An Interview by Paul Baumann

For this issue of Policy Perspective, I had a conversation with Senator Judy Amabile (D-Boulder), a member of the Colorado General Assembly Joint Budget Committee (JBC). A primary responsibility of the JBC is to prepare the state’s budget for consideration by the Colorado House and Senate. Since the state is facing a budget shortfall of over $1 billion, the JBC will be making numerous budget cuts, including significant cuts to Medicaid. Senator Amabile and I focused our conversation on this issue of importance for Colorado’s disability community.

We have heard that significant cuts to Medicaid in Colorado are necessary and cannot be avoided. Can you please help us understand why this is the case?

We have a situation where Medicaid costs are growing a lot faster than our population plus inflation. It’s growing too fast for us to keep up without surpassing TABOR caps and crowding out everything else. “If we don’t do something, within a few years Medicaid costs will crowd out everything else in the budget.”

Colorado has expanded Medicaid benefits beyond what some other states do, and these expanded benefits are beyond what we can cover. For example, we pay family caregivers. Few states do this, and it results in fewer providers available through agencies in our state. Family caregivers may be better for many individuals, but we also need a provider network for people without family caregivers available to them.

Overall, we are not cutting people off from Medicaid, we are “just slowing growth… but to families, that’s a distinction without a difference.”

What are your priorities for Medicaid budget cuts? What should be preserved? Why?

I want to be sure “that we are spreading cuts across recipients… not all directed at one group.” It’s also important to me to make cuts “in a way that allows people to get the services they need to keep their kids healthy.”

I am particularly concerned about maintaining “robust mental health care” as a part of Medicaid. “I don’t want to go back to how it was, even 5 years ago.”

Would you please expand on that?

“There are smarter ways” for Colorado to go about providing mental health services. Right now, the state has mental health programs for teachers, for police, for children, for all these groups, and they all operate independently. I’d like for us to set up a “mental health system that serves all groups.” Take a look at other medical specialties, like cancer care. “There’s no cancer care that is only for the police, or children, or anyone else… Cancer care is cancer care.” We need that for mental health.

Mental health also has “parity problems” with other healthcare areas, even though the law says that reimbursement for mental health and substance use treatment services must be treated equally to physical health services.

We also have to be sure that we are spending Medicaid dollars effectively. For example, “talk therapy is often considered something that anyone can do. That’s not true.” Talk therapy requires deep expertise. “Not everyone can do it.” We need to recognize that when funding mental health services within Medicaid.

What would you like to say to an individual or family who faces uncertainty because of these cuts? How can they ensure their voices get heard in the budget process?

We need a plan from the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF)—and a plan for a rollout. Announcing cuts day by day does not work. Families need time to be able to plan and “make adjustments… My heart breaks for these families.” They need some level of certainty.

We appreciate families showing up at hearings. “They make a difference.” So does meeting with legislators in person. Legislators and their staff are genuinely feeling for these families.

How can Colorado protect the long-term stability of Medicaid? Has HCPF presented a plan and are you satisfied with that plan?

We have seen “pieces of a plan” from HCPF, “but that’s not a plan… They are looking at different ways to roll things out.”

Members of the JBC “are trying to be thoughtful about what we are doing.” So is HCPF. “We are listening. We are hearing. We are making adjustments. At the end of the day, it is hard. It’s going to hurt.”

I appreciate the disability rights groups that have come to the table. They have helped us identify which cuts would be most harmful, and which would be less harmful.

What would you like to see as part of a Medicaid sustainability plan from HCPF?

I would like to see Colorado consider “utilization management tools” that help us control costs for the rest of the Medicaid population. An example of this could be a copay for certain types of services. This would encourage choices that save costs. For instance, a $10 copay for emergency room visits would likely encourage people to see a doctor in their office prior to needing an emergency room visit. That’s a significant cost savings. “We’re not doing that in Medicaid. We need to be creative.”

I would like to consider reorganizing HCPF, the Department of Human Services, and several other offices to promote efficiencies and less “siloing.” These departments all work independently but often on very similar concerns for clients. Better coordination would ensure efficiency where it is possible, which would bring about better care. “It’s not organized in the best way possible.”

Yes, there’s administrative bloat, fraud, abuse. We’re working on addressing these, which will bring some savings. But these savings alone “won’t bend the curve” enough to solve the shortfall we face.

As these and other bills move forward, a key part of committee hearings is public testimony. We encourage you to provide testimony for bills that are important to you. Look here to sign up to testify in person, remotely, or in writing.

