How Policy Efforts for the Intellectual and Developmental Disability Community Can Foster Innovation

Abstract

Children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) need accessible, affordable, quality primary and preventive healthcare along with dental and behavioral health services. Serving the I/DD population often requires highly skilled and specialized primary medical and dental care for a population which may have medical and behavioral complications resulting from genetic or other types of conditions. Unlike the cursory physical exams most of us are accustomed to, primary care visits for people with I/DD take an average of 45 minutes to an hour, given the medical and emotional complexities of the I/DD population with medical and behavioral co-morbidities. Additionally, direct access to highly skilled care in close proximity to where the I/DD population reside is critical to prevent unnecessary emergency room visits and hospitalizations for this very vulnerable and medically compromised population.