2026 Summit Presentation Details & Happenings
September 1 - 3, 2026
Beaver Run Resort and Conference Center
620 Village Rd, Breckenridge, CO 80424
Click below to skip to:
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Tues Sept 1
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Weds Sept 2
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Thurs Sept 3
Bios and/or contact information for each presenter is linked by clicking their names.
If the speaker shares them, presentation slides will be added the week of Sept 8.
Tuesday, September 1: Pre-Conference
Please factor in extra time for parking & hotel check-in. There is no free parking on Beaver Run Property.
Alliance Members should reference the Pre-Conference Peer Networks that will take place Sept 1 from 10:30 - 11:30am.
Pre-Conference Check-In - Floor 3 Foyer
Times:
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9:30 - 10:30am Check-In OPEN for Pre-Conference Attendees and Exhibitors ONLY
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Will NOT reopen until 12:00pm – Pre-Conference Attendees and Exhibitors will need a “ticket” for lunch – there will be one in the back of your name badge, so be sure to Check-In during this hour!
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11:45 - 12:50pm for all other attendees
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General Attendees (not attending the Pre-Conference) can enjoy lunch on their own; onsite options include Spencer’s or the Skywalk Market (or order ahead to-go options here).
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Lunch for Pre-Conference Attendees and Exhibitors Only - Outdoor Tent
11:30am - 12:30pm
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Pre-Conference Attendees and Exhibitors will need a “ticket” for lunch – there will be one in the back of your name badge, so be sure to Check-In before 10:30am!
Tuesday, September 1: Opening General Session
Summit Check-In Table OPEN
Time: 11:45am - 12:50pm
Room: Floor 3 Foyer
Welcome Session:
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Opening Remarks
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Alliance’s State of the Association
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Presentation of the 2026 Alliance Legislator of the Year
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State of the State: Alliance’s Government Relations Update
Time: 1:00 - 2:45pm
Type: General Session
Room: Colorado Ballroom - Floor 3
Stronger Together: Celebrating Our Collective Impact
Join Alliance leaders and members for an inspiring opening session celebrating the strength of our collective voice and the impact we make together. Tara Kiene will welcome attendees and reflect on the power of Alliance membership, followed by a special presentation of the Alliance Legislator of the Year Award to Rep. Rick Taggart by his Grand Junction constituents. Josh Rael will then provide a brief State of the Association, highlighting the challenges, progress, and opportunities shaping Colorado’s I/DD system—and the important role Alliance members play in advocating for the future.
Advocacy in Action: The State of Government Relations
Advocacy has never been more important—or more complex. This session will provide a timely look at the policy, budget, regulatory, and political forces shaping Colorado’s I/DD system, along with Alliance’s advocacy strategy for the year ahead. Presenters will highlight key developments from the legislative session, Medicaid Commission, and ongoing system transformation efforts, while sharing how members can engage through GRACE and Alliance’s broader government relations work. The session will close with a look at Alliance’s Shaping the Future project and the opportunities ahead to build a stronger, more sustainable system.
BREAK: Networking with Exhibitors; Summit Check-In Table OPEN
Time: 2:45 - 3:15pm
Room: Floor 3 Foyer
Preorder beverages or snacks from Skywalk Market: https://beaverrunresort.buy-ondemand.com/
Headshot Lounge is OPEN DURING THIS BREAK - Sponsored by ClearSpring Pharmacy, an Alliance Strategic Partner!
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LOCATION TBA
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Sign up NOT required in advance, so please get in line when you can
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VIEW MORE DETAILS ON THE NETWORKING AND FUN PAGE!
Tuesday, September 1: Concurrent Breakout Sessions (5)
Floyd Cobb Ph.D. & Christy Scott:
CO Department of Early Childhood
An Early Intervention Administrative Guide for EI Brokers
Time: 3:15 - 4:15pm
Type: Breakout Session
Room: Peaks 11-12
The purpose of this session is to review the newly developed guidance for EI Brokers, which provides comprehensive information on CDEC and EI fiscal processes. The presentation will cover highlights of the Guide, review new fiscal accountability procedures, and garner feedback.
Our Own Lives, Inc.
What We Want and How We Want It! A Panel Discussion of People Receiving Services
Time: 3:15 - 4:15pm
Type: Breakout Session
Room: Coppertop
This panel will share perspectives from people receiving IDD services from across the state. We will discuss what makes for empowering, quality services, how to provide support in ways that keep us active and in control of our lives, our personal perspective of the impacts of services in our lives, and the importance and need for us to be heard and included in decisions about our services and our system.
Learning Objectives/Takeaways:
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Share best practices and ideas about empowering services.
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Share feedback about the importance of representation.
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Encourage advocacy efforts to empower people in services to be heard across the state.
Know the Rules, Lead with Confidence
Time: 3:15 - 4:15pm
Type: Breakout Session
Room: Imperial Ballroom
Kate Veeder, LCSW & Ashley Withington, RN:
Lacuna Consulting
Regulations are often experienced as overwhelming, confusing, or restrictive, especially for professionals stepping into leadership roles. Yet when understood and applied effectively, regulations can serve as a powerful tool for confident decision-making, risk management, and innovation.