Policy Perspective is a publication of ADVOCACYDENVER. If you have any questions, please contact Paul Baumann, Policy Outreach Specialist, at pbaumann@advocacydenver.org or 303.974.2535.

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Each year, the Colorado Legislature meets for a 120-day session to revise and create laws and to develop and adopt an annual budget for the state. Monday, March 16 marked the 60th day of the 2026 legislative session.

In this issue of The Policy Perspective, I want to share with you some of the current policy developments that are happening in our state legislature. Below you will find several mid-session highlights on several key issues that impact Colorado’s disability community.

2026-2027 Budget

Colorado faces a significant budget shortfall of nearly $1 billion for 2026-2027. Because of requirements in Colorado’s constitution, the legislature must approve a balanced budget and may not raise taxes without voter approval. As a result, the legislature will be making cuts this year and is severely limiting new spending.

Currently, the most significant proposed cuts to the state’s budget are directed at Medicaid.

Several disability community-serving organizations have released a Community Guide that contains recommendations for Medicaid spending in Colorado for 2026-2027. The Guide provides discussion of how budget changes will impact people with disabilities, families, and providers.

As budget discussions move forward in the legislature, ADVOCACYDENVER encourages you to make sure that your voice is heard in the budget process by writing or calling your state senators and representatives. Tell your story of how budget decisions will impact your life. To find the names and contact information for your state legislators, look here.

Senate and House Bills

ADVOCACYDENVER has been following and is in strong support of the following bills:

HB 26-1040 The Sterilization Rights of a Person with Intellectual and Developmental Disibilities

Colorado is one of only two states that allows forced sterilization of people with disabilities. This legislation would end this practice except in cases where there is an imminent threat to the individual’s life and health. This bill has passed the House and the Senate and should be sent to the Governor for signature in the near future.

HB26-1141 Discriminatory Practices in Public Schools

HB26-1141 institutes Title IV and Title VI of the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 into state law. In doing so, the law creates mechanisms for enforcement of civil rights protections at the state level.

This bill has been passed by the House Education Committee and is waiting to be heard by the House Finance Committee before consideration by the entire House.

HB26-1043 Transportation Network Company Discriminatory Practices

This bill would strengthen accountability and reporting for consumers’ complaints of discrimination when using transportation network companies, such as Uber and Lyft. These companies would be required to include on their apps a place where consumers can report complaints when they are denied a pickup by a driver. Companies then must provide monthly reports of these complaints to the state, with all personal information removed. The state may also fine companies should they discriminate against people with disabilities or fail to submit monthly reports.

This bill has passed committee and is waiting to be brought to the floor for consideration by the House.

HB26-1045 Disability Housing Protections

HB26-1045 would put protections into state law for renters who have service animals, including both assistance animals and emotional support animals. While such protections have previously existed at the federal level, this law would permit the state to enforce these protections.

This bill has passed the House and is waiting to be heard by the Senate Committee on Local Government & Housing.

HB26-1147 Host Home for People with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities

HB26-1147 requires the state to create a database containing information about host homes and their service agencies. The database must be made available and accessible by host home providers, service agencies, and those looking for host homes. The bill requires HCPF to allow for submission of complaints on its website and to establish a process for tracking each complaint and its resolution.

This bill was passed by the House Health & Human Services Committee and is waiting to be heard by the House Appropriations Committee before moving to the full House.

SB26-125 Disability Rights Protections in Public Schools

SB26-125 puts federal laws relating to disability rights protections into state law. Specifically, SB26-125 incorporates Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the American with Disabilities Act. In doing so, the law requires mediation efforts at the local level prior to enforcement by the State Department of Education.

This bill has been passed by the Senate Education Committee and is waiting to be heard by the Senate Appropriations Committee before consideration by the full Senate.

As these and other bills move forward, a key part of committee hearings is public testimony. We encourage you to provide testimony for bills that are important to you. Look here to sign up to testify in person, remotely, or in writing.

Since joining ADVOCACYDENVER last September, I have spent much of my time tracking national, state, and local policy developments, especially those that are important to the disability community. I am thrilled to get do this work every day and see my role with ADVOCACYDENVER as a natural “next step” in my 30+ year career in education and state policy. As a parent of a child with a disability, I also have a personal commitment to the work that extends well beyond that of a “job.”

Policy Perspective is a publication of ADVOCACYDENVER. If you have any questions, please contact Paul Baumann, Policy Outreach Specialist, at pbaumann@advocacydenver.org or 303.974.2535.

