A Brief History of Services for People With Developmental Disabilities in Colorado –

A Brief History of Services for People With Developmental Disabilities in Colorado –
And a Glimpse at the Future

Late 1800s – early 1900s
The Birth of Institutions
1883 - The Colorado Insane Asylum (later named Colorado State Hospital) admits its first patients
1904-05 – Bills are introduced to appropriate money for an institution but fail
1909 - Bill passed to open institution in Wheat Ridge

1910s
Legal Segregation
1912 – Colorado State Home for Mental Deficiencies opened with 46 “inmates” in Wheat Ridge
1912 – A law passed preventing marriage for “feebleminded” and allowed segregation in an institution for life, or at least until during reproductive ages
1913 – Statement issued: “Owing to heredity of defectiveness, it is very important to permanently commit the feeble minded to institutions, preventing the increase in this class of person”

1920s – 1930s
Children Institutionalized
1920 – Institution in Grand Junction opened
1933 – Statement issued: “Mental Defective child does not have the same sense of morality or decency as a normal child and cannot be taught these”
1935 – Statement issued: “Mentally Defective Children are a menace to society and normal people should be protected from them”

1940s – 1950s
Institutes Grow
1940 – 700 people at Wheat Ridge and Grand Junction institutions
1950 – Parents of children in institutions legally bound to pay $35 per month for care of child and to furnish clothing
1956 – 1,112 people at Wheat Ridge and Grand Junction institutions

1960s
Things Start To Change
1961 – Jefferson County opened its first public school class for children with developmental disabilities
1965 – Grant to move 90 individuals with developmental disabilities into community of Ft. Logan, within three years all 90 were living successfully in the community
BUT . . .
1968 – Survey shows 74% of those living in Colorado institutions have no contact with anyone outside of the institution

1970s
Major Changes
1973 – Rehabilitation Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by Federal agencies
1975 – Education for All Handicapped Children Act requires all public schools accepting federal funds to provide equal access to education for children with physical and developmental disabilities (revised and renamed as Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in 1990)

1980s – 1990s
Major Changes Continue
1981 – Ruling that children who were residents of Wheat Ridge institution had rights to free and appropriate education
1990 – Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination based on disability
De-institutionalization

2000s
Regression
Dwindling resources

2000s
Regression
Regulatory changes squeezing the
life out of services

2000s
Regression
Increasing demand

2000s
Traditional approaches to funding and providing services no longer work

So What Can We Do?
Use technology – more efficient, cost effective service delivery
Universal application – works in multiple environments/across disabilities
Greater opportunity to serve individuals with more severe disabilities

Technology Use at Imagine!
Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome, Boulder, CO
Charles Family SmartHome, Longmont, CO

What Can A SmartHome Do?
Enhance the quality of life of residents, including:
Developing personal skills
Enhancing communication
Regulating environmental
conditions

Augment the effectiveness of caregivers, including:
Sensing, storing, and
transmitting health
information
Analyzing healthcare and
health/safety trends
Detecting behavioral clues
for changes in cognitiveor
physical conditions

Provide cost and energy savings, including:
Managing staff time
efficiently
Using alterative energy
sources
Minimizing energy
consumption

Technology Use at Imagine!

Meet Gerald

How Can You Help?
Small Things Make a Big Difference

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A Brief History of Services for People With Developmental Disabilities in Colorado –

by Fred Hobbs on Feb 15, 2011

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A Brief History of Services for People With Developmental Disabilities in Colorado – — Presentation Transcript