This interactive, hands-on training is designed specifically for emerging leaders in Colorado’s IDD system, including new supervisors, program managers, and lead Direct Support Professionals. Rather than providing a high-level overview, this session focuses on building practical skills participants can use immediately. Attendees will learn how to navigate key regulatory resources such as 10 CCR 2505-10 (8.7000), waiver language, Chapters 2, 8, 24, and 26 as well as other state guidance materials, and will practice using these tools to answer real-world service questions.
This session distinguishes itself through its applied learning approach. Participants will not only learn where to find information but will actively practice how to interpret and use it. The goal is to increase confidence, reduce reliance on guesswork, and empower the next generation of leaders to make informed, compliant decisions in their day-to-day work.
Learning Objectives/Takeaways:
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Navigate and locate key regulatory resources (e.g., 8.7000, waiver language, Chapter 2) to answer common service and compliance questions in real time.
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Apply regulatory guidance to real-world scenarios to support decision-making, reduce risk, and ensure compliant service delivery.
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Develop a personalized toolkit of resources and reference materials that can be used independently to support ongoing learning and leadership growth.
Jodi Walters &
Sarah Kathleen Smith, MSW:
Imagine!
Dustin Barrington, MAR: L'Arche Northern Colorado
Building Together- Partnerships that Reshape Systems
Time: 3:15 - 4:15pm
Type: Breakout Session
Room: Beaver Den
In Colorado’s current landscape, with ballooning Medicaid costs, TABOR constraints, the looming impacts of HR1, and increasing administrative and reporting demands, we are being asked to do more with less: less funding, less flexibility, less time. The common response has been to tighten and automate operations and work in silos. But what if the better answer is the opposite?
This session explores a different path forward: purpose-driven community partnerships grounded in shared responsibility and mutual contribution. These partnerships are not transactional or symbolic. They require trust, vulnerability, and a willingness to share risk, but they also create outcomes no single organization can achieve on its own.
Through the partnership between Imagine! and L’Arche Northern Colorado, we will show how aligned mission, assets, and a willingness to take shared risk created new service options for families, who do not believe currently available services will meet the needs of their children. This partnership moves beyond collaboration to co-creation. The result is a more durable, adaptive service model that reflects what families are actually asking for and a solution to what the system increasingly demands.
This work is not easy or risk-free. It demands letting go of the illusion that we can succeed alone and a vulnerability to name our weaknesses. But it offers a powerful alternative, one where collaboration is a core strategy for sustainability, impact, and systems change. Attendees will leave challenged to rethink what partnership truly means and inspired to consider what becomes possible when we build together.
Learning Objectives/Takeaways:
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Identify community partnerships as a core strategy for systems change.
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Define the essential components of purpose-driven partnerships and evaluate how these differ from traditional collaboration models.
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Determine actionable steps organizational leaders can take to initiate, structure, and sustain purpose-driven partnerships within their own organizations.
Employment Law Q&A: Navigating Risk, Compliance, and Employee Challenges Together
Time: 3:15 - 4:15pm
Type: Breakout Session
Room: Peaks 6-8
PASA's are navigating increasingly complex workforce challenges, particularly when it comes to hiring, discipline, and termination decisions. Leaders, often already wearing many hats, must balance compliance, documentation, and risk management. While also trying to maintain staffing levels in a strained labor market. At the same time, frustrations around unemployment claims and hearings continue to create uncertainty and consume valuable time and resources.
This interactive Q&A session, brought to you by Flood & Peterson (an Alliance Strategic Partner Member), is designed to address the questions providers are facing every day. Facilitated by an experienced employment law attorney, the session will focus on practical guidance related to hiring practices, documentation, terminations, and unemployment challenges. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and walk through scenarios that reflect the unique operational realities of human services organizations. Questions will also be provided to the speaker in advance.
What distinguishes this session is its focus on open dialogue and applicable answers rather than a standard presentation. The content is driven by frequently asked questions from providers and tailored specifically to Colorado’s IDD landscape.
Learning Objectives/Takeaways:
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Navigate complex hiring, discipline, and termination decisions by applying practical legal guidance specific to human services environments.
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Respond more effectively to unemployment claims and hearings by understanding common challenges and applying defensible documentation strategies.
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Leverage available free employment law resources, including real-time legal consultation, to proactively address workforce issues and reduce organizational risk.
BREAK: Networking with Exhibitors; Summit Check-In Table OPEN
Time: 4:15 - 4:45pm
Room: Floor 3 Foyer
Take time to refresh before the Welcome Reception!
Welcome Reception
VIEW MORE DETAILS ON THE NETWORKING AND FUN PAGE!
Time: 4:15 - 5:45pm
Room: Breckenridge Ballroom - Floor 1
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Bar open 4:15 – 5:45pm
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Light Appetizers available from 4:15 – 5:15pm ONLY
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Contact the Event Director in advance if you wish to bring a guest to this event.
Make dinner reservations for after the reception with your agency, other attendees, exhibitors, friends, or family in Breckenridge; take a nice walk into town or take the Beaver Run shuttle, or in-town bus.
Wednesday, September 2: Morning Events
KICK START YOUR MORNING: CHOOSE YOUR ACTIVITY!
