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Alliance Core Values & Guiding Principles 

 

Long-term services and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are evolving in Colorado and nationally.  Alliance members proudly serve Coloradans with IDD as they pursue a quality of life that they define.  Alliance believes that our success should be measured by improved outcomes for people with IDD, and that services and supports must center on the individual needs and desires of people with IDD. To that end, Alliance has established a set of Core Values and Guiding Principles to inform and support our collaborative work with all stakeholders.

 

Quality of Life: Changes to Colorado’s system of long-term services and supports must be tied to enhancements in quality of life for people with IDD.  To that end, services must be accessible, flexible, responsive, relevant, customizable and self-directed.  The presence of a waiting list in any form is at odds with our commitment to the right of every person with IDD to pursue a quality of life that they define.

 

Community: People with IDD deserve to live, work, play, and experience the full range of life opportunities within community settings of their choice.  Services and supports must provide socially inclusive opportunities consistent with current research-based best practice.

 

Click HERE for more on Alliance's Core Value: Community Living

 

Self-Direction: Services and supports must be designed by and for the people they are intended to benefit, focus on person-centered practices, choice and self-direction based on the principles of self-determination.

The underlying principles of self-determination are:

  • Freedom to choose a meaningful life in the community

  • Authority over a certain sum of dollars and the supports one receives

  • Support to organize resources in ways that are life enhancing and meaningful to the individual

  • Responsibility for the wise use of public dollars and resources and recognition of the contribution individuals with disabilities make to their communities

  • Confirmation of the important leadership role that self-advocates must play in any system that is designed to provide services and supports for them and for the self-advocacy movement

 

Planning: Collaborative, values-driven strategic partnerships are essential to informing system redesign, ensuring that continuity and quality of services are enhanced, and improving accessibility for the people we serve.

A comprehensive planning process must include, at a minimum:

  • Robust stakeholder engagement, including people with IDD, their families and supporters, service providers, State and federal partners, and advocates

  • Data and information

  • Performance measures and outcomes

  • Core values

  • Transparency

 

Alliance also believes that it is our obligation to assess the consequences of changes to Colorado’s long-term services and supports system for people with IDD and, to the extent possible, mitigate any unintended, negative impact on individuals with IDD.

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