Author: cwdadmin

There are many businesses that employ people with intellectual disabilities. You may be thinking that these business owners offer jobs to intellectually disabled employees out of the goodness of their hearts with little regard to their profits, and perhaps this is sometimes the case. Actually, though, hiring employees with intellectual disabilities is not only a good thing to do–it’s the smart thing to do for your company.

Diversity

Diversity and inclusion are two factors that never hinder a business. If anything, the addition of diversity and inclusion policies correlate with high performance. Businesses that perform highly are two times as likely to implement diversity and inclusion policies as lower performing businesses. So, companies that are intentional about creating a diverse working climate are more likely to become successful.

Low Turnover

Employees with intellectual disabilities tend to have a more positive working experience than other employees. HR departments that implemented inclusive hiring initiatives report 80 percent of supervisors express having a positive working experience with employees with intellectual disabilities. And of course, positive working experiences can result in an employee wanting to stay at a certain job, decreasing the company’s overall spending.

Quality Employees

Successful companies often have employees with specific qualities. Some of these qualities include work quality, motivation, engagement, integration with co-workers, dependability, and attendance. Employees with these characteristics help create a successful business, and these qualities are also desired by companies aiming to become successful. Three-fourths of employees with intellectual disabilities rank as “good” or “very good” in all of these characteristics–making them arguably the perfect employee for any company.

Joey Hale

Joey Hale, an employee at Publix in Birmingham, is the perfect example of someone with a developmental disability doing exceptional work on the job. Hale is known for his hard work, but he’s remembered for his positive disposition. Even when the store is busy and chaotic, Hale always has a smile for his customers. Even with all of the struggles he had to face, Hale still finds the strength to show kindness to the Shelby County community.

Joey Hale is just one example of an employee with an intellectual disability who is a great asset to his employer–and to the community as a whole. When more employers take steps to hire these amazing individuals, the benefits will be obvious as their work ethic and pleasant dispositions attract more and and more customers for the company.

Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities

The Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities offers resources for Alabamians with developmental disabilities and their family members. If you would like to learn more about our resources for developmental and/or intellectual disabilities, contact us today.

The Consumer Involvement Fund is program that helps Alabamians with developmental disabilities and their family members participate in professional or informational conferences, legislative advocacy skills training events, public forums, focus groups, hearings, and other similar activities. For eligible applicants, CIF provides partial funding for these activities. The goal of the program is to promote the involvement and empowerment of people with developmental disabilities, their family members, and their guardians.

How Do I Apply?

The Consumer Involvement Fund Committee (CIFC) has downloadable applications for organizations and individuals. After the application is sent, the applicant will receive a letter informing them of the amount the CIFC has awarded. The letter will also include details for reimbursement. The CIFC gives considerable weight to applicants that are first time users, first time attendees of an event, individuals attending to enhance ethnic or cultural sensitivity, and applicants residing in rural or other underserved and/or unserved areas.

Who Is Eligible to Apply?

There are certain requirements to be eligible to apply. You must be an individual with a developmental disability, or you must be the parent, family member, or guardian of an individual with a developmental disability.

The Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities Can Help

The Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities offers downloadable forms for the Consumer Involvement Fund applications on the ACDD website. ACDD also answers frequently asked questions about CIF and provides the contact information of individuals that can offer applicant support. For more information about the Consumer Involvement Fund or other resources for individuals with developmental disabilities, contact us today.

After a natural disaster, there are a number of people who find themselves without resources. Many are missing clothes, shelter, food, and even hygiene products–not to mention the stability and predictability of the routines they desperately need.

For someone with a developmental disability, a natural disaster could mean that you’re without some of the aids that help you function. Most shelters don’t offer assistive devices for people with disabilities, and replacing any of these aids that may have been damaged could take a large amount of time–which means it’s essential to prepare a plan before a disaster strikes. Additionally, people with developmental or intellectual disabilities may suffer mental anguish over the suddenly stressful situation. A good plan doesn’t just take into account physical needs; it includes mental and emotional needs, too.

All of this can be true of inclement weather, too. An unexpected snowstorm can trap people in their houses, which means they can’t get to a store–and that makes planning ahead incredibly important.

