Advocacy Goal
AdvocacyDenver will build the capacity for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and children/youth with disabilities to self-advocate for their full inclusion in the communities and systems of their choice.
Strategy Number 1
AdvocacyDenver will provide individualized advocacy with a focus on system accountability and evidence – based practices.
Action Steps
- AdvocacyDenver staff will maintain skills and knowledge about the different systems (public and private) and the protections of individuals with disabilities.
- AdvocacyDenver will provide one-on-one advocacy to children, youth and adults with disabilities.
- AdvocacyDenver will provide parents, students, youth and adults with information in relation to how to navigate the different systems.
- AdvocacyDenver will promote and support self-advocacy, person centered planning among the individuals and families we serve.
Strategy Number 2
AdvocacyDenver will increase the quality of and accessibility to resources for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and children/youth with disabilities.
Action Steps
- AdvocacyDenver will advocate for continuity of service delivery for individuals involved with different systems.
- AdvocacyDenver will promote appropriate education and training of professionals whose conduct impacts the lives and opportunities of individuals with disabilities.
Strategy Number 3
AdvocacyDenver will actively involve and collaborate with families and community partners.
Action Steps
- AdvocacyDenver will maintain strong relationships with community partners and participate in work groups, on committees and/or advisory groups when appropriate.
- AdvocacyDenver will collaborate, build coalitions and create networks to address broad based and or systemic issues.
- AdvocacyDenver will promote public awareness of the rights, strengths, needs, and interests of people with disabilities and influence policy to improve public and private systems of support and services.
- AdvocacyDenver will participate in and support individuals in intersectional activism to address general inequalities and disparities that affect people with disabilities.
Strategy Number 4
AdvocacyDenver will increase the access and participation of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and children/youth with disabilities with proper accommodations and/or modifications and support in school, employment, and other community settings.
Action Steps
- AdvocacyDenver will promote education and training of people with disabilities on topics of daily living, public policy, community systems, physical health and recreation.
- AdvocacyDenver will promote awareness of individuals with disabilities and their strengths, potential and contribution.
- AdvocacyDenver will support families, youth and adults in navigating school, housing, immigration, medical, mental health, recreation, employment, criminal, legal and other community systems.
- AdvocacyDenver will review, monitor and promote transparent and accountable use federal, state and city (mill levy) income and expenditures.
Legal Systemic Goal
AdvocacyDenver will take appropriate actions to address violations of existing law and to prevent changes to current protections for people with disabilities when such changes constitute violations of law, with an emphasis upon engaging in litigation or taking other appropriate actions to address existing and proposed systemic violations of law.
Strategy Number 1
AdvocacyDenver will identify systemic violations of law adversely impacting people with disabilities and take appropriate actions to address them.
Strategy Number 2
AdvocacyDenver will monitor proposed and actual changes to existing legal protections for people with disabilities and take appropriate actions to address those proposed and actual changes that constitute violations of law.
Action Steps
- AdvocacyDenver will keep abreast of laws that impact people with disabilities and proposed changes to those laws.
- AdvocacyDenver will review patterns of conduct that adversely impact people with disabilities, determine whether those patterns constitute violations of law, and develop a plan to take appropriate actions to address such violations.
- AdvocacyDenver will identify proposals that threaten existing legal protections for people with disabilities, determine whether those proposals would constitute violations of law, and develop a plan to take appropriate actions to address such violations.
- AdvocacyDenver will build coalitions and create networks with other organizations at the local, state, and national level and collaborate with them to take appropriate actions to address systemic violations of existing law and to address proposals that would threaten existing legal protections for people with disabilities and constitute violations of law.
Policy Making Goal
AdvocacyDenver will actively lobby for national, state and local policy that advances best practices and the human/civil rights of individuals with disabilities and/or against policy that compromises those rights.
Strategy Number 1
AdvocacyDenver will build our base at the capital of grass roots advocacy at national, state and local level to include self-advocates and families.
Action Steps
- AdvocacyDenver will facilitate educational seminars, with tips on testifying and/or “Telling your own story”.
- AdvocacyDenver will collaborate, build coalitions and create networks to address broad based and/or systemic issues, lobby for public law.
- AdvocacyDenver will build base of self-advocates, parents and community to forward/ testify in favor or opposition of local, state or national policy.
- AdvocacyDenver will enhance public awareness of the rights, strengths, needs, and interests of individuals with disabilities and their potential and contribution and advocate in a bipartisan manner for public policies that address their needs.
Strategy Number 2
AdvocacyDenver will keep abreast of current proposed policies, policy amendments and rulemaking in relation to national, state and local policies that impact people with disabilities.
Action Steps
- AdvocacyDenver will follow how laws, regulations, and policies are crafted and carried out.
- AdvocacyDenver will influence any changes in regulations through the public comment process as well as monitoring how the state and federal government implements, monitors, and enforces relevant federal activities.
- AdvocacyDenver will provide legislative updates, call to action (Action Alerts) highlighting key polices, bills, amendments and/or rules that directly affecting the community of individuals with disabilities.
- AdvocacyDenver will monitor how the state and federal government implements, monitors, and enforces relevant state and federal activities.