About CCDC

A picture of the CCDC Staff and Board Members in a conference room

CCDC: Disability Rights Colorado

CCDC is Colorado’s only statewide organization run by and for people with all types of disabilities. Members consist of people with disabilities and their non-disabled allies (coworkers, employers, family members, neighbors), working together to support disability rights. Cross-disability means our members have all types of disabilities. We have the most power if all disability groups work together for our common good.

CCDC’s Mission is to promote social justice and create systems change for people with all types of disabilities.

We accomplish our mission by changing systems. We use various strategies such as organizing, advocacy, education, and systemic change to advance our mission.

History: CCDC your advocates for disability rights

CCDC was founded in 1990 by a dedicated group of disability activists. CCDC is unique and a powerful voice advocating for fundamental civil and human rights for people with disabilities. Our work benefits all 500,000 disabled Colorado residents. Our members choose the issues.

Founded to ensure implementation of the ADA, health care issues soon became paramount. Both healthcare and ADA implementation initiatives have grown over the years. We began with primary education about the ADA and now house our successful and unique legal program. We started with statewide health care hearings in the early 1990’s, and are now a central voice in health care policy for our community.

We played an influential role in our Medicaid agency to ensure that necessary budget cuts spared those most vulnerable. We made numerous sustainable improvements regarding access in Colorado. Examples include the State Capitol, Red Rocks Amphitheater; Landmark Theaters and the Regional Transportation District. We have improved and expanded the state Medicaid program. Examples include forcing a continuation of de-institutionalization programs; consumer-directed care, and continuation of a highly respected disability advisory committee within the Department.

We take pride that our initiatives have saved the taxpayers millions of dollars while benefiting our members. Since 1990, we have been the sole organization uniting people with all types of disabilities across Colorado, run exclusively by people with disabilities.