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In This Issue:

  • Building Belonging All Year Long
  • New Staff Profile: Lauren D'Italia - Child & Family Advocate
  • Talking to Children About Autism - From The Arc U.S.
  • The Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council is Seeking Members
  • Disability Benefits: Free Informational Webinar Series
  • The Colorado Youth Leadership Forum: Delegate Applications Due June 5!
  • See You at Coffee House - Tomorrow!

Build Belonging Every Day

Readers of The Arc in Motion may recall 31 Days of Action - our recent Developmental Disability Awareness Month campaign. This campaign featured activities to help dispel misconceptions about IDD and build belonging in our community and beyond.

Even though March is over, fostering comfort and inclusion for people of all abilities is important year-round!

Out of all 31 actions, our disability etiquette item was the one we received the most feedback on. Certainly, our community knows the importance of interacting with all people in ways that are respectful and considerate. However, almost everyone makes and experiences social snafus from time to time - and that’s OK! Mistakes present teachable moments.

Want a refresher? Here are the 31 Days of Action disability etiquette resources:


And here is more disability etiquette information to review and share:


Let’s keep the spirit of 31 Days of Action alive for the whole year!

Remember, any of the items from our March campaign can be done, anytime! The full month of activities can be found by clicking here.

Let us know you're participating by posting your stories and pictures on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter by using the hashtag: #arcjccgc, or email [email protected].

New Staff Profile: Lauren D'Italia - Child & Family Advocate

We are delighted to introduce you to Lauren D’Italia -The Arc – JCCGC’s newest Child & Family Advocate.

Lauren has dedicated her career to serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities – first as a special education paraprofessional, then many years as a special education teacher and teacher leader, and during the past two years she started on her path as a Child & Family Advocate. She is originally from New York, grew up on Long Island, and was a Special Education teacher in Brooklyn before moving to Colorado about five years ago.
She is passionate about self-determination and empowering people to become effective self-advocates.

“I look forward to continuing to help empower individuals and families to understand their rights and be their own best advocates,” she said. “I want to help teach and provide resources to help support families in reaching positive future outcomes.”

Regarding her role as a Child & Family Advocate for our chapter, Lauren said, “It's important to keep the individuals and families we serve at the center of everything we do. I feel the people and families we serve usually teach me more than I could ever teach them, and I love having a job where I can continue to grow every day, both as a professional and as a human.”

The Arc’s mission and vision align well with Lauren’s values and priorities. She said, “I am super excited to get involved in the outreach work that The Arc of Jefferson, Clear Creek, & Gilpin Counties is doing - both in the community as a whole and in the local school districts … I love that we at The Arc have a community partnership with Porchlight Family Justice Center, and I am looking forward to getting more involved with this work. I have been so impressed with the passion and determination shown by our chapter’s staff so far, and I am so grateful to be part of the team.”

It takes a dedicated person to be a Child & Family Advocate. It is fulfilling to see families feel confident that they have the knowledge to make a positive impact on their children’s futures. Providing resources to help support families in building community connections so their children can live happy and full lives as contributing members of the community is rewarding.

In her spare time, Lauren enjoys outdoor activities including hiking, paddle boarding, camping, and cross-country skiing. “I have two cats that tolerate me, and two dogs - Carl and Linda - that I spend a lot of time with,” she shared. Lauren likes traveling to National Parks, raising house plants, gardening, and birding – she has more than 150 bird species identified on her Colorado Life List.

Welcome to our team, Lauren!

Talking to Children
About Autism -
From The Arc U.S.

The news plays a vital role in shaping public perceptions around IDD and educating people with disabilities and their families on their rights and resources. The Arc U.S. recently shared a story they are proud to be a part of telling.

Five Helpful Tips for Explaining Autism to Kids and Teens, According to Autism-Affirming Experts, the Insider article, includes an interview with Chloe Rothschild, a self-advocate with autism who serves on The Arc U.S.’s Board of Directors.

The most important advice to keep in mind when explaining autism to kids is that it's not a taboo topic, according to the article. Chloe states, "Autism should not be an unspoken, avoided, or 'bad' word." Conversations about autism should happen sooner rather than later.
Here are five strategies, from the article, to start a conversation about autism with your children in a respectful, non-stigmatizing way.

