Conflict of Interest Debate surrounding Developmental Disability Services in Colorado

Written by Stephen R. Block, Ph.D., CEO of Denver Options, Inc.

For over 19 years, Denver Options has been guided by a shared vision and belief that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities can live productive lives if given the means to do so. When people with disabilities make choices, they have control over their lives and their involvement with the community. Creating options and encouraging individuals and families to choose among those options is what we are all about.

As a community centered board (CCB), we provide case management to individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities of all ages. We help our customers and their families explore different resources and services, and we encourage them to choose the options that best meet their individual needs and interests.

Denver Options also provides residential and day program services through our direct services arm, Colorado Solutions. We created Colorado Solutions to give people with disabilities in our community another high-quality choice in service providers and to be a resource when other providers were unavailable.  Today, Colorado Solutions has grown into a successful direct services program that serves people in Denver and other communities.

A concern that is occasionally raised is that a conflict of interest exists when a CCB like Denver Options provides both case management and direct services. A conflict of interest exists when an individual in a position of authority makes a decision that favors self-interest over professional responsibility or public interest.  Some people worry that the CCB will refer individuals to their own services and not give people a choice of other service agencies. That does not happen in Denver; choice is always an option.

The solution to prevent a conflict of interest is not to prohibit the CCB from providing direct services, but rather to mitigate the potential that a conflict will occur. Our CCB system has numerous policies and procedures in place to insure that individuals and guardians have been fully informed of their choices in service providers.  In fact, there are many qualified service agencies in the developmental disability system, including service agencies managed by CCBs.

Unfortunately, over the past two years, so much attention has been given to the issue of conflict of interest that the most important of service issues in Colorado have been ignored. Other than the individuals and families that have experienced loss of their services, I haven’t heard anyone at the state or among advocacy groups expressing deep concern over the reduction in services, the loss of state-funded residential programs, the reductions in Supported Living Services or the 50% cut in the Family Support Services budget.  And, no one seems to be addressing the long waiting list.

The freedom to choose has always been and will continue to be integral to Denver Options’ service delivery, and I am proud of both the case management and direct services that we provide to children, adults and families. However, we cannot allow the loss of services to go unnoticed. Let’s put the most important issues facing the developmental disabilities system in the forefront of our attention and not get sidetracked on insignificant issues. 

Conflict of Interest Video

Our attention has been brought to this six-minute video segment entitled "Conflict of Interest - Time to Address It?". The video was originally posted on Mark Emery's blog "Then Again What Do I Know". Mark Emery is the CEO of Imagine! Colorado, the community centered board (CCB) serving Boulder and Broomfield counties. The video offers an interesting and informative look at the debate over conflict of interest. Denver Options thanks Mark Emery and Imagine! for permission to post this video.