Developmental disability is a term used to describe life-long disabilities attributable to mental and physical impairments manifested before age 18. Commonly, people with intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorders, various genetic and chromosomal disorders such as Down syndrome and Fragile X syndrome, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders are described as having developmental disabilities or delays. Intellectual disabilities are usually classified as severe, profound, moderate, or mild, as assessed by the individual's need for the person. Some people with disabilities can live independently and participate in life-long employment. Others may require individual's-exceptional job and community inclusion training. However, many will need support from their families or community agencies, which can require high levels of dependence and intensive support. The purpose of these agencies is to assure that individuals with developmental disabilities and their families have access to competent services, support, and opportunities that promote independence, productivity, integration, and inclusion into the community.
There are many challenges that individuals with disabilities face inside and outside the facilities. Regarding showing sensitivity to the disabled population, many factors contribute to the high frequency of incidents. Lack of understanding of social norms and communication difficulties are substantial contributors. Many of these contributors lead to not only incidents but also challenging behaviors. Challenging behaviors are abnormal maladaptive physical or verbal behaviors ranging from moderate to extreme in frequency or intensity. Some challenging behaviors can jeopardize a person's or peers' safety if the behavior escalates to a crisis level.
In addition to the challenges that individuals with disabilities and their families face, there are many inconsistencies in the state system. People with disabilities who have been well supported through school sometimes experience significant gaps in service when they graduate because there is a long waiting list for adult services. The current system is fragmented into many different funding streams and programs. Each program has its eligibility criteria, which sometimes have to do more with a support person's living arrangements than independent or cognitive needs. Another factor is a person’s behavior, which can become an issue when the family is unaware of the resources available in their respective communities. Practices that segregate and isolate people with disabilities must end. One of the main issues is accessibility for the disabled population. While the disability community uses the word "access" to mean barrier-free usability by people with disabilities, the entire scope is sometimes not considered. Access is a person's ability to get the necessary health care. Access also refers to good quality health care without financial, geographical, cultural, or language barriers.
To combat these challenges, issues, and behaviors, agencies must begin to implement proactive approaches. Proactive approaches can also be beneficial in obtaining more funding and support from state and local government agencies. The fact is individuals with developmental disabilities are not fully integrated into society. Person-centered planning and personal outcome measures are seen as methods of addressing the continued labeling and exclusion of socially devalued people. Nonetheless, the focal point should be erasing the stigma and encouraging a focus on the person as someone with capacities and gifts.
Support services are also provided by government agencies such as state and non-governmental organizations by private sector providers. Support services address most aspects of life for people with developmental disabilities and are usually theoretically based on community inclusion.
To improve the health and wellness of people with disabilities, people must address the medical needs of the whole person, not just the disability. Attention must be paid to physical pain, mental illness, job pressures, drugs, and alcohol addiction with better clinical preventive services. Finally, comprehending "disability" must incorporate sensitivity and sensible approaches.