Guests welcome!
VIEW FULL DETAILS ON THE NETWORKING AND FUN PAGE!
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6:30am SHARP - Hike Lower Sawmill and Snowflake Trail Loop (1.5 miles) lead by Tim Cunningham, Cheyenne Village
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Meeting Spot: Beaver Run Hotel Lobby
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7:00 - 7:45am - Chair Yoga lead by Niki Liddle-Aaron RN, BSN, Inspiration Field
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ROOM: Imperial Ballroom
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RSVP FOR A MORNING ACTIVITY by 6pm on Tues Sept 1 via email - Kylie Kampbell - or via text 970-692-4000
Wednesday, September 2: Morning General Sessions
Sponsored Breakfast; Check-In Table OPEN until 9:00am
Time: 8:15 - 9:15am
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Please be seated by 8:25am
Room: Colorado Ballroom - Floor 3
Sponsored by Alliance Strategic Partners: Flood & Peterson, Frisco, Giv., Lacuna Consulting, SETWorks, Shield HealthCare, Tarrytown Expocare Pharmacy, The BI Collaborative, & Wipfli
President and Chief Executive Officer - NADSP
The Emerging Roles & Changing Expectations of the Direct Support Workforce
Time: 9:15 - 10:30am
Type: General Session
Room: Colorado Ballroom - Floor 3
This plenary session offers a chance to reflect on the history of the direct support workforce crisis and the evolving roles and expectations of our direct support professionals. Many of these changes are driven by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and proposed changes to Home and Community Based Services.
The focus of this session addresses important aspects workforce development strategies: professional recognition, public policy & advocacy efforts, career ladders, workplace culture and how direct support professionals help people with disabilities to make informed decisions, balance risk & choice, and strive for full inclusion.
To be successful in the future, direct support professionals must possess the knowledge, skills and values to uphold these new responsibilities - are funders, regulators and policy makers ready to implement change and finally address the workforce crisis?
BREAK: Networking with Exhibitors; Summit Check-In Table OPEN
Time: 10:30 - 10:45am
Room: Floor 3 Foyer
Preorder beverages or snacks from Skywalk Market: https://beaverrunresort.buy-ondemand.com/
Wednesday, September 2: Concurrent AM Breakout Sessions (5)
ALR/IDD Community Services Section Manager
IDD Community Services Supervisor
Health Compliance Inspector, Work Group Lead-Field Trainer
The Regulatory Viewpoint: Who We Are, What We Cite & What We See
Time: 10:45 - 11:45am
Type: Breakout Session
Room: Imperial Ballroom
This presentation offers a regulatory perspective from CDPHE’s IDD program and provides an overview of its role in the survey process under 8.7000. The presentation will highlight the 10 most frequently cited compliance deficiencies for PASAs, discuss best practices for preparing documentation for a survey and notifying the Department of important agency changes, and review recent Immediate Jeopardy findings and the circumstances that led to those findings. The goal is to provide practical information and increase awareness of potential compliance and health and safety concerns.
Presentation Outline
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Who We Are: Brief introduction to the presenters and our roles within CDPHE’s IDD program
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What We Cite: The 10 most frequently cited compliance deficiencies for PASAs
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Preparing for a Survey: Documentation best practices and notifying the Department of important agency changes
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What We See: Recent Immediate Jeopardy findings and the circumstances that led to those findings
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Questions and Discussion
Sara Ridenour, Esq. & Katie Boraz, Esq.:
Disability Justice
Voting Rights for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Time: 10:45 - 11:45am
Type: Breakout Session
Room: Peaks 11-12
As we gear up for a big election year, this presentation will give an overview of what voting rights individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities have. We will also go over what support and assistance providers are or are not able to provide. We will additionally discuss the impacts of guardianship and supported decision making on voting rights. Lastly, we will go over rights while voting in a facility of any kind and how to request and receive any reasonable accommodations in the voting process.
Learning Objectives/Takeaways:
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What voting rights individuals with disabilities have
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How staff can support people in accessing their voting rights
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How guardianship, facility placement, and accommodations apply to voting
Rocky Mountain Human Services
Michaela Hennig, MSW:
Denver Human Services
Bridging IDD - Mental Health Gaps: Lessons from RMHS’ Denver START
Time: 10:45 - 11:45am
Type: Breakout Session
Room: Peaks 6-10
Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) frequently experience co-occurring mental health conditions, yet their needs are often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or overlooked within traditional crisis and behavioral health systems. Diagnostic overshadowing, fragmented services, and limited provider expertise can lead to unnecessary hospitalizations, involvement with emergency services, and missed opportunities for timely and appropriate support.
This session will explore how the Denver START program, implemented by Rocky Mountain Human Services in partnership with Denver Human Services, addresses these challenges through the nationally recognized START model (Systemic, Therapeutic, Assessment, Resources, and Treatment). START uses a coordinated, cross-systems approach that integrates clinical expertise, crisis prevention strategies, family support, and community capacity-building to better support individuals with I/DD and complex mental health needs.
Presenters will share lessons learned from Denver’s experience launching and growing a START program, including strategies for strengthening collaboration between I/DD services, behavioral health providers, medical professionals, and community partners. Program outcomes demonstrate improved stability for individuals served, reduced reliance on emergency services, and stronger system coordination.
