Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council
Legislative and Public Policy Committee
Minutes
Date: October 7, 2014
Mission: The Legislative & Public Policy Committee guides the Council by actualizing the Council’s vision to establish and implement public policy which will further the independence, productivity and integration of people with developmental disabilities by effecting positive system change.
The Committee is guided by all goals and objectives of the Council’s Five-Year Plan for 2012-2016.
The Committee specifically addresses Goal 5, Objective One of the Plan.
Goal 5: Improve the quality of life, and increase real choices for people with disabilities to live in their communities by providing them the resources they need to live a quality inclusive life.
Objective 2: Engage in public policy and advocacy activities that encourage and result in the simplification and coordination of systems and resources for the support of people with developmental disabilities.
Agenda: CLAG Report
Meeting called to order at 11:43 AM
The meeting minutes from June and August were not reviewed because of a lack of a quorum.
Jennifer Corrigan and Zach Lynkiewicz, new employees with the Department of Human Services and Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) respectfully, introduced themselves to the committee.
Zach told the members that the HCPF legislative agenda and budget for the upcoming session would be exciting for CDDC; but until the November elections are completed he could not reveal any details.
Jennifer briefly described her background, dating to 1996, with a concentration in economic security and child welfare, and looks forward to learning a lot more as a legal liaison with HCPF.
Zach touched on the Community Living Advisory Group (CLAG) and the report that was delivered to the Governor’s office on September 30.
A lot of recommendations were put forward, some will be easy to implement, some will be discarded, and others will require systems change.
The intent is to try and create a package of recommendations that will pass legislative scrutiny.
He was confident that CLAG will continue for at least another year.
Jed Zeigenhagen, Deputy Medicaid Director for Long Term Services and Supports, joined the meeting to talk about the impact of the CLAG report.
He pointed out the report contained recommendations to help people needing services. The question was how to implement the changes. The system is complicated.
CLAG was a large undertaking, with many different stakeholders coming to the table. In the end there was a shared culture and vision. The hard work will confront CLAG now, as the report is digested and massaged to arrive at “project points” to get to the next level of “concreteness”.
The Office of Community Living will take a leadership role in promoting the CLAG recommendations; Medicaid will have a meaningful role as well.
It will be imperative to activate individuals within organizations to join the shared vision of CLAG to act on the next steps.
NEXT L&PP MEETING November 4th, 2014 at 11:30 AM CDDC Offices
Meeting Adjourned: 1:06 pm
ACTION: Josh informed the committee that The Denver Post recently posted the Hickenlooper/Beauprez Gubernatorial
forum, in five segments, on their website.
YouTube also has video of the Senatorial debates as well.
Ty Smith offered his services, and position, to help advance the mission of the committee.
Zeigenhagen will email the stakeholders on the next steps in the CLAG recommendation process, after the
Governor has examined the report.
Those in Attendance: Ed George, Ty Smith, Josh Winkler
Staff: Julie Farrar, Lionel Llewellyn
Guests: Jennifer Corrigan, Tyler Deines (GTM), Zach Lynkiewicz, Anaya Robinson, Kathy Schoenbaechler, Jed Zeigenhagen
Absent: Donna Downing, Deon Gillespie, Tim Hudner, Lisa Kramer, Bob Lawhead Mike Hoover, Cynthia Shaffer, Mellisa Umphenour
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