You may be reading more about family caregivers lately. They are the foundation of the health and safety of individuals with developmental disabilities (DD), as well as their final safety nets. Self-described as “just family,” these parents or siblings are by far the longest-serving of all caregivers, often for 60 or 70+ years. Policy makers […]

Accommodations for the Disabled Should Become Norm | By Sarah Goldman, FDDC Public Policy Chair I was born into “generation ADA”, which is anyone born around or after the time the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) passed in 1990. I am fortunate to benefit from having curb cuts for my wheelchair, I have the ability

Senator Rick Scott 110 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senator Scott, I serve as Chair of the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, Inc. (FDDC).  FDDC is a not-for-profit organization established in Florida statute as the designated state agency to represent the nearly 370,000 Floridians living with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their

Unpaid caregivers save the U.S. an est. $600B annually. During Older Americans Month, we honor the 53 million family caregivers who provide an average of 24+ hours of care each week and help millions of Americans live as independently as possible. As an Aging American with an IDD, I know firsthand the REAL IMPORTANCE of

Why drowning prevention is particularly important for people with autism If you take a look at the incidence of drownings, the Autism population is drastically more impacted than individuals without Autism. The propensity to wander increases this risk — about 50% of people with Autism will wander or have wandered (Kennedy Krieger, 2012). Wandering is when

As the parent of an adult with severe autism as well as a professional with a lifetime’s work developing and supervising educational programs for many others on the autism spectrum, I have developed an understanding of the importance of safety measures in the home, in schools, and across community settings.  We must take steps to