Recognizing that many Colorado communities operate with limited resources, this session will also focus on practical, actionable strategies that organizations and regions can implement even without a formal START program, helping strengthen crisis prevention and response across the state’s I/DD system.
Learning Takeaways:
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Identify common barriers that prevent individuals with I/DD and co-occurring mental health conditions from receiving appropriate crisis care, including diagnostic overshadowing and fragmented service systems.
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Apply key principles from the START model to improve crisis prevention, cross-system collaboration, and coordinated care for individuals with I/DD and behavioral health needs.
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Implement practical strategies that direct service providers, case management agencies, and community partners can use to strengthen crisis response and support individuals with I/DD, even in regions without a formal START program.
Erica Dennison & Hanni Raley:
The Arc of Aurora // THINK+change
Elizabeth Moran, JD:
Arc of Colorado
Guardianship vs. Supported Decision-Making vs: What Professionals Need to Know
Time: 10:45 - 11:45am
Type: Breakout Session
Room: Beaver Den
What happens when someone with a disability turns 18? Under the law, they become a legal adult and have the right to make their own decisions, just like anyone else. Yet across Colorado, families and professionals often default to guardianship when a person needs support in making decisions. While guardianship may be appropriate in some situations, it also removes important civil rights. Many people are still unaware that Colorado law recognizes other options, including Supported Decision-Making (SDM), which has been in statute since 2021 as an alternative to guardianship. In fact, many professionals and families have never heard of it.
This session explores how teams and families can provide support without taking away rights and how individuals with disabilities can be supported in making their own decisions rather than having decisions made for them. Dignity, autonomy, and self-determination are human rights, not rewards that must be earned.
Despite SDM being recognized in Colorado law for several years, many professionals and families still do not understand how it works in practice or how to apply it in real-world situations. This session will break down the practical differences between guardianship and Supported Decision-Making, explain how SDM functions under Colorado law, and provide tools professionals can use when discussing decision-making options with individuals and families.
Participants will leave with real-world examples, practical strategies and resources, and a deeper understanding of choice, rights, and decision-making in Colorado. Because when support is done well, it doesn’t mean giving up rights. It means protecting rights while providing support.
Learning Objectives/Takeaways:
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Explain the key differences between guardianship and Supported Decision-Making under Colorado law.
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Identify when Supported Decision-Making may be used as a less restrictive alternative to guardianship.
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Use practical strategies to discuss decision-making options with individuals with disabilities and their families.
Provider Power Moves
Bored to Busy Blitz - Create a Year's Worth of Meaningful Activities
Time: 10:45 - 11:45am
Type: Breakout Session
Room: Coppertop
Too many activity plans are built on limited ideas, staff convenience, or the same tired routines — leaving the people we support bored, disengaged, and missing out on real community life. It’s time to move from activity guessing to activity generating — creating rich opportunities that naturally build skills, relationships, confidence, and independence.
From exploring employment and budgeting to planning social outings and learning new hobbies, participants will see how great activity design supports real person-centered outcomes every day. Stop scrambling for “something to do” and start creating individualized experiences that truly connect people to their communities.
Learning Objectives/Takeaways:
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The super simple method of taking 1 interest and turning it into a full calendar of meaningful activities
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Where this whole “meaningful activity” requirement comes from anyway
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The 1 key question that changes everything
Luncheon with Award Presentations
Time: 11:45am - 1:00pm
Room: Colorado Ballroom - Floor 3
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Including:
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Jane Covode Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, Special Recognitions
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Recognition of the 2026 Summit Scholarship Winners (sponsored by Braaten Enterprises, an Alliance Strategic Partner Member!)
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Recognition of the 2026 Case Manager, DSP, and Advocate of the Year.
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VIEW MORE DETAILS ON THE NETWORKING AND FUN PAGE!
BREAK: Networking with Exhibitors - Headshot Lounge REOPENS
Time: immediately following lunch - 1:15pm
Room: Floor 3 Foyer
Headshot Lounge REOPENS at 12:30pm through 4:30pm - Sponsored by ClearSpring Pharmacy, an Alliance Strategic Partner!
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LOCATION TBA
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Sign up NOT required in advance - no scheduled time slots, so please get in line when you can
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VIEW MORE DETAILS ON THE NETWORKING AND FUN PAGE!
Wednesday, September 2: Concurrent PM Breakout Sessions (5)
Scott Bartlett & Alison Butler:
Colorado Disability Opportunity Office
Back to Basics: What Olmstead Really Means in the IDD Community
Time: 1:15 - 2:15pm
Type: Breakout Session
Room: Beaver Den
We intend to provide an introduction into the history of Olmstead from the Supreme Court Decision and what states are responsible for in providing community living a reality. We will speak about the case and it's importance today. We will present what Olmstead looks like for people with disabilities and current efforts. Currently, Colorado is working on a new Colorado Olmstead Plan. This is relative to the IDD community because Olmstead says the state cannot warehouse people just because they have a disability. Olmstead instead says that the least restrictive and most appropriate environment is the standard, not nursing homes and other institutions. Colorado's Olmstead Plan supports choice, autonomy and dignity of risk. The expectation with Olmstead shifts thinking from "where can we place people with disabilities to how do we support this person to be as independent as possible in the community.
