Amendment to the Colorado

2008 - 2010 State Plan for Independent Living 

This State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL) amendment addresses the distribution of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds for programs established under Title VII, Chapter 1, Part B and Part C and Chapter 2 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (the Act). When the SPIL was created in 2007, there was no way to anticipate ARRA funding, or to address the need for compliance with the recommended ARRA activities.  This amendment adds the use and distribution of the Part B and Chapter 2 ARRA funds to Section 1.3: Financial Plan.  

Amendment to Section 1.3: Financial Plan of the 2008-2010 Colorado State Plan for Independent Living
Title VII, Part B ARRA Funds
 

Colorado received $242,913 of Title VII, Part B funding to be spent for independent living services and to be expended by September 30, 2011. The Designated State Unit (DSU), Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC), and Association of Colorado Centers for Independent Living (ACCIL) worked together to develop the following plan. 

   1. $20,000 is allocated for the statewide Needs Assessment as described in the narrative section of this SPIL, and included in the SILC’s resource plan as an item that required a funding request from the DSU.

 

   2. $1,215 will provide administrative support, as required by the state.

 

   3. The remaining Part B ARRA funds will be made available to the four centers for independent living that do not receive Title VII, Part C funds. These CILs are: Colorado Springs Independence Center in Colorado springs, Disabled Resource Services in Fort Collins, Independent Life Center in Craig, and Southwest Center for Independence in Durango.

 

      Each CIL will submit a Work Plan, budget, and 10% matching funds. The Work Plan must address how the ARRA Part B funds will be used to provide programs or services in the three areas identified and agreed to by the DSU, SILC, and ACCIL, for consistency with areas already addressed by this SPIL and consistent with ARRA regulations. These areas are capacity building, employment of people with disabilities, and nursing home transition. The accompanying budget must prove adequate to support the Work Plan. The 10% match must be made from non-federal, unrestricted funds. CILs may provide in-kind match consistent with state and federal ARRA regulations. 

Title VII, Chapter 2 IOIB) ARRA Funds 

Colorado received $497,578 in Title VII, Chapter 2 ARRA funds for support of the Older Individuals who are Blind (OIB) program. This program is currently provided through seven vendors. The following resource plan for Chapter 2 ARRA funds was developed with input from current vendors, the DSU, and the SILC.  

   1. $250,000 will be awarded based on a competitive request for funding (RFP). Five awards of $50,000 each will address two identified areas of need: low vision and assistive technology assessment for eligible consumers, and outreach strategies and the development of services for eligible consumers who are employed, want to be employed, or fear loss of employment based on blindness or low vision.

 

   2. $155,000 will benefit the consumers of current vendors.

 

   1. $15,000 will be used to purchase an on-line training program for current OIB staff.

 

   2. In addition, each OIB vendor will submit a Work Plan, budget, and 10% matching funds for programs or services in the following identified areas:

 
   

   1. $70,000 for purchase of assistive technology and OIB program supplies

 
   

   2. $35,000 for outreach activities

 
   

   3. $35,000 in transportation subsidies

 

      The accompanying budget must prove adequate to support the Work Plan. The 10% match must be made from non-federal, unrestricted funds. Vendors may provide in-kind match consistent with state and federal ARRA regulations. 

   3. $30,000 will be used in SFY 2011 for a statewide OIB conference that will include reports and presentations from recipients of OIB ARRA funds. The conference will also address best practices and the contract priorities of the OIB funding cycle.

 

   4. The remaining funds will be used to purchase on-line training for vendors entering the program in the funding cycle beginning July 1, 2010, and for administrative support for the program.

Title VII, Part C ARRA Funds
 

The SILC and DSU, using information gathered in a statewide needs assessment, and with input from the ACCIL, have determined that Colorado’s centers for independent living are currently experiencing difficulty reaching their under-served and un-served populations of eligible consumers. Based on this information, it was determined that Coloradans with disabilities would be best served by bolstering the capacity of established centers. Therefore, the $968,602 of Part C ARRA funds and the $966,831 annual allotment of Part C funds should be distributed among Colorado’s six Part C funded centers by the established distribution formula. The percentages of funding to be received by each center is as follows: 
Atlantis Community, Inc. 	19%
Center for Disabilities 	10%
Center for Independence 	22%
Center for Peoplew/Disabilities 	20%
Connections for IL 	9%
Disability CIL 	20%

Judy.Neal@state.co.us