Association for Community Living (ACL)

The Association for Community Living (ACL) is The Arc serving Boulder and Broomfield counties. It promotes and protects the rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to be included as a natural part of community life, and its advocacy is free of charge. Parents in Boulder founded the ACL in 1962 to fight the denial of public education and the routine institutionalization of their children.

Today the team walks beside people with IDD and their families as they navigate complex systems. Advocacy coordinators help children and parents with special education in the Boulder Valley and St. Vrain Valley school districts, help adults lead their own meetings and resolve concerns with providers, and offer one-hour transition consultations covering Social Security benefits, adult Medicaid waivers, employment, supported decision making and guardianship. ACL Community Grants of up to $500 fund projects that build connection and belonging.

Groups bring people together: Self Advocacy Warriors, a self-advocate community that meets monthly on Zoom; a weekly Thursday Zoom meetup for adults with IDD; a Parent Network Group for parents of adults; Future Planning Workshops; and Caminando Juntos, a culturally rooted program for Latino families that includes monthly Cafecitos. The ACL also trains schools, service agencies, recreation centers and law enforcement.

To request advocacy, call (303) 527-0888 or use the adult, child or transition request forms. Members join The Arc of Colorado and The Arc US at the same time, get a discount at arc Thrift Stores and vote in board elections.