07/25/2025
CCDC Condemns the Most Recent Violation of Disabled People’s Rights
On the eve of the ADA’s 35th anniversary, we are outraged by an executive order that violates the civil and human rights of disabled people and those experiencing homelessness.
This order calls for forced institutionalization through civil commitment of unhoused individuals with actual or perceived mental health or substance use issues. It includes dehumanizing language—referring to people as "vagrants" and linking homelessness to s*x offenses—further fueling hate and misinformation.
It implies that discomfort justifies locking people up. That stripping people of their rights is somehow "compassionate." Anyone who has experienced institutionalization knows the truth: it is not compassion—it is control.
❌ This follows HR1, which would push millions off Medicaid.
❌ It bans funding for evidence-based solutions like Housing First and harm reduction.
❌ It offers no sustainable path forward—just punishment, not progress.
We cannot ignore this abuse of power.
This order undermines constitutional protections and sets a dangerous precedent that could be applied beyond those who are unhoused. It stokes fear instead of offering solutions.
CCDC calls on all Colorado elected officials to stand against this inhumane policy. We must protect the rights of our disabled community and resist any effort to return to outdated and cruel practices of institutionalization.
Real solutions exist. We must center the voices of those directly affected and invest in housing, care, and community—not incarceration.
