MARCH 2024  developmental disabilities month   

March is Developmental disabilities Awareness Month. The term "developmental disabilities" is a broader category of often lifelong challenges that can be intellectual, physical, or both. "IDD" is the term often used to describe situations in which intellectual disability and other disabilities are present. About one in six children in the U.S. have one or more developmental disabilities or other developmental delays. Developmental disabilities are a group of conditions due to an impairment in physical, learning, language, or behavior areas.

About Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDDs) | NICHD (nih.gov)

Developmental Disabilities | CDC

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. It is usually first diagnosed in childhood and often lasts into adulthood. It is normal for children to have trouble focusing and behaving at one time or another. However, children with ADHD do not just grow out of these behaviors. The symptoms continue, can be severe, and can cause difficulty at school, at home, or with friends. Some adults have ADHD but have never been diagnosed. The symptoms can cause difficulty at work, at home, or with relationships. 

What is ADHD? | CDC

Child Development Specific Conditions | CDC

Developmental Disabilities Month | Mountain Lifeworks

Coffee with a Cause  march 2024     

Data shows unprecedented numbers signed up for Universal Pre-K (UPK) in Colorado. For those who do not know this is where early detection and intervention usually begins with a local Community Centered Board (CCB). CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities has data and information on certain disabilities, developmental disorders, and related conditions including: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorders, Cerebral Palsy, Fragile X Syndrome, Intellectual Disability, Language Disorders, Learning Disorders and Tourette Syndrome.

Frequently asked questions: Universal Pre-K in Colorado | 9news.com

Find Local Services | alliancecolorado

If 1 in 6 children experience a developmental disability or delay and will be diagnosed and require services in Colorado. In a county with 600 families that's 100 kids requiring diagnostics and services. Mountain and rural counties often already lack services due to qualifications, cost of living and lack of affordable housing. Now include 1 in 36 having Autism Sectrum Disorder. As numbers increase so do cost. This is only exacerbated by inflation. If we already have waitlists how will added demands be met?

Families push state to increase funding to autism service providers (denver7.com)

Coffee with a Cause  march 2024  

Did you know Colorado still has a disability waitlist with an average wait of eight years. In 2020, more than 4,000 people were still waiting. The average wait time has dropped from 15 years, but the goal set in 2014 clearly has not been achieved. To be clear the goal was to end the waitlist by 2020. Many of these families are there because of early detection. It is the political will and necessary funding for early intervention and lifelong supports that is lacking. NAMI data shows the average family caregiver provides 32 hours per week of unpaid care. At the same time the data indicates 78% of those who are receiving care get it from a family member or neighbor… not government agencies or private providers.

Autism centers are closing their doors in Colorado (coloradosun.com)

The Silent Crisis of Autism Services in Colorado (behaviorspan.com)

Help Save Autism Services in Colorado (autismservicescolorado.com)

Colorado has lost at least nine agencies that provide therapy for children with autism in the past year and a half, leaving hundreds of families without care and filling up waitlists across the state. Anyone who has participated in an IEP meeting knows it is supposed to be about what's best for a child but it can turn into a battle over budgets, expertise and service hours. With over 200 mental health diagnosis combined with many documented comorbidities it is unrealistic and unfair to expect any school district or professional to be an expert in all of them. Mountain Lifeworks proposes establishing additional qualified options to help meet growing demands while increasing transparency and accountability. By complementing existing non-profit and government programs with qualified private practice professionals and small business sultions we can reinvest in improving outcomes instead of paying more for the same results and longer waitlists.

Mental Health By the Numbers | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness

Remember a balanced approach uses verified data to identify problems and to propose actionable solutions. Only those willing to have difficult conversations can solve difficult problems. The first step to solving any problem is accepting the data indicating a problem... not blaming the messenger or method of delivery.

So join us for Coffee with a Cause and let's keep the conversation going each month with more data and actionable real life solutions!