Information, News Articles, and Blogs

Make sure you take a moment each day devoted just to you.  There might just be some good that comes from all of this.

There is more out there than just facts and statistics. We have been finding crucial information, great articles, helpful suggestions (like how to keep your six-year-old engaged), inspirational writing, and ways to calm your fears.  This page has all of that and more. Check out what is found on these pages. If you have something you saw or maybe even wrote and would like it considered, send it to us at covid@ccdconline.org.

List of articles on this page. Click ⇓ to go directly to that article.

Information

• ⇓  A Call to Arms (or at least lawsuits, if necessary) for pandemic-related disability discrimination complaints (Español)
• ⇓  CCDC Investigates CSL Plasma Centers for Discrimination
• ⇓  Census 2020 & COVID-19
• ⇓  COVID-19 and people with chronic disease (CDPHE)
• ⇓  Caregivers of people with disabilities are exempt from the stay-at-home order.
• ⇓  Ed Department Offers More Special Education Guidance Amid COVID-19
• ⇓  Emergency Services for People with Disabilities (Español)
• ⇓  Guide for Hospitals on Best Practices for Communication with Individuals with Disabilities
• ⇓  Grocery Stores Dedicate Time for Those at Highest Risk
• ⇓  How to Improvise PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) in an Emergency (Español)
• ⇓  Patent’s Rights During the COVID-19 Pandemic
• ⇓  Standards of Care in plain speak

News Articles

• ⇓  Concerns growing over medical care discrimination
• ⇓  How is the coronavirus impacting people with disabilities? (international interview including CCDC Board Member, Dr. Kimberly Jackson)
• ⇓  In The Face Of Ethical Aberrations In Several States, Colorado Stands Strong Against Discrimination In COVID-19 Care

Blogs

• ⇓  Calming Ourselves and Building Our Power
• ⇓  For Coloradans Living Or Caring For People With Disabilities, Fears Over COVID-19 Run Much Deeper
• ⇓  Love in the Time of Corona — A MESSAGE FROM KEVIN JOHN FONG
• ⇓  The Secret to Keeping Your Kids Happy, Busy and Learning if Their School Closes Due to Coronavirus
• ⇓  Shopping for Quarantine? Here’s How to Not Be a Jerk at the Store
• ⇓  Social Distancing: This is Not a Snow Day
• ⇓  Some Kind of Hero, A letter from Vincent Atchity, the President of Mental Health Colorado

All Articles and Links to Posts

Information

A CALL TO ARMS (OR AT LEAST LAWSUITS, IF NECESSARY) FOR PANDEMIC-RELATED DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINTS.

CCDC’s Civil Rights Legal Program has numerous and growing concerns regarding discrimination against people with disabilities as a direct result of decision-making by both private and public entities occurring during the pandemic. Continue reading about your options if you feel you have been discriminated against due to disability.

CCDC Investigates CSL Plasma Centers for Discrimination

Have you experienced discrimination based on disability when attempting to donate plasma to a CSL Plasma Center in Colorado? For example, were you denied the opportunity to donate plasma and receive payment for doing so for a disability-related reason? If so, our Civil Rights Legal Program needs to hear from you as soon as possible. This is a 3 part series:

• Part 1: Overview of the investigation by the CCDC Civil Rights Legal team
• Part 2: Explains the information regarding whether you would be interested in being a plasma donor and why it is crucial and beneficial.
• Part 3: Provides you with the legal background for the types of disability discrimination individuals might be experiencing as a result of attempting to donate plasma at CSL Plasma centers.

Census 2020 & COVID-19

There are three ways to respond to the 2020 Census from the comfort of your own home – online, by phone, or by returning the paper questionnaire.

COVID-19 and people with chronic disease (CDPHE)

Certain people are at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19, including Older people (over age 60), especially those over 80; people who have chronic medical conditions like heart, lung, or kidney disease, or diabetes; older people with chronic medical conditions are at the highest risk.

Caregivers of people with disabilities are exempt from the stay-at-home order.

Caregivers of people with disabilities, paid or unpaid, are exempt from the stay-at-home order. For Medicaid CDASS clients, the state is working on a letter we can give to our attendants. Once available, we will share it here. Workers should continue to provide services to clients as long as they are healthy and using proper precautions such as handwashing. How to Improvise PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) in an Emergency

Ed Department Offers More Special Education Guidance Amid COVID-19

As schools across the nation shutter in response to coronavirus, federal officials are giving educators additional insight on how to handle the needs of students with disabilities.

