Blog

The Health Risk Screening Tool (HRST®): Changing Outcomes for People with IDD by Detecting Risks Earlier   Providers supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) know that health issues rarely appear overnight. In many cases, subtle changes in behavior, energy, mobility, appetite, or routine may signal an emerging medical concern. These changes can be early indicators of illness or

Prevention Saves Lives and Dollars: The Cost-Saving Power of HRST   A Smarter Investment in Healthcare   Healthcare costs continue to rise, and for organizations supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), finding ways to deliver excellent care while protecting resources is a constant challenge. The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (OH DODD)’s evaluation of the Health Risk Screening

Intellectability Academy: Health & Safety Training That Meets the Real Risks Facing People with IDD   Health and safety for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) is rarely about a single crisis moment. More often, it is shaped by everyday decisions — how meals are prepared, how pain is noticed or missed, how equipment is maintained, how medications accumulate

Case Study: Discovery Living Strengthens Staff Preparedness with Fatal Five Fundamentals Training   Executive Summary   After implementing IntellectAbility’s Fatal Five Fundamentals training program, Discovery Living Inc., an Iowa provider supporting 150 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), achieved significant improvements in health outcomes, staff preparedness, and operational efficiency. A one-year outcome analysis found a 37% reduction in emergency

What Is Virtual Person-Centered Thinking Training (vPCTT)? A Practical Guide for Providers and Support Professionals   In today’s healthcare and human services landscape, being person-centered is no longer optional. Person centeredness is a foundational approach that empowers individuals to maintain control over their own lives by focusing on their preferences, strengths, and personal goals, regardless of disabilities or life circumstances.

Improving Healthcare for People with IDD: IntellectAbility Launches New Quality Improvement Program Recognized by ABMS   People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience some of the highest rates of preventable health complications and premature death in the U.S., often due to gaps in healthcare training, limited provider confidence, and a lack of person-centered approaches in clinical settings. Intellectual disability

Tara Wants a Boyfriend: Supporting Choice, Independence, and Safe Relationships for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities   For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), the desire for connection, intimacy, and meaningful relationships is no different than it is for anyone else. Yet for decades, systems of support have treated these desires as risks to be controlled rather than

Case Study: Discovery Living Strengthens Staff Preparedness with Fatal Five Fundamentals Training   Executive Summary   After implementing IntellectAbility’s Fatal Five Fundamentals training program, Discovery Living Inc., an Iowa provider supporting 150 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), achieved significant improvements in health outcomes, staff preparedness, and operational efficiency. A one-year outcome analysis found a 37% reduction in emergency

Why IDD Professional Training Matters in Ongoing Education Services   March is Disability Awareness Month—a time to reflect not only on the rights, dignity, and inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), but also on the systems and professionals responsible for supporting them every day. While awareness campaigns often focus on policy, advocacy, and visibility, one critical factor

IDD Perspectives: Reproductive Health for Women with IDD: Breaking Barriers to Preventive Healthcare   For too long, reproductive and preventive healthcare for women with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) has been overlooked, misunderstood, or delayed until a crisis occurs. In the IDD Perspectives webinar, Reproductive Health for Women with IDD, a panel of experts addressed this gap and outlined practical,

Illinois QIDP Continuing Education Opportunities: Approved Online Courses for 2026   For Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professionals (QIDPs) in Illinois, continuing education is required to maintain compliance—and a valuable opportunity to strengthen practice, as it helps QIDPs advance their knowledge and skills in the field. Each year, Illinois QIDPs must complete approved continuing education (CE) credits by June 30 to continue

A New Era for Person-Centered Thinking Training: Bringing the Full TLC Experience Online For decades, person-centered thinking (PCT) training has been a cornerstone of high-quality services and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and older adults. Rooted in values of dignity, choice, autonomy, and community inclusion, PCT is not a “nice-to-have”—it is foundational to ethical, effective support

Why Person-Centered Thinking Matters in 2026 In a field shaped by shifting regulations, workforce shortages, evolving clinical knowledge, and growing pressure to do more with less, it can be tempting to treat person-centered thinking as a philosophy we have already mastered. It appears in mission statements. It shows up in policies and audits. It is referenced in service plans and

Announcing a New IntellectAbility Academy Course: Trauma-Informed Support for People with IDD   Supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) requires more than understanding diagnoses or following support plans. It requires recognizing the lived experiences that shape behavior, identity, and relationships—especially experiences of trauma. That is why the IntellectAbility Academy is introducing a new self-paced training designed specifically for

Person-Centered Thinking in Practice: Supporting Choice, Autonomy, and Dignity of Risk in IDD Services Person-centered thinking has become a familiar phrase across disability services, yet many organizations still struggle to translate it into everyday practice. While most providers agree that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) deserve autonomy, meaningful relationships, and full participation in community life, uncertainty often arises

Avoiding Preventable Death in People with IDD Using the HRST: A Review of the Latest Mortality Research  For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), health is never solely about lab values or medication lists. It is about whether someone can continue attending their day program, seeing friends, spending time with family, and doing what they enjoy. It is also

Unlocking Support: A First-of-Its-Kind Free Course on Substance Use Disorder and IDD For years, supporters, clinicians, families, and service systems have struggled with a gap no one could ignore: a lack of training that speaks directly to how substance-use disorders (SUD) affect people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Compared to the general population, people with IDD have lower rates

IDD Perspectives: Top Challenges in Supporting People with Dual Diagnosis – Insights from Dr. Craig Escudé and Dr. Ben Margolis   When people talk about mental health, they often imagine traditional therapy appointments, psychiatric evaluations, or the challenges faced by the general population. But for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD)—including both developmental disability and intellectual disability—who also experience

Supporting People with IDD During the Holidays: Finding Joy, Comfort, and Calm for DSPs The holiday season brings excitement, tradition, togetherness — and sometimes a little chaos. For many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including those with