By Fred Hobbs
There are some significant changes coming soon that will transform the way Boulder and Broomfield County citizens with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) access services. The changes are the result of a statewide push for Case Management Redesign (CMRD), with the goal of making it easier for individuals to find and access the programs, services and support they need.
Case Management Redesign refers to several initiatives that will help make accessing long-term services and supports easier for people with disabilities who receive Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers in Colorado. HCBS waivers are sets of benefits for people with disabilities designed to allow them to receive necessary support services in their homes and communities. CMRD is being implemented so people with disabilities have one single place to go to access these services, in addition to making sure there is the correct number of case management agencies in Colorado and increasing the quality of case management services.
The result of this initiative locally is that Imagine!, which has served people with IDD in our area for more than 60 years, will split into two separate organizations starting July 1.
Number of People That Received Services in 2023: 4,631
Number of Employees: 470
Number of Service Providers Imagine! Works With: 432
Clients per city:
Longmont: 1,590
Boulder: 832
Broomfield: 708
Lafayette: 440
Erie: 302
Louisville: 216
Superior: 101
One organization will retain the name Imagine! and will continue to deliver what are known as direct services, which include vital programs for school-aged children and adults that help with employment and housing. Our direct services are designed to teach people with IDD skills that can be applied to all aspects of their lives and make certain that they are given the chance to be active, contributing members of their communities.
The other organization will assume the care coordination role Imagine! currently plays for people with IDD while also expanding to serve other disability populations. Care Coordination is the gateway to services for people with disabilities in the state. When an individual qualifies for support through one or more HCBS waivers, they, along with their family, guardians, friends and program staff, meet with a case manager to discuss which services can help them reach their goals. The case manager then drafts a plan that addresses the issues discussed in the meeting and outlines the strategy for going forward.
The new organization, which will be known as A&I Avenues, is the result of a partnership between Imagine! and ACMI, Inc., an agency that currently provides case management to individuals with a variety of disabilities in Boulder County.
Both the new Imagine! and A&I Avenues organizations will have their own, separate leadership teams, boards of directors and headquarters. We are excited that the buildings will be located only a few hundred yards from each other, close to The District commercial center in Lafayette, so that we can continue to grab lunch with our old coworkers and friends.
For more than two years, Imagine! has been actively planning and working toward implementing this split of organizations as seamlessly as possible to minimize any disruption in the lives of those we serve. To keep our community informed, we have hosted multiple community town hall meetings, sent letters and emails and created a page on the Imagine! website.
While this change is big, it isn’t bad or scary. Everyone involved in planning and implanting CMRD throughout Colorado is dedicated to creating a system of service delivery that results in the best possible outcomes for our fellow citizens with disabilities. Together, we are confident that we will come out on the other end of these changes stronger and more committed than ever to supporting the potential of all, regardless of ability or disability.
To learn more about CMRD locally, and to learn more about Imagine! and A&I Avenues, visit the Imagine! The Future webpage: imaginecolorado.org/imagine-the-future. To learn more about CMRD across the state, visit: hcpf.colorado.gov/case-management-redesign
Fred Hobbs is the director of public relations at Imagine!