(Image: Colorado Lt. Govorner Diane Primavera and members of the community gather around to sign the bill creating the Colorado Disability Opportunity Office.)
As a Center for Independent Living (CIL), our core mission is to provide direct, person-centered services to people with disabilities. At the same time, we play a vital role in advocating for systemic change through connection and collaboration. By building partnerships with organizations, government agencies, and state-level offices, we work to ensure that the voices and needs of people with disabilities are heard, understood, and addressed.
This dual approach—combining individualized support with systemic advocacy—allows CPWD to have a far-reaching impact. Whether working directly with individuals or collaborating to shape policies and programs, we remain committed to the Independent Living (IL) philosophy: empowering people with disabilities to make informed choices for their own lives and achieve independence. Our systems work educates and informs policymakers, funders, and others about the need and importance of programs and funds that will fuel the services and benefits that enable people with disabilities to live independent and fulfilling lives.
A Collaborative Approach to Independent Living

CPWD’s Community Organizer Craig Towler and Boulder County Clerk and Recorder Molly Fitzpatrick stand in front of the earl voting sign at CPWD’s Boulder office.
Collaboration is one way we share the importance of independent living to strengthen broader disability services and systems on city, county, state, and federal levels. For example, for the past few years, we have partnered with Boulder County to improve accessible voting and hosted an early voting station at our Boulder office. The result was fully inclusive, fully accessible voting, including trained staff and a welcoming space for individuals with disabilities to exercise their right to vote independently and confidently.
Another powerful example of collaboration was our meeting with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE), legislators, and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) in December 2024. This meeting provided a platform for CPWD to educate key decision-makers about the Independent Living model and share our impact as a Center for Independent Living.
We discussed critical topics such as the state budget, funding challenges for Medicaid and disability services, and systemic barriers that disproportionately impact people with disabilities. Specific challenges were highlighted, including the lack of affordable housing, transportation, and employment opportunities. CPWD emphasized the importance of prioritizing person-centered approaches and addressing inequities across the state. This meeting not only reinforced CPWD’s role as a leader in the disability services field but also allowed us to influence policies that directly affect the communities we serve. Without these collaborations, state and local offices may not have the understanding and insight about how critical their funding and our programs are to people with disabilities, and the real impact they make in individual lives.
Transforming Policy Through Legislative Advocacy
CPWD’s collaboration with policymakers and the disability community led to several legislative victories in 2024:
- Establishment of the Colorado Disability Opportunity Office (CDOO): The signing of HB24-1360 created a vital resource aimed at expanding opportunities and dismantling barriers for individuals with disabilities. CDOO is now charged with identifying key areas where funding and services for people with disabilities are needed and then soliciting proposals from providers such as CPWD to provide services to address those needs.
- Advancements in Accessibility: Legislative measures improved motor vehicle access, introduced long-term care presumptive eligibility, and enhanced prescription drug label accessibility.
- Protection of Vulnerable Road Users: The passage of SB24-065 addressed the safe use of mobile electronic devices, safeguarding individuals with disabilities among other road users.
At the federal level, CPWD contributed to the introduction of transformative bills:
- Universal Design Tax Incentive Act: This act encourages businesses and developers to integrate inclusive design principles, fostering accessibility from the outset.
- Social Security Claims Processing Improvement Act: The proposed solutions aim to streamline claims handling, ensuring timely access to benefits for individuals with disabilities.
Empowering Accessible Elections
In partnership with Boulder and Broomfield Counties, CPWD led comprehensive election judge training sessions. These sessions equipped officials with the knowledge and tools to support voters with disabilities effectively, emphasizing accessibility and disability etiquette.
During Disability Voting Rights Week (DVRW), our work reached a meaningful milestone, with official proclamations issued at local, citywide, and statewide levels to recognize the week. This recognition highlighted the importance of accessible voting and created a powerful moment of empowerment, encouraging individuals with disabilities to fully participate in the democratic process and have their voices heard. Prior, a disproportionate percentage of people with disabilities chose not to vote because the accessibility barriers to voting without accommodations or assistance were too great.
Listening Tour: Amplifying Local Voices

Members of CPWD staff, consumers, and community members participate in CCDC’s Listening Tour.
In 2024, the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition conducted a Listening Tour, visiting communities across the state, including Boulder, Longmont, Pueblo, Steamboat Springs, and rural areas like Craig, Meeker, and Paonia. By engaging in smaller, more focused conversations, we gained deeper insights into the unique challenges each community faces and how Centers for Independent Living and other organizations can better address them.
Key themes emerged:
- Communication Gaps: Many communities highlighted confusion over state-level program changes, emphasizing the need for clearer, more personalized communication and more in-person dialogue.
- Provider Shortages: A lack of providers serving Medicaid clients affects both medical and long-term care services, compounding access issues.
- Transportation and Isolation: Rural areas reported severe transit challenges, leaving many people isolated and unable to access jobs or social opportunities.
- Affordable Housing: High housing costs and long public housing waitlists are significant barriers for individuals surviving on SSI or SSDI.
Despite these challenges, there were bright spots: CPWD was praised for its trained advocates, benefits counseling, and fully accessible polling places, including our early voting station in Boulder. The Speaking for Ourselves group in Delta showcased resilience in self-advocacy, and community hubs like the Learning Council in Paonia provided models of inclusion and connection.
Bridging Local and Systemic Perspectives
CPWD’s collaborative work is not just about influencing systemic change; it’s also about advocating for the voices of people with disabilities; to get them heard and respected. By engaging with state-level departments like CDLE, we help shape policies that reflect the lived experiences of people with disabilities. At the same time, we bring back impactful insights and updates to the individuals we serve, fostering a continuous exchange of information and ideas in service of independent living.
This two-way communication supports the independent living principles to remain at the forefront of disability services, even as policymakers grapple with efficiency metrics and budgets. CPWD will continue to remind decision-makers of the value of independent living’s person-centered approach to services, versus one-size-fits-all solutions that, while more easily measurable, are less effective for people with disabilities.
Moving Forward
We believe that every person deserves the opportunity to live a life of dignity, independence, choice, and connection. But creating that future isn’t something we can do alone. It’s built through the small, powerful moments of collaboration—when a person casts their vote independently for the first time at our accessible polling station; when a peer support group eases someone’s loneliness; or when a policymaker in a meeting truly hears the voices of people with disabilities and decides to take action.
Each connection we foster, each story we amplify, and each barrier we remove brings us closer to a world where independence is not just a concept, but a lived reality for everyone. These are not just services, collaborations, or policies; they’re acts of hope and empowerment, woven together by our shared belief in the power of community.
As we move forward, our commitment remains steadfast. Whether it’s through direct services, bold advocacy, or meaningful partnerships, CPWD will continue to stand alongside the people we serve, working hand in hand to create a more inclusive world. Together, one conversation, one collaboration, and one small victory at a time, we’ll reshape systems, build bridges, and transform lives.
To learn more about our Systems Advocacy, visit this page and sign up here to receive updates.