Healthcare Support Disparities with the I/DD population

Among the many challenges that affect people diagnosed with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities (I/DD), support strategies have been a prevalent issue mismanaged by law enforcement and healthcare professionals. The psychological impact on the population dealing with delayed response times and a lack of preparedness training has created a gap that can cause long-term traumatic stress from adverse experiences. 

Healthcare professionals and community officials must implement a comprehensive training strategy that includes information about the I/DD population, statistical data on psychiatric diagnoses, establishing treatment clinics, and crisis prevention procedures across all emergency management systems. Behavior management training and strategic support for these families will serve as a proactive approach to addressing these challenges. The effect of organizations continuing to manage crises while experiencing disparities has led to a deteriorated relationship with law enforcement. However, there is an implication that law enforcement is under too much pressure to make the right decision in every situation. Still, the simple solution should be an emphasis on accountability and understanding.  

There are also many challenges facing parents, caregivers, and organizations regarding people with disabilities. A disability is an impairment that can be mental, physical, developmental, cognitive, or emotional. A person can become disabled at birth or throughout a lifetime. Intellectual functioning, or intelligence, encompasses the ability to learn, reason, problem-solve, and perform other skills, and adaptive behavior refers to the ability to function independently with social and life skills. Some disabilities are congenital, while others are characterized as a person ages. Accidents and other events can also cause specific disabilities.

The evaluation of emergency management teams identified notable gaps in crisis services, night and weekend services, the choice of services and providers, communication and coordination between providers, and specialized training. Assisting a person with developmental disabilities who experiences the emotional and mental disequilibrium that leads to a crisis can be difficult. Still, it is a crucial area of support that can significantly impact a person's quality of life. Understanding the environmental and psychological causes of problems is necessary before successfully assisting a person in reducing the frequency, intensity, and duration of crises. Therefore, community stakeholders must collaborate with emergency response agencies to develop effective strategies to mitigate the problem. The systematic change will not be immediate, but with appropriate follow-up procedures and innovations, the disparities will decrease.