Learning Objectives/Takeaways:
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The presentation will inform and educate about the history of Olmstead and it's importance to disability rights. Olmstead is grounded in the ADA and not a "nice to have" policy, but an issue of civil rights.
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The real-world implementation of Olmstead and why it matters right now. We will discuss the importance of HCBS, housing, workforce, healthcare etc. that make Olmstead a reality.
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That Colorado is currently working on a new Olmstead Plan. We will inform on the process and who is involved.
A Question of Bias in Advocacy: A Model from The Colorado Arc Network
Time: 1:15 - 2:15pm
Type: Breakout Session
Room: Peaks 11-12
Join Executive Directors, Elizabeth Moran, JD, and Georgia Edson, LCSW, of The Colorado Arc Network as they share Colorado’s uniquely structured model of advocacy and explore the core question: Is it possible to advocate for - and with - people who have limited capacity in a truly unbiased way?
All advocacy, even when grounded in good intentions, is shaped by a complex set of biases. Some biases are explicit, such as financial incentives, funder expectations, organizational mandates, or political pressures. Others are implicit-formed through personal experience, professional training, cultural perspectives, or assumptions about what people with disabilities “should” want or “can” do. These biases can influence decisions, service plans, school supports, and the relationships between people with disabilities and those who serve them.
The Arc Network in Colorado has developed a uniquely structured model to minimize these biases wherever possible. By designing a system that is financially independent, community-driven, and free from state or federal funding pressures, The Arc aims to keep its focus squarely on the needs, preferences, rights, and self-determined goals of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). A foundational piece of our advocacy philosophy is in supporting, not doing for.
Through regional chapters that remain locally governed yet connected through a statewide network, The Arc strives to remove external influence and ensure that every act of advocacy is rooted solely in people, families, and community - not funders, not contracts, not governmental systems. This commitment forms the foundation for our work as advocates.
Learning Objectives/Takeaways:
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Examine how explicit and implicit biases influence advocacy decisions that affect people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including factors related to funding structures, organizational mandates, and professional assumptions.
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Describe the structural elements of The Colorado Arc Network’s advocacy model, including financial independence, community-driven governance, and the role of locally governed regional chapters within a statewide network.
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Apply principles of person-centered advocacy by distinguishing between “supporting” and “doing for,” and identifying strategies that prioritize the self-determined goals and preferences of people with IDD.
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The Unbearable Lightness of HCBS Waivers: Understanding the foundation of HCBS services
Time: 1:15 - 2:15pm
Type: Breakout Session
Room: Imperial Ballroom
For professionals working in Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) systems, the 1915(c) waiver application is one of the most important documents in the system, and one of the last read.
This session is designed for mid-career professionals - case managers, supervisors, managers, directors, and policy staff – who want to better understand the policies that shape the services they deliver every day.
Waiver applications are far more than policy documents; they serve as the operational blueprint for eligibility, services, funding, and system oversight. Understanding how to read and analyze a waiver application can help professionals make sense of why services look the way they do, and why something that seems simple can be surprisingly complicated.
The goal of this session is not to memorize a 300-page waiver document. Instead, participants will learn how to identify where the power lives in the waiver – the sections that determine how HCBS systems function and where meaningful change is possible.
Learning Objectives/Takeaways:
Through interactive discussion and practical exercises, participants will learn how to:
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Identify the most important sections of an HCBS waiver application
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Understand key waiver terminology and structural components
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Recognize the data points and policy decisions that shape system behavior
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Use waiver literacy to strengthen practice, leadership, and system advocacy
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Participants will leave with practical tools, and the confidence to open a waiver document without immediately closing it again!
Frisco
Build with AI in 60 Minutes—No Tech Skills Needed
BRING YOUR LAPTOP!
Time: 1:15 - 2:15pm
Type: Breakout Session
Room: Coppertop
Artificial intelligence is reshaping every industry—but for many professionals in the IDD community, it still feels abstract, overhyped, or disconnected from daily work. This hands-on workshop changes that in 60 minutes.
In this interactive session, participants will use free AI tools such as ChatGPT or Claude on their own devices to build something real—no coding or technical background required.
The workshop begins with a guided exercise where attendees create a simple personal website from a single prompt. From there, the session progresses through three structured rounds that teach practical, repeatable AI skills: how to ask clearly, how to refine outputs through iteration, and how to guide AI creatively to produce meaningful results.
By the final round, participants choose their own project—such as a trivia quiz, a tribute page, a resource tool, or a personal-use application—and build it in real time. The session concludes with a brief show-and-tell and a facilitated discussion where attendees identify how these skills can be applied in their own roles and everyday workflows.
This session prioritizes doing over watching. Rather than presenting concepts, participants leave with a finished creation on their screen, a clear understanding of how AI works, and the confidence to begin using it immediately. The workshop is designed for complete beginners and remains valuable for those with prior exposure.
All prompts, templates, and follow-up resources are provided via a take-home QR code.
