PLEASE NOTE: To give vistors the best experince possible, Parent to Parent’s resource pages are under construction. New updates and a better organization of these resources will be coming soon. Thank you for your patience.

• Medicaid/Waivers/Financial: Colorado has a number of benefits for children and adults with disabilities.

  • Medicaid Programs for Children:

    • General information/application for Health First Colorado (Medicaid)
    • HCBS Waiver programs provide additional Health First Colorado benefits to specific populations who meet special eligibility criteria. View a list of children’s Medicaid waivers and comparison charts
    • See if your child qualifies for The Health First Colorado Buy-In Program for Children with Disabilities and learn how to apply here

• • Medicaid Programs for Adults:

    • View a list of adult Medicaid waivers and comparison charts
    • The Health First Colorado Buy-In Program for Working Adults with Disabilities lets adults with a disability who qualify to “buy-into” Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid Program
    • If you need assistance applying for a Medicaid waiver or appealing a decision, Family Voices Colorado can help

• • Other Medical and Financial Benefits:

    • • Case Management Agencies assist individuals and families with accessing necessary services and supports to meet their needs. Find the Case Management Agency (formerly known as Community-Centered Boards, or CCBs) for your county, here
      • A Program Approved Service Agency (PASA) is an agency that has been approved to provide direct community-based services to individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities approved for Medicaid waiver services
      • Consumer-Directed Attendant Support Services (CDASS) lets you direct and manage the attendants who provide your personal care, homemaker, and health maintenance services
      • Non-Emergent Medical Transportation and Mileage Reimbursement for Medicaid patients
      • If your disabled child has Medicaid, you may qualify to get paid as their Parent CNA or as their Personal Care Attendant through In-Home Support Services (IHSS)
      • Adult Financial Programs
      • Social Security Income (SSI)/Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Explanation of SSI and SSDI and links to the Social Security Administration’s website
      • Assistance applying for SSI/SSDI (more help here)
        
      • Eight Common Myths About Social Security Benefits Video Series | Kennedy Krieger Institute
      • SSI Redetermination at age 18
      • Benefits counseling services for SSDI and SSI beneficiaries

• Education

  • PEAK Parent Center provides training, information and technical assistance to equip families of children birth through 26 including all disability labels with strategies to advocate successfully for their children
  • Show and Tell focuses on reaching underserved parents of children with disabilities, including those in particular areas, with low incomes, or with limited English proficiency
  • El Grupo VIDA is a network of Hispanic/Latino parents formed to provide mutual support for people with disabilities or special needs, their parents, family, and guardians
  • Early Intervention Colorado program provides developmental supports and services to families with children birth through 2 years of age who have developmental needs
  • Child Find for children ages 3 through 5 years old is part of the public school system in Colorado to identify children suspected of having a delay in development as early as possible
  • The Arc of Colorado provides educational advocates and parent resources. Find your local chapter here
  • What advocacy is and what an education advocate does
  • The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation provides a wide variety of individualized services for people with disabilities. These services may allow individuals to reach their employment goals and live independently

• Legal: If you are seeking disability-related legal advice or representation, the following organizations may be able to help.

  • Disability Law Colorado is the Protection & Advocacy System for Colorado. They work to protect disability rights and improve the human, civil, and legal rights of Coloradans through legal representation, advocacy, and education.
  • Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition can help with employment discrimination/accommodations, housing, and some Medicaid-related issues

• Advocacy/Policy: Stay up to date on policies, rules + issues impacting the disability community and/or find ways to help affect change.