Emergency Services for People with Disabilities (Español)

The Denver Division of Disability Rights encourages you to take reasonable steps to prepare yourself and your home for emergencies, while also remaining calm. Read more for supply recommendations, emergency communication options, and more.

Guide for Hospitals on Best Practices for Communication with Individuals with Disabilities

Grocery Stores Dedicate Time for Those at Highest Risk

Several stores have dedicated time frames seniors, people with disabilities, pregnant women, and other vulnerable populations to shop and therefore minimize their risk.

How to Improvise PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) in an Emergency

Doctor’s offices and hospitals aren’t the only ones running out of personal protective equipment. Members of the disability community who rely on home health also use PPE. Here are some ideas if you run out of supplies. (Español)

Patent’s Rights During the COVID-19 Pandemic

On April 10, 2020, Governor Polis issued Executive Order D 2020 034, suspending two specific rights of individuals at inpatient mental health units and institutes,* but a close reading of the Governor’s Order demonstrates that the suspension of these rights is not limitless.

While it is important for facilities to follow the Governor’s Executive Order to protect the health and safety of individuals in the facility as well as the community at large, patient’s rights overall have not been suspended by this Order. Disability Law Colorado emphasizes the limited scope of the rights suspended by the Governor’s Executive Order and encourages the respondent’s counsel to continue to advocate for their client’s rights that remain intact. If the respondent’s counsel or their clients would like to consult with Disability Law Colorado about these or other patient’s rights issues, please feel free to contact us at 303.722.0300. Thank you for your continued advocacy for your clients. Be well!

Standards of Care

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News Articles

Concerns growing over medical care discrimination:

Apr. 19, 2020 – Disability advocates file a federal complaint against some states over rationing treatment, Alicia Acuna reports. Please note that the Colorado Medical Rationing plan also prohibits discrimination based on race, immigration status, language, criminal justice status, income, ability to pay, etc.    Our order prohibits ALL discrimination.

Fox News Story 1,             Fox News Story 2

How is the coronavirus impacting people with disabilities?

Pandemic brings added worry for some of the world’s most vulnerable. CCDC’s own Dr. Kimberly Jackson was interviewed as a part of Tuesday, 4/21st episode of The Stream, An Al Jazeera independent global news network.

In The Face Of Ethical Aberrations In Several States Colorado Stands Strong Against Discrimination In COVID-19 Care

NEWS PROVIDED BY Global Down Syndrome Foundation:  140 Organizations Help Ensure People with Disabilities Will Receive Equitable Treatment under Colorado’s Newly Published “Critical Care Triage Guidance for Crisis Standards of Care”

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Blogs

Calming Ourselves and Building Our Power

To ensure better outcomes for our community during this unprecedented time, Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition is proactive, compassionate, and conscious in our response to COVID-19.

For Coloradans Living Or Caring For People With Disabilities, Fears Over COVID-19 Run Much Deeper

An article by Jessica Yarmosky, Mar 24, 2020, for CPR.

Love in the Time of Corona — A MESSAGE FROM KEVIN JOHN FONG

Pandemics are potent phenomena. One moment, life proceeds per usual routines, and the next, we find ourselves scrambling over toilet paper. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) has impacted our lives in every way, and preventing transmission, while far from assured, appears to be straightforward. An equally daunting challenge, however, is about how we are going to interact with one another as this crisis unfolds.  Read more

The Secret to Keeping Your Kids Happy, Busy and Learning if Their School Closes Due to Coronavirus

As millions of children are displaced from their schools due to the coronavirus, a sub-crisis has risen for American parents: What will the kids do all day? The widespread school closures have sent a ripple effect into parent communities as many scramble to find ways to transition kids into at-home life smoothly. It’s one thing to entertain them all day on the weekends. It’s another when you have seven days a week to fill for an indefinite period of time.

Shopping for Quarantine? Here’s How to Not Be a Jerk at the Store

This is an excellent article about what and how to buy so you have enough without making it hard for the next person to get what he or she needs.

Social Distancing: This is Not a Snow Day

“We have a preemptive opportunity to save lives through the actions we take right now that we will not have in a few weeks. It is a public health imperative. It is also our responsibility as a community to act while we still have a choice, and while our actions can have the greatest impact.” From an article written by Asaf Bitton, MD, MPH, the executive director of Ariadne Labs in Boston, MA.

Some Kind of Hero, A letter from Vincent Atchity, the President of Mental Health Colorado

“Over the past few days, I’ve looked through some old books that present accounts of living through experiences that are somewhat comparable to what we’re all going through now. What becomes apparent in stories —as well as in our own lived experience —is that in the context of a pandemic, our survival and wellbeing call for a very different kind of heroism .” Continue Reading

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