion, dedication, professionalism, and commitment to supporting individuals and families in a person-centered way. Their impact can be seen across our residential services, day program, employment services, support services, as well as services provided by our host home providers and family caregivers.  

This week, we are celebrating our DSPs with acts of appreciation to express our heartfelt gratitude for the extraordinary difference they make every day. In recognition of their invaluable contributions, our Board of Directors has issued a proclamation honoring DSPs and the vital role they play.

If you know a DSP or have benefited from their support, please take a moment to thank them for their dedication and the positive impact they have on your life and throughout the community.

Annual Legislative BBQ - September 10, 2026 

Join us for the Annual Legislative BBQ, a tradition that has brought community members, elected leaders, and candidates together for more than 25 years. This special event offers an opportunity to connect with local, state, and federal representatives, engage in meaningful conversations, and share perspectives on the issues that matter most. 

Enjoy an evening of tasty, complimentary BBQ, networking, and community dialogue while learning more about the challenges and opportunities facing individuals, families, and households with disabilities, mental health needs, and older adults throughout Jefferson County. Together, we can foster understanding, strengthen relationships, and help create a more inclusive and supportive community for all. 

This free community event is proudly co-hosted by DDRC, the Action Center, Family Tree, Jefferson Center, and Seniors Resource Center. We look forward to bringing our community together to connect, learn, and inspire positive change. 

Event Details: 

📅 Thursday, September 10, 2026 

🕓 4:30 – 7:00 PM 

📍 Apex Community Center - 6842 Wadsworth Blvd, Arvada 

👨🏽‍💻 Advance registration requested. 

DDRC's Lindsay Menough Selected for National ANCOR Leadership Role 

DDRC is thrilled to announce that Lindsay Menough, Deputy Director at DDRC, has been appointed to the ANCOR Board of Represenatives! We are incredibly proud to see Lindsay recognized among leaders from across the nation who are shaping the future of services and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). 

ANCOR is a national community of providers dedicated to advocacy, resources, education, and strengthening services for people with IDD and the organizations that support them. 

In her role on ANCOR's Board of Representatives, Lindsay will help ensure that the perspectives and experiences of local providers are represented in national conversations. The Board serves as a vital link between ANCOR's leadership and members across states and regions, fostering engagement, sharing information, and gathering feedback on key issues affecting developmental disability services, including policy priorities and workforce challenges. 

Lindsay's appointment reflects her commitment to leadership, advocacy, and advancing opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We are honored to see her represent DDRC and Colorado on a national stage! 

DDRC Staff Earn Recognition Through NADSP E-Badge Academy 

At DDRC, professional growth never stops, and notably, several staff members recently demonstrated that commitment by earning credentials through the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) E-Badge Academy. 

NADSP is a nationally recognized organization dedicated to strengthening the direct support profession through training in person-centered practices, ethics, professionalism, and quality service delivery. The E-Badge Academy allows Direct Support Professionals (DSP) and Frontline Supervisors (FLS) to build their skills while earning nationally recognized credentials. 

While continuing to provide exceptional support each day, the following dedicated team members went the extra mile to complete their coursework this summer and achieve E-Badges: 

• 🎉DSP-1 Badge: Michael Livote - SLS Counselor 
• 🎉DSP- 2 Badge & DSP 3 (Final): Pilar Puentes - Support Specialist  
• 🎉FLS (Final) Badge: Ryan Monroe - AVS Program Manager  

Badge levels reflect the NADSP E-Badge Academy "stacked" mastery system. DSPs must demonstrate progressive command of 15 National Competency Areas, while Frontline Supervisors must master 11 FLS Competency Areas. For example, to advance through the levels, a Direct Support Professional must submit real-world work testimonials and training hours across competency areas such as Participant Empowerment, Communication, Advocacy, and Crisis. After successfully progressing through the levels, a DSP receives certification. 

Congratulations to these staff members on their accomplishments! We thank them for their dedication to learning, growth, and excellence. Their achievements reflect DDRC's ongoing commitment to providing high-quality services and support to the individuals and families we serve.  

We are incredibly proud to lead Colorado as the first provider in the state officially participating in the NADSP E-Badge Academy. 

Cruising Down Route 66 to Success

Our recent Route 66 Golf Tournament and Online Auction was a full-speed success, bringing our community together for a fun-filled journey of giving and support. 

Like any great road trip, it was powered by many travelers working toward a common destination: a world where people with intellectual and developmental disabilities have opportunities to lead their best lives! 

Our heartfelt thanks to our tournament sponsors whose generous support helped make this event possible, and to the golfers who hit the links, embraced the Route 66 spirit, and made the day both enjoyable and impactful. Supporters near and far took part in the online fundraising auction, bidding on unique items and experiences and helping raise a total of nearly $74,000 through the tournament and auction. We've shown that when we travel the road together, great things happen, fueling our mission for miles to come. 

Missed this year's ride? We'd love to have you along for the journey next year. Keep an eye out for sponsorship, auction, and registration information, which typically starts rolling out in April. 

An Easy Way to Make an Impact

There’s a new way to support DDRC—and you can do it while shopping from the comfort of home! 

Our Amazon Wish List features items requested by a variety of DDRC programs, giving you the opportunity to purchase something that can be put directly to use by the people we serve. From program supplies and activities to everyday essentials, each item helps our teams create meaningful experiences and opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

Simply choose an item from the Wish List, and your gift can be shipped directly to DDRC. Purchases made as donations to DDRC are tax-deductible. 

Thank you for helping to make wishes come true and helping us provide the tools, supplies, and resources our programs need throughout the year. 

Connecting with the Community

DDRC participated in two resource fairs in August, sharing information about our programs and connecting with families, students, educators, and administrators. We joined the fun at the well-attended Back to School Bash, co-hosted by Jefferson County Schools and the Jeffco Schools Foundation, and also participated in the Jeffco Schools Welcome Back Conference, organized by the Jefferson County Schools Special Education Department.  

If your organization is hosting a resource fair or has an opportunity for us to showcase DDRC's impact, please contact Michele.Majeune@ddrcco.com.

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