  • Stay Informed

    • Find My Legislator search engine  
    • Colorado Bill Tracker
    • Federal Bill Tracker
    • CO Legislative Live Feed

• • Create Change: Testify, join a board or committee, or participate in stakeholder meetings

    • Advanced Advocacy Tool Kit from Speak Up For Kids
    • Details on participating in Legislative Hearings here
    • Colorado Center on Law + Policy (CCLP) is a nonprofit research, legislative and legal advocacy organization
    • Colorado Special Education Advisory Committee (CSEAC) actively represents children/youth with disabilities to enhance the quality of educational services
    • State Advisory Council for Parent Involvement in Education (SACPIE) recommends to policy makers and educators strategies to increase parent involvement in public education
    • Colorado Cross Disability Coalition (CCDC) advocates to ensure Colorado’s laws and policies meet the needs of Coloradans with disabilities
    • Colorado Department of Health Care Policy + Financing (HCPF) oversees and operates Colorado’s Medicaid program, Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+), and other public health care programs
    • Mental Health Colorado Advocacy Toolkit includes a step-by-step guide on how a bill becomes a law and more

• Support Groups

  • Support Groups Colorado 2024
  • P2P Support Group Calendar (Coming soon)

• Mental Health: There are a number of state and national organizations and hotlines that can help provide crisis or routine mental health assistance.

  • If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis and needs immediate assistance:

    • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
    • Colorado Crisis Services: 1-844-493-TALK (8255) or text “TALK” to 38255
    • Lifeline for Attempt Survivors

• • Suicide Prevention:

    • American Foundation for Suicide Prevention-Colorado Chapter
    • The Second Wind Fund provides funding and connects youth up to age 19 who are at risk of suicide with mental health treatment

• • General Mental Health Resources and Organizations:

    • Free Virtual Counseling for Colorado Youth: I Matter Colorado
    • Mental Health Colorado: Policy work, mental health toolkits and more.
    • National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) Colorado: Mental health education and peer support
    • My Life is Worth Living: An animated series on teen mental health with parent guides
    • Seize the Awkward: Tips for having conversations about mental health
    • Now Matters Now: Free virtual group meetings and training
    • Online Mental Health Screenings
    • Colorado Behavioral Health Administration
    • Community Behavioral Health Programs for Adults
    • The Colorado Pediatric Psychiatry Consultation & Access Program (CoPPCAP) provides direct consultation provided to pediatric care providers by licensed child & adolescent psychiatrists, psychologists, and specialized community resource navigators

• • Resources for parents of young children:

    • Gizmo’s Pawesome Guide to Mental Health
    • Mental Health Book Recommendations by topic/age from the CO Department of Early Childhood
    • Colorado Early Childhood Mental Health Support Line

• Respite: Caring for a child or adult with disabilities or special healthcare needs can be exhausting. If you need a break and/or need help finding care for your child, the following organizations are a great place to start.

  • Colorado Respite Coalition, a program of Easterseals Colorado, helps connect families with respite care and caregiving resources
  • Easterseals Colorado also offers a variety of camps and day programs for youth and adults with disabilities

• Housing: If you need help figuring out housing for your adult child, check out the following resources.

  • Disabled World Housing Resources
  • Colorado Statewide Independent Living Council: Engages in education and policy work to promote independent housing
  • Colorado Housing Voucher Programs
  • Inclusive Housing Coalition: A collective voice for neuro-inclusive and affordable housing in CO

• Transition/Adult Services: Planning for your child or young adult’s future is complicated, but there are many resources out there to help.

  • Atlantis Community Services
  • The Arc’s Center for Future Planning
  • Guardianship Alliance of Colorado has information and training available related to the guardianship process
  • Supported Decision Making is a tool that can be used in place of, or in addition to guardianship. See more here and here
  • Social Security Benefits Planner
  • Long-Term Services and Supports/Adult Medicaid Waivers

   

• Support for Spanish-Speakers

  • El Grupo VIDA
  • MIEL Organization
  • Amigos de Mexico Colorado
  • Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition

Disclaimer: Your knowledge of your child’s needs is critical to determining appropriate programs or services. At Parent to Parent we trust that you will take the time to evaluate the information provided, ask more questions if needed, and ultimately decide what is appropriate for your family situation. An opinion by posters or links contained on our resource pages or to any specific product, service, therapy or company does not constitute a recommendation by Parent to Parent of Colorado. Information/advice in this document should not be substituted for professional consultation.