  1. Emphasize the importance of conscious language - it's important to use the right language when talking about autism to positively shape your kids' interactions with people who have autism.
  2. Consider their age - you'll probably need to explain autism differently to a kindergartener than you would to a teen, and that's OK.
  3. Emphasize that everyone has strengths and differences - people with autism thrive with the right accommodations — but they'll struggle without enough support — just like anyone else.
  4. Clear up common misconceptions - in the past, many people defined autism by shortcomings or romanticized it as a gift — think the "people with autism are savants" stereotype.
  5. Do some research first - it's OK if you don't have all the answers. Answering questions honestly, and admitting when you don't know the answer, can inspire some research that helps you and your child develop your understanding.
The Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council is Seeking Members

The Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council’s mission is to advocate for systems change by promoting meaningful person-centered participation, self-determination, and inclusion for all individuals with developmental disabilities.

The Council is seeking self-advocates and parents from across the state of Colorado to join. Council members are people with disabilities, family members of people with disabilities, and representatives of state agencies, non-governmental agencies and private nonprofit groups for people with disabilities.

Interested? Applications to be on the Council starting in the July term should be submitted on or before May 20 to allow time for the agency to review and make their recommendations to the governor. The Council encourages anyone to apply at any time throughout the year. If you miss the May 20 application deadline for this July’s recruitment season, when the Council receives applications, they follow up to see if mid-year appointments can be made and will recommend individuals to the governor. 

For more information about the Council, click here. To apply, click here.

Questions? Contact Vanessa at [email protected]

Disability Benefits Webinar Series

Mondays in May: A Disability Benefits Miniseries is designed to teach people about Benefits and Work, and Benefits Counseling in Colorado. Get your questions answered about how work impacts Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance benefits during this free training series. 

The Colorado Office of Employment First, in partnership with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, is presenting this Benefits and Employment Basics webinar. Information will be provided to answer basic questions about employment and benefits to move forward in employment exploration. Walk away with information and tools to support the pursuit of fully informed choice on the career path.

The final webinar in the series will be led by Melanie Honsbruch, CPWIC. Melanie is a certified benefits counselor and subject matter expert with 20 years of experience providing benefits and employment information in Colorado.

SSI and SSDI Basics and How Work Effects These Benefits
Monday, May 22nd, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
This training will start by deciphering what is SSI and what is SSDI, and how these programs are connected to Medicaid and Medicare. It will then answer the question, “How does work effect my SSI, SSDI, Medicare, and SSI Medicaid benefits?” This training will discuss important resources and tools available in Colorado to support understanding these programs and interactions.

Get more information and register by clicking here.

Training accommodation requests can be submitted through each registration. For questions or alternative registration options, please contact Melanie Honsbruch at [email protected]

The Colorado Youth Leadership Forum:
Youth Delegate Applications Due June 5!

The Colorado Youth Leadership Forum - an innovative conference for Colorado high school juniors, seniors, and people younger than 26 years old with disabilities - is scheduled on June 26 – 30 at Colorado State University.

Youth Delegates are selected to attend the Colorado Youth Leadership Forum based on their leadership potential and skills. Youth Delegate applications are due on June 5.

Students serve as delegates from their communities and are given opportunities to cultivate their potential leadership, citizenship, and social skills. Designed to foster personal growth through self-discovery, The Colorado Youth Leadership Forum provides dynamic, experiential learning opportunities to assist each individual as they identify and embrace their strengths while planning for their future as they prepare for and experience transitions to adulthood. Successful adults with disabilities serve as role models in helping youth realize their ability, right, and obligation to pursue meaningful employment and contribute to society.

The forum is facilitated by The Colorado Statewide Independent Living Council – with an organizational mission to pave the pathways to full participation in communities for people with disabilities and support Colorado’s Centers for Independent Living.

For more information including a Youth Delegate application click here.
Questions? Email: [email protected]
See You at Coffee House - Tomorrow!

Join us at our monthly social gathering. Coffee House is an occasion where everyone is welcome. Come and make new friends, mingle with people of all abilities, and promote inclusion in our community.

TOMORROW: Thursday, May 18: 5:30 to 7:00 p.m,
Panera Bread - 650 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Lakewood

Hope to see you there!