IDD Health Matters

Ep 149: Why 'Not Acting Right' Signals Hidden Health and Life Issues in IDD

In this IDD Perspectives webinar the focus is on understanding why individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) may appear to be "not acting right," emphasizing that such behaviors are often signals of underlying issues rather than merely behavioral or psychiatric problems. Guest Dr. Matt Holder and host Craig Escudé highlight the importance of first ruling out medical causes such as pain, illness, infections, dental problems, medication side effects, or undiagnosed conditions, as these can be easily overlooked but have serious consequences. They also discuss environmental and social factors—such as life changes, lack of support, stress, or unmet needs—along with sensory sensitivities and psychological experiences like grief or trauma. A key message is that psychiatric diagnoses are frequently overused, leading to unnecessary medications and harmful side effects, when the real causes may lie elsewhere. The discussion stresses careful observation of patterns, person-centered care, better training for healthcare providers, and strong advocacy from caregivers to ensure individuals with IDD receive accurate diagnoses, appropriate care, and respectful treatment.

Ep 148: Putting People First: The Power of Person-Centered Care

This interview features Tanya Richmond, a social worker and consultant specializing in person-centered practices, which focus on understanding individuals—especially those with intellectual, developmental, or age-related vulnerabilities—by balancing what is important to them (their preferences, values, and sense of purpose) with what is important for them (their health and safety). Richmond explains that truly person-centered support requires deep listening, observation, and structured skills—such as "good day/bad day" analysis and understanding routines—to uncover what matters most to individuals, even when they cannot communicate verbally. She discusses her career progression into this field, her work training organizations, and the development of interactive e-learning courses designed to teach these practices to caregivers, professionals, and families. The conversation highlights the importance of empowering individuals to direct their own lives, improving caregiver confidence and reducing burnout, and adapting training to meet the needs of aging populations and people with disabilities. Richmond concludes by emphasizing three key principles: listen first to understand the person, focus on strengths rather than limitations, and promote inclusion and belonging so individuals can fully participate in their communities.

Ep 147: Leading with Compassion: Building Inclusive, Person‑Centered Supports for People with IDD

Kari (Carrie) Johnston and Jodie Marotz, leaders at New Horizons and the Human Service Agency in Watertown, South Dakota, discuss their careers and the wide range of supports they provide for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including group homes, community living, employment supports, day services, mental health care, substance use services, and crisis stabilization. They reflect on their professional journeys, emphasize the importance of training, listening, relationship‑building, trauma‑informed care, and helping people achieve independence, and acknowledge ongoing challenges such as staffing shortages and stigma. Throughout the conversation, they stress seeing people with disabilities as individuals first, remaining calm and compassionate, investing in staff education, encouraging community involvement, and recognizing both the progress made and the work still needed to improve equity, dignity, and quality of life for people with IDD.

Ep 146: Dental Care Without Borders: Reaching Refugees and People with Disabilities

Dr. Aws Faidy, a general dentist from northern Iraq, discusses his work providing oral health care and education to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs), refugees, and internally displaced persons (IDPs). Dr. Faidy explains how he conducts community-based dental awareness campaigns, hands-on checkups, and follow-up care—often in refugee camps—while emphasizing patience, trust-building, and adaptive techniques when treating patients with IDDs. He describes large-scale projects that combine education, preventive treatments like fluoride varnish, and free referrals for advanced care, reaching over 1,200 children with measurable improvements in oral health awareness. The conversation highlights systemic challenges in access to dental care for vulnerable populations, contrasts practices in Iraq with those in the United States, and underscores the importance of empathy, ethical responsibility, and global collaboration to improve oral health equity.

Ep 145: Personal Experience Driving Better, More Equitable Health Care for People With IDD

Jim Laughman is a behavioral health managed care leader whose work focuses on Medicaid populations, including people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), serious mental illness, and dual diagnoses. Laughman explains how his organization provides care coordination in states like New Jersey and Pennsylvania and shares that his career is deeply motivated by his personal experience as a sibling to a brother with IDD who faced long waitlists, limited services, and ultimately died young. Throughout the conversation, they discuss persistent disparities in health care access, life expectancy, and provider training for people with IDD, while also acknowledging meaningful progress in inclusivity, education, and preventive care. Laughman highlights the impact of programs like Special Olympics Healthy Athletes, emphasizes the importance of social determinants of health, prevention, proper funding, and provider education, and concludes with three guiding principles: address social determinants of health, continue advancing inclusivity across society with involvement from business and government, and treat people with disabilities with dignity and respect by following the golden rule.