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There are several dispute resolution options available to parents – one of which is a due process complaint. In this video, you will learn the basic mechanics behind the due process complaint.

También puedes ver esta presentación en español.

Download a PDF of this Presentation

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Existen varias opciones para la resolución de conflictos a disposición de los padres, una de las cuales es la queja por incumplimiento del debido proceso. En este video, aprenderá los aspectos básicos de este tipo de queja.

You can also view this webinar in English.

Descargue un PDF de esta presentación

The post Cómo Manejar las Quesjas de Debido Proceso appeared first on AdvocacyDenver.

from the desk of Pamela Bisceglia, Executive Director

November 29, 2025, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Public Law 94-142 Education for all Handicapped Children Act and reauthorized in 1990 and 2004 as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. May 12, 2025, ADVOCACYDENVER celebrated our 71st anniversary. The Denver County Chapter was established in 1954, by parents to address the lack of access for children with disabilities to public education.

We stand on the shoulders of the parents before us.

My journey: I am the parent of a child who was identified as having a disability at birth. My daughter was premature; her health was fragile. I took life one day at a time, I did not think about or plan for her future because I wasn’t sure if she would be with me tomorrow. 

When my daughter was about two years old, a friend invited me to have lunch at her home. For the first time I left my daughter under the care of a grandparent. When I arrived for lunch, there were several other guests, but my friend said, “I want you to meet June. You and her have a lot in common.”  I looked at this woman, many years my senior, but soon learned what we had in common was we were both parents of children with disabilities. 

As we talked, I had reason to wonder out loud what school would look like for my child. She said your child will have every opportunity because of parents like me. She remembered when her son was young, he attended kindergarten at a Denver Public School. The next year, on the first day of school he insisted that he walk to school with the other children in the neighborhood. She watched as he walked down the path of their house, pencil box in one hand and writing tablet in the other. Each day at the evening meal he would talk about school; the teacher said this, a boy did this, a girl did that; today we learned…  He was excited about his learning. 

About two weeks into the school year his mom saw him walk up the path to the house. He had his writing tablet in one hand, but she noticed he had his pencil box in his other hand. This puzzled her because the pencil box always remained in his desk at school. When he walked through the door, she noticed a note pinned to the collar of his shirt. The note said “We have determined that your child cannot be educated. You will need to make other arrangements for him.”  The note was signed by the principal. She was outraged. 

She and her husband went to the school the next day and met with the principal. The principal said it is obvious that your child is an “imbecile” and as principal of this school, I have the authority to refuse enrollment. The parents reached out to district leadership, the Colorado Department of Education and everyone stood firm supporting the principal and the school district’s decision. The year was 1954, and in 1954, children with disabilities did not have a right to a public education.

June joined the movement and lobbied first at a local level and then at a national level for policy that would afford her child, and all children with disabilities, a public education. In today’s history classes educators teach our children the important history of the Civil Rights movement/demonstrations in the 50s and in particular the 60s. Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. were leaders who led the community forwarding change. Because parents saw these leaders discussing civil rights, they recognized their own permission to talk about the human rights of their children with disabilities. 

 Public Law 94-142 Education for all Handicapped Children Act was passed in 1975. For the parents who stood firm in the 50s and 60s, their children were too old to go to school, but nevertheless they took pride in the fact that they had opened the door to public education for future generations of children with disabilities.

We stand on the shoulders of the parents who advocated, lobbied and brought litigation to demand that all children be provided a public education. 

 We stand on the shoulders of the generation of parents and educators who brought our children out of separate classrooms in the basements of public schools and into mainstream classrooms. 

We stand with the parents, teachers and educational leaders who refuse to compromise the promise made to our children 5 decades ago, the promise of a free appropriate public education. 

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More than 8 million students with disabilities are served by our nation’s public schools. Since its creation in 1980, the U.S. Department of Education has provided expertise, funding, and enforcement for federal laws that provide protections and services for students with disabilities.

These laws, including Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), initially passed in 1975, established civil rights protections for students with disabilities and put in place procedures and safeguards to ensure that each of these students has access to an education tailored to their specific needs.

Recent actions taken by the federal government are a direct threat to federal ability to carry out both Section 504 and IDEA. These actions include:

• The elimination of entire departments that oversee special education. Without the staff of these departments, few, if any, experts in special education remain in the federal government.
• Proposals of reassigning special education to the Department of Health and Human Services(HHS). HHS is not an appropriate placement for special education oversight. HHS is equipped to cure disease, not to educate. We demand that the oversight of special education remain with the Department of Education.