Learning Objectives/Takeaways:
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Build with AI:
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Participants will create a functional web page or interactive project using an AI chatbot during the session, demonstrating that AI tools are accessible to non-technical professionals.
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Use practical prompting techniques:
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Participants will apply three core techniques—specificity, iteration, and creative direction—to improve AI-generated results, developing a repeatable skill they can use immediately.
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Translate to real-world use:
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Participants will identify at least two practical ways to apply AI in their professional or personal workflows through guided reflection and peer discussion.
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We’ve ruled out everything, it’s definitely behavioral!
Time: 1:15 - 2:15pm
Type: Breakout Session
Room: Peaks 6-10
Jesse Padilla-Goryl, MA, BCBA & Brittany Lauer, MA, BCBA:
Ariel Clinical Services
If you work in Human Services, you know the sky is always falling and there’s always a crisis. This is especially true when the people we serve experience a significant behavioral change. A common approach is for the top minds of an organization to discuss the change and brainstorm the best possible solution. The end result of these brainstorms is typically a referral to a specific service, whether that be ABA, therapy, occupational therapy, psychotropic interventions, etc. In a perfect world, every situation would have an easy fix by one of these providers. But in a world where each individual is starkly unique from another, this is rarely the case. Join us in a brief presentation around the determination of a team to label a situation as “just a behavior” when the reality was much more complicated. Following our presentation, we’ll lead a discussion and brainstorm amongst participants to work together on improving collaboration in our respective fields, with the aim of identifying actionable items to improve the quality of care in all of our organizations.
Learning Objectives/Takeaways:
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Identifying barriers and breakdowns in communication between disciplines working toward the same goal.
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Identification of typical approaches and solutions to crisis events afflicting the people we serve.
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Brainstorming and utilizing strategies to improve both collaboration and treatment outcomes from a team approach.
BREAK: Dessert & Coffee Break with Exhibitors
Headshot Lounge Remains Open
Time: 2:15 - 2:45pm
Room: Floor 3 Foyer
Wednesday, September 2: Afternoon General Session & Events
Director at Office of Community Living
Deputy Office Director and Benefits and Services Management Division Director
Office of Community Living Updates
Time: 2:45 - 4:00pm
Type: General Session
Room: Colorado Ballroom - Floor 3
OCL Leadership will provide the latest updates on the many Department-led projects that will impact people with IDD and the service system in the coming year. Highlights will include updates on the Department's Medicaid Sustainability Framework, impacts of HR 1, the challenges of Colorado's fiscal landscape, and much more.
Exhibitor Meet & Greet Happy Hour & MORE! See below!
Time: 4:00 - 5:30pm
Room: Floor 3 Foyer & Mountainview Deck off the Floor 3 Foyer
Catch up with our Exhibitors over Happy Hour!
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Bar open 4:00 – 5:30pm
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Light snacks available from 4:00 – 5:00pm
THANK YOU to our Beverage Sponsor Carpenter Associates, Inc!
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Everyone received one drink ticket in the back of their name badges.
Headshot Lounge is open through 4:30pm (Location TBA)
Sponsored by ClearSpring Pharmacy
Screening of “An Open Door: Temple Grandin” at 5:00pm (Colorado Ballroom)
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Grab your drinks and snacks before entering the Colorado Ballroom for a one-hour screening of Dr. Grandin's documentary!
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With Producer introduction, and Book Signing!
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OR watch the documentary on your own time HERE > (coming soon)
VIEW MORE DETAILS ON THE NETWORKING AND FUN PAGE!
Make dinner reservations for after the reception or movie screening with your agency, other attendees, exhibitors, friends, or family in Breckenridge; take a nice walk into town or take the Beaver Run shuttle, or in-town bus.
Thursday, September 3: Morning Events and General Session
Sponsored Breakfast
Time: 7:00 - 7:55am
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Please be seated by 7:45am
Room: Colorado Ballroom - Floor 3
Sponsored by Alliance Summit Exhibitors:
Dose Health & Statewise
ANCOR
The Silliest Game of Whac-a-Mole You’ll Ever Play (aka An Update on Federal Policy)
Time: 8:00 - 9:00am
Type: General Session
Room: Colorado Ballroom - Floor 3
These days, advocating on behalf of community-based disability services at the federal level feels like a never-ending game of Whac-a-Mole. Between knowing that some bigger challenge is always about to pop up, plus not knowing whether your efforts are contributing to any meaningful progress, staying on top of what’s coming out of Washington can be exhausting. Nevertheless, staying aware and raising our collective voice remain essential to protecting the people we support and the services on which they rely.
To help you stay aware and deepen your engagement in advocacy, this session offers an insider’s look at what’s happening in Washington. A member of the team at your national provider association will cover what’s likely to pop up next for Congress and the administration, what we can expect from the 2026 midterms that are just two short months away, how ANCOR is advocating on your behalf to strengthen community-based services, and what you can do to lend your voice to our collective advocacy effort.
BREAK: Networking with Exhibitors
Time: 9:00 - 9:15am
Room: Floor 3 Foyer
Hotel Check-Out by 11am:
Check-Out will be busy so we suggest checking out earlier so you don’t miss any sessions! Check out can be done by calling from your room or cell, or directly at the front desk. Luggage storage available at Bell Desk if needed.
