About the Colorado Commission on Aging
The Colorado Commission on Aging (CCOA) is the state’s primary advisory body on all matters affecting older Coloradans. The CCOA is a governor-appointed, citizen-led, multidisciplinary commission, comprised of representatives from both the public and private sectors, various professional and personal experiences, and cultural and diverse backgrounds across the state.
The CCOA coordinates and contributes to guiding programs, services, projects, policies, procedures and resources in the area of aging. It also guides the implementation of the Lifelong Colorado Plan for Aging, the state’s strategic action plan on aging.
Background and modernization
The CCOA was established by the Older Coloradans Act in the 1960s. In 2022, the Colorado legislature passed House Bill 22-1035, the Modernization of the Older Coloradans' Act, which reorganized the CCOA and reimagined Colorado’s approach to serving the needs of older adults. Changes included:
- Increasing the CCOA’s membership from 17 to 19
- Appointing a Colorado Department of Human Services liaison to act as the primary contact for the CCOA
- Convening a technical advisory committee comprised of key state agency representatives
- Creating the Lifelong Colorado Initiative
Meetings
Next meeting
Sept. 22, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Join by phone
- Dial 719.359.4580
- Meeting ID: 874 7589 1430
- Passcode: 744187
- About CCOA meetings
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The Colorado Commission on Aging meets on the third Thursday of each month.
View all meetings on the CDHS Public Meeting Calendar.
View agendas and minutes from past meetings.
Get engaged in aging issues
2023 CCOA Annual Report
The CCOA released the 2023 Colorado Commission on Aging Annual Report on Sept. 1. This year's report features a message from Commission Chair Chad Federwitz, as well as information about the sunset of the Strategic Action Planning Group on Aging, modernization of the Older Coloradans Act, and implementation of a Lifelong Colorado Plan for Aging.
- Annual Reports from previous years
More information
- CCOA subcommittees
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The CCOA has three subcommittees:
- Age-Friendly Communities Subcommittee: The purpose of this subcommittee is to collaborate and implement strategies at the state and local level based on the policy recommendations of the Colorado Plan for Lifelong Aging, the Strategic Action Plan on Aging 2021-22 report, the Aging Framework, and ensuring alignment across the various age-friendly initiatives, such as public health, health systems, and universities to support older adults, their families, and our communities in Colorado.
- Public Policy and Advocacy Subcommittee: The purpose of this subcommittee is to advocate and educate about legislation and regulations about programs and services that directly impact older Coloradans. The subcommittee works to develop and forward a pathway through policy and advocacy to healthy aging for all Coloradans.
- Workforce Development Subcommittee: The purpose of this subcommittee is to increase access to direct care workers supporting older adults and improve opportunities for older adults who need or want to work past traditional retirement age.
- Legislation
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The following list includes bills in the Colorado legislature related to the Colorado Commission on Aging.
- House Bill 22-1209: Sunset Strategic Action Planning Group
- House Bill 22-1035: Modernization of the Older Coloradans Act
- Senate Bill 21-146: Improve Prison Release Outcomes
- House Bill 15-1033: Creation of the Strategic Action Planning Group
- Reports
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Colorado Aging Framework
The Colorado Aging Framework: A Guide for Policymakers, Providers and Others for Aging Well in Colorado was developed as a collaboration between CDHS and the CCOA in response to the currently increasing older adult population in Colorado. It captures what state agencies in Colorado are doing, right now, to respond to the increasing population of older adults.
2022 SAPGA Report
The Strategic Action Planning Group on Aging (SAPGA) exists to produce a comprehensive strategic action plan on aging, in order to prepare for the wide-ranging effects of the demographic shift in Colorado's older adult population, so that all Coloradans may continue to age with dignity and a maximum quality of life. Read SAPGA's 2022 Strategic Action Plan on Aging and Final Report.
Improve Prison Release Outcomes
During the 2021 legislative session, the General Assembly passed Senate Bill 21-146: Improve Prison Release Outcomes. The bill included a section directing the CCOA to study and make recommendations to ensure that people 65 years of age and older can access health insurance coverage after release. The resulting report, Improve Prison Release Outcomes: A Final Report on Senate Bill 21-146, included five key recommendations that will make measurable improvements for Coloradans who are released from prison at age 65 or older.
- Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults
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The Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults provides a statistically valid survey of the strengths and needs of older adults as reported by older adults themselves. This report is intended to enable local governments, community-based organizations, the private sector and other community members to understand more thoroughly and predict more accurately the services and resources required to serve an aging population. With this data, community stakeholders can shape public policy, educate the public and assist communities and organizations in their efforts to sustain a high quality of life for older adults.
- Centenarian Celebration
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The Centenarian Celebration is a promotion activity of the Colorado Commission on Aging to celebrate the lives of centenarians across the state, recognizing their individual century of achievement, and focus the attention of all Coloradans on the political and social issues of aging. The Centenarian Project recognizes older adults who have achieved the age of 100 or older by awarding centenarian certificates prepared by the CCOA and signed by the governor.
This year's Centenarian Celebration will take place on Sept. 22 at the Hyatt Place Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs.
Fill out the Centenarian Project Certificate Request form to honor a centenarian.
For more information about the Centenarian Program, please contact Adrian Cowan at adrian.cowan@state.co.us.
- Allen Buckingham Senior Legacy Award
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Allen M.A. Buckingham served on the Colorado Commission on Aging from 1986-98. The commission's annual Senior Legacy Award was awarded posthumously to Buckingham in December 1998 and the event was renamed in his honor. Buckingham served on the national AARP Board of Directors, as regional director of the Region VIII U.S. Administration on Aging, and held other key positions during his career. He promoted the needs of older persons, especially that they live in dignity, have freedom and choice, and realize full and active participation in their society.
For more information about the Allen Buckingham Senior Leadership Legacy Award, please contact Adrian Cowan at adrian.cowan@state.co.us.
- Commission membership
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The CCOA is made up of 19 commissioners:
- Two state legislators: one from the Senate and one from the House
- One member from each of Colorado's eight Congressional Districts: at least one member who is 60+, or a person living with a disability, or who has a family member with a disability; rural/frontier; local government; business community,
- One member from each of the remaining categories: higher education; director of an Area Agency on Aging; knowledge of workforce issues impacting older Coloradans; represents a long-term residential care setting; represents an organization providing Home and Community-Based Services; extensive knowledge of or experience with transportation infrastructure and services; represents housing sector; and public policy or elder law community with knowledge of an experience with aging policy or elder rights issues.
Name Representation Term Expiration Adam Dempsey CD 1 Sept. 1, 2024 Ellen Taxman CD 2 Sept. 1, 2025 Lynne Thompson CD 3 Sept. 1, 2024 James Kuemmerle CD 4 Sept. 1, 2024 Kathleen Cerullo-Smith CD 5 Sept. 1, 2024 Jacqueline Stiff CD 6 Sept. 1, 2024 Karen Brown CD 7 Sept. 1, 2024 Ronica Rooks CD 8 Sept. 1, 2024 Jodi Waterhouse Higher Education Sept. 1, 2025 Christine Vogel AAA Director Sept. 1, 2025 Penny Whitney Workforce Sept. 1, 2024 Kimberly Bryant LTC Setting Sept. 1, 2024 Kelly Osthoff Dementia Sept. 1, 2025 Chad Federwitz HCBS Sept. 1, 2025 Rich McClintock Transportation Sept. 1, 2025 Diana Delgado Housing Sept. 1, 2025 Gina Brown Public Policy Sept. 1, 2024 Rep. Mary Young Colorado House of Representatives WNLS Sen. Joann Ginal Colorado Senate WNLS