If carried out, these actions would irreparably harm the students with disabilities who benefit from these laws.

A group of national organizations, including The Arc of the United States, are collaborating in efforts to preserve federal protections for students with disabilities. ADVOCACYDENVER is supporting this effort and encourages you to do so as well. A group of national organizations, including The Arc of the United States, are collaborating in efforts to preserve federal protections for students with disabilities. ADVOCACYDENVER is supporting this effort and encourages you to do so as well.

What Can You Do?

• Contact your members of Congress and ask for the complete rehiring of special education staffing at the Department of Education and oppose any efforts to move federal oversight of special education to HHS. The Arc U.S. provides this webpage that easily allows you to do this. 
• Inform yourself and take action. Collaborating organizations hosted a Town Hall on this issue on November 4, which you can watch here. They have also created a toolkit that contains position statements from participating organizations and other steps parents, educators, and other advocacy organizations can take to support this effort, including contacting other elected officials. 
• Spread the word. Tell others about what’s happening to federal support for special education and ask them to join you in this effort. Share this newsletter with others as well. If you use social media, consider posting about this issue.

“For 50 years, IDEA has had strong bipartisan support, and we are counting on Congress to ensure these firings are reversed. If not, the firings will have a devastating impact on babies, toddlers, and all children with disabilities, as well as on adults with disabilities who depend on these offices for employment supports. We must act now  to reverse these harmful firings!” — National Downs Syndrome Congress

Policy Perspective is a publication of ADVOCACYDENVER. If you have any questions, please contact Paul Baumann, Policy Outreach Specialist, at pbaumann@advocacydenver.org or 303.974.2535.

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Due to the continued federal government shutdown, people who rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants and Children program (WIC) may not receive their full food benefits starting on November 1, 2025.

Nationally, SNAP feeds more than 4 million people with disabilities. WIC provides necessary nutrition for young children that supports their healthy development and growth. Even short disruptions to these benefits can be very harmful for both of these groups.

In this issue of the Policy Perspective:

• Find out how Colorado and the City and County of Denver are addressing this crisis.
• Learn about food resources that are available. 
• Learn how to engage your members of Congress to encourage them to restore funding for SNAP and WIC as soon as possible.

What are Colorado and Denver doing to address this crisis?

Governor Polis has proposed using $10 million in General Fund revenue to support food banks and pantries, and $7.5 million for WIC. These funds are sufficient to supplement SNAP benefits for six weeks and WIC for four weeks.

Colorado and Denver both have websites through which users can search for food resources. 

• Denver – Food Assistance 
• Colorado – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

What food resources are available while SNAP and WIC are paused?

Several websites allow you to search for available food resources that are close to you. You will need to either enter your zip code or address to see what is available close to you. Several of these also allow you to filter your search for organizations that deliver to your home, should you need this service. You can also find organizations that will help with specialized dietary needs or offer specific types of resources, such as a food bank, a meal service, or emergency food support. 

• Feeding Colorado
• Hunger Free Colorado
• Food Bank of the Rockies
• FoodFinder
• Find Help

Contact your members of Congress to request that they restore funding for SNAP and WIC as soon as possible.  

Congress has the power to prevent this crisis. Send a message now urging them to take action today to protect food assistance programs before it’s too late 

How to contact your members of Congress!

Policy Perspective is a publication of ADVOCACYDENVER. If you have any questions, please contact Paul Baumann, Policy Outreach Specialist, at pbaumann@advocacydenver.org or 303.974.2535.

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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act are two very important laws protecting students in the public-school setting. In this webinar, you will learn about differences between the two laws and how they apply to students with disabilities.

También puedes ver esta presentación en español.

Download a PDF of this Presentation

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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (Ley de Educación para Individuos con Discapacidades) y la Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Sección 504 de la Ley de Rehabilitación) son dos leyes muy importantes que protegen a los estudiantes en el entorno de la escuela pública. En este webinario aprenderás sobre las diferencias entre ambas leyes y cómo se aplican al alumnado con discapacidades.

You can also view this webinar in English.

Descargue un PDF de esta presentación

The post Ley de Educación para Individuos con Discapacidades y la Section 504 appeared first on AdvocacyDenver.

Disputes are often resolved by discussing concerns with your school team, but sometimes you need to know other ways to resolve differences.  In this webinar you learn about the different options available to parents for resolving disagreements over their student’s education services.

También puedes ver esta presentación en español.

Download a PDF of this Presentation

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