Preorder beverages or snacks from Skywalk Market: https://beaverrunresort.buy-ondemand.com/
Thursday, September 2: Concurrent Breakout Sessions (6)
Bridging the Gap: Integrating Behavioral & Mental Health Approaches
Time: 9:15 - 10:15am
Type: Breakout Session
Room: Peaks 9-10
Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) often receive fragmented care due to longstanding divides between behavioral and mental health systems. This session explores practical, replicable strategies for bridging these gaps—between ABA and mental health frameworks, between agencies who often compete instead of collaborate, and between providers who use different conceptual languages to describe the same member needs.
Drawing from real-world outcomes in Grand Junction’s interdisciplinary peer consultation group, this session highlights how shared language, cross-training, and relationship based collaboration have improved member outcomes, reduced provider burnout, and strengthened continuity of care. Participants will learn how integrating behavioral and mental health perspectives leads to more accurate case conceptualization, more effective intervention planning, and more humane, person-centered support.
This session emphasizes actionable tools and replicable structures that help agencies move from siloed practice to collaborative partnership. Attendees will leave with a clear framework for interdisciplinary communication, strategies for reducing friction between service models, and practical steps for building sustainable collaboration across Colorado’s IDD system.
Learning Objectives/Takeaways:
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Apply an integrated behavioral–mental health framework to improve assessment and intervention planning for individuals with IDD.
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Implement strategies to reduce inter‑agency competition and strengthen collaborative partnerships.
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Utilize a replicable consultation model to enhance interdisciplinary communication and continuity of care.
Incentivizing Excellence: Our NADSP E Badge Strategy
Time: 9:15 - 10:15am
Type: Breakout Session
Room: Coppertop
As the only organization in Colorado partnering with NADSP for training, we are excited to share how we’ve integrated the NADSP E‑Badge Academy into our training portfolio and paired it with a unique incentive program. This combined approach not only increases participation, but also creates meaningful opportunities for DSPs and frontline supervisors to apply their skills in ways that directly strengthen DDRC’s operations. Participants gain structured time for learning, access to continued professional development, and pathways to contribute at a higher level within the organization.
Through intentional program design—including dedicated training hours and a clear incentive structure—DDRC shifted from limited staff interest to a growing waitlist of employees eager to participate. This presentation will highlight how our investment has begun to demonstrate measurable returns: increased competence, stronger retention, and improved outcomes for the people we support. Using data and real implementation lessons, we will show how strategic investment in DSP development not only elevates workforce skills, but also enhances organizational performance and service quality. Joe MacBeth from NADSP has graciously offered to join this session for Q and A.
Learning Objectives/Takeaways:
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Invest in Structured Learning + Incentives to Drive Engagement Organizations can dramatically increase DSP participation by intentionally designing training time and pairing it with meaningful incentives that reward learning and applied skill development.
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Create Pathways for DSPs to Use and Showcase New Skills Training is most effective when DSPs and frontline supervisors have real opportunities to apply their enhanced competencies—such as contributing to operations, participating in special projects, or engaging in continued learning experiences.
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Use Data to Demonstrate the ROI of Workforce Development Tracking outcomes like competence, retention, and service quality helps demonstrate that investing in DSP development yields measurable returns for staff, the organization, and the people served.
The Team Approach to Case Management
Time: 9:15 - 10:15am
Type: Breakout Session
Room: Beaver Den
Erika Schroeder, MEd & Amanda Lewis:
A&I Avenues
This session introduces a sustainable, affordable, and organized team-based approach to case management. Designed to address workforce challenges such as turnover, burnout, and increasing administrative demands, The Team Approach was originally developed in response to staffing shortages during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. This model has evolved into a long-term strategy that supports both staff well-being and continuity of care for our members and has been successful with supporting our team across an agency merger, adaptations to CCM changes, and increasing caseload sizes to accommodate the recent JBC budget decreases.
Participants will learn how to implement structured systems that promote shared responsibility across teams, ensuring that client needs are tracked and met, even during sudden staff absences or turnover. The presentation will highlight and provide practical tools, including task trackers, caseload management spreadsheets, turnover coverage templates, and onboarding workflows that create transparency and accountability within teams.
With the growing demands on case managers, including increased documentation requirements and complex service navigation, this approach offers a realistic and adaptable solution. Attendees will gain insight into how fostering a culture of collaboration and leveraging technology can improve retention, reduce burnout, and enhance overall service delivery. This model is particularly relevant for case management agencies and other documentation-heavy roles seeking to build resilient, efficient, and supportive work environments.
Learning Objectives/Takeaways
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Team Coverage & Onboarding
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Participants will learn how to share caseload responsibilities across a team and create a smoother onboarding experience for new staff, helping maintain client support while improving staff retention.
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Organized Teamwork Systems
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Participants will gain easy, ready-to-use tools (like trackers and templates) to build a more organized, collaborative, and positive team environment while keeping up with deadlines and daily responsibilities.
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Using Tech for Team Building
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Participants will explore how to use simple technology and team-based strategies to reduce stress by managing workloads more effectively and creating a more sustainable and supportive workplace while being remote.