Evacuation Plan

Evacuating from your home when there is a natural disaster is already difficult, but the task can become more difficult for someone with a disability–especially if there’s no plan to follow. Creating an evacuation plan is as simple as finding a program that will have the resources people with disabilities need in case of an evacuation. The Emergency & Evacuation Assistance Program (EEAP) is a specialized program that focuses on residents that require special assistance during an evacuation or emergency because of their disability.

Keep in mind that someone with a developmental disablity may be extremely distressed in this type of situation. Create a strategy to help them stay calm and get to a safe place where they feel as secure as possible.

Personal Emergency Plan

A natural disaster can alter everyday life for a few days or a few months. This can pose a real problem for someone with a developmental disability. If there is no way to to evacuate during a natural disaster, it is crucial to have an emergency plan. An emergency plan can be tailored to accommodate your everyday life. It’s best if your plan is finished and frequently kept up to date; a plan is no good if it’s outdated or incomplete. Here are a few things your emergency plan should address:

• Medications and vaccinations
• Daily living needs
• Communication/emotional needs
• Important documents
• Medical information
• Contact information
• Health summary

Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities

If you or a loved one has a developmental disability and you would like to learn more about the resources that ACDD has to offer, contact us today.

Many may not know about the Developmental Disabilities Act, and in fact, some may only vaguely know what a developmental disability is. Understanding the DD Act is important for people with disabilities and their families because of all the benefits the act offers. Even if you don’t have a developmental disability or know anyone with one, it’s important to empower individuals with developmental disabilities and their families to help shape policies that impact them.

What Is the Developmental Disabilities Act?

The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 is designed to improve conditions and expand opportunities for people who historically have faced exclusion from schools, jobs, and other community activities because of developmental disabilities. A developmental disability is one that pertains to mental or physical impairments that are a result of a genetic defect or many other factors. The act mainly focuses on advocacy and giving families the power to change their involvement in society.

How Does It Affect Me?

The DD Act puts specific programs in place in order to aid people with developmental disabilities and their families. The Act does not directly fund services; rather, it aims to put services in the hands of the community. If the programs are utilized, the DD Act could have a great effect on your family. The programs encourage advocacy, promote awareness and acceptance, and unite communities.

Some of the programs include:

• State Councils on Developmental Disabilities
• Family Support Programs
• Direct Support Workforce
• State Protection & Advocacy Systems
• University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service
• Projects of National Significance

Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities

The Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities (ACDD) falls under the DD Act’s State Councils program category. ACDD offers a number of resources and advocates for people with developmental disabilities and their families. Contact us to learn more about how ACDD can aid you or a family member.

The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (DD Act) was put into place in order to service those with disabilities and their families through community services. The DD Act is an umbrella that covers a number of different types of developmental disabilities, one being intellectual disabilities. In order to understand the experiences and needs of people with intellectual disabilities, we must first define the term.

There are three main aspects that define intellectual disabilities: limited intellectual functioning, limited adaptive behavior, and the age of onset.

Intellectual Functioning

Intellectual functioning, or intelligence, refers to a person’s mental capacity — in other words, it encompasses a person’s ability to learn, reason, and problem-solve. The most common way to measure intellectual functioning is the Intelligence Quotient (I.Q.) test. The maximum I.Q. score for adults is 161, and 162 for those under 18 years old. Typically, a score below 70 can indicate a limitation in intellectual functioning.

Adaptive Behavior

Adaptive behavior consists of social, practical, and conceptual skills. Conceptual skills are skills that deal with time, money, language and literacy. Social skills is a category of abilities that deal with self-esteem, social responsibility, and interpersonal skills. Lastly, practical skills deal with daily activities like transportation, hygiene, safety, and other daily responsibilities.

Age of Onset

Intellectual disabilities is a category of disabilities under the larger umbrella of developmental disabilities. Intellectual disabilities occur during the developmental stage of life. In the United States, the developmental stage lasts until age 18.

Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities Has More Information

The Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities (ACDD) aims to advocate for Alabamians with developmental disabilities and to support their independence, inclusion, and productivity. ACDD empowers those with developmental disabilities and their families to help change legislation by offering information on bills of interest and bill tracking. In addition to current grants that benefit people with developmental disabilities, the Council includes an application on its website for grant proposal requests. Grant proposals can be about volunteer activities, employment opportunities, and more.

If you’d like to learn more about developmental disabilities or the resources that we offer, the Alabama Council of Developmental Disabilities is here to help. Contact us today!