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Current Topics in Neuro-Inclusive Housing
Time: 9:15 - 10:15am
Type: Breakout Session
Room: Peaks 6-8
The need for appropriate housing for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities is greater than ever. This year, the conversation about neuro-inclusive housing has been elevated to various parts of state and local government fostering much needed collaboration across sectors. This session will identify important efforts and projects in the works to increase neuro-inclusive housing in Colorado. Topics will include the results of recent studies conducted about housing needs for individuals living with aging caregivers, housing options for higher needs individuals, and the possibilities of intentional housing communities. The session will also discuss current advocacy and collaboration efforts including the involvement of IDD service agencies.
Learning Objectives/Takeaways:
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Define neuro-inclusive housing so attendees have a firm understanding of the needs and desires for housing for the I/DD population.
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Describe opportunities for collaboration in Colorado.
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Hear feedback from the attendees about their perspectives on neuro-inclusive housing needs.
Colorado Disability Opportunity Office
From Deficit to Asset: Practical Strategies for Building Strengths-Based Services
Time: 9:15 - 10:15am
Type: Breakout Session
Room: Peaks 11-12
Across Colorado’s IDD system, there is growing pressure to do more with limited resources, often leading to services that unintentionally focus on deficits, risks, and compliance rather than opportunity and potential. While “strengths-based” approaches are widely discussed, many providers struggle to translate this concept into concrete, daily practice.
This interactive session moves beyond theory to explore what it truly means to design services around ability rather than limitation. Participants will examine how current systems, documentation practices, and service models may reinforce deficit-based thinking—and learn practical strategies to shift toward strengths-based, person-centered supports.
Through real-world examples, guided discussion, and shared problem-solving, attendees will walk away with actionable tools they can immediately apply within their organizations. Topics will include reframing assessments and service plans, integrating universal design principles, and creating environments where individuals are recognized as contributors and assets within their communities.
This session is especially timely as the IDD field navigates workforce challenges, funding pressures, and evolving expectations around inclusion. Unlike traditional presentations that remain conceptual, this session is designed to be highly practical, equipping participants with clear, implementable strategies to create meaningful change.
Learning Objectives/Takeaways:
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Identify at least three common practices within the IDD system that reinforce deficit-based approaches and describe strategies to reframe them using a strengths-based lens.
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Apply practical tools and techniques to redesign service delivery, documentation, and daily interactions to better reflect individual abilities and contributions.
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Develop one actionable strategy to implement within their organization that advances strengths-based, person-centered supports.
ANCOR
Counter-Crisis Strategy for Colorado Community Providers
Time: 9:15 - 10:15am
Type: Breakout Session
Room: Imperial Ballroom
Let’s face it: community-based disability services face meaningful threats from all directions. In this environment, it’s no longer a question of if crisis will strike—it’s a question of when. Dwindling resources, rising costs, heightened scrutiny, unfounded assertions of fraud and abuse, and countless other challenges mean that we must do more than simply act in good faith and fully comply with state and federal regulations. To weather the storm, you need a plan for how to respond if questions or allegations arise regarding the integrity of your program. To that end, this session will explore what your organization can do today to prepare for and perhaps even prevent crises that may be looming tomorrow. Together, we’ll cover how you can anticipate the challenges ahead, respond effectively when crisis strikes, and evaluate and refine your strategy so you’re better positioned for next time. Because sadly, there will be a next time.
Learning Objectives/Takeaways:
During this session, participants will:
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Assess potential crisis scenarios for their likelihood and potential magnitude.
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Apply a framework for designing counter-crisis responses.
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Identify key questions to ask when evaluating the degree to which a counter-crisis strategy was effective.
Thursday, September 2: Events & Closing Keynote Presentation
BREAK & Book signing with Dr. Temple Grandin!
Last chance to enter any raffles offered by our Exhibitors!
Time: 10:15 - 10:40am
Room: Colorado Ballroom - Floor 3
Check-out early so you don’t miss the book signing, raffles, or the closing Keynote Session! Check out can be done by calling from your room or cell, or directly at the front desk. Luggage storage available at Bell Desk if needed.
Preorder beverages or snacks from Skywalk Market: https://beaverrunresort.buy-ondemand.com/
Exhibitor Raffles! MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN!
Time: PROMPTLY at 10:45am
Room: Colorado Ballroom - Floor 3
Dr. Temple Grandin
Development of an Autistic Person’s Strengths for a Successful Career
Time: 11:00 - 12:15pm
Type: General Session - sponsored by Rocky Mountain Health Plans, an Alliance CMA Member!
Room: Colorado Ballroom - Floor 3
Join Dr. Grandin as she reviews the importance of developing an autistic person’s strengths including three different ways of thinking. Visual thinkers are often good at art and understanding mechanical devises. Pattern thinkers may have strength in music and math. Verbal thinkers are good with words. Learning both life and work skills will be an emphasis as this can lead to a successful career. Ideally an autistic individual should have work experience BEFORE they graduate from high school.
Closing Remarks, followed by Book Signing
Time: 12:00pm
Room: Colorado Ballroom - Floor 3
Due to limited space and high demand, this is an Alliance Member event or by invite only.
Click HERE to read Alliance's Invitation Policy and to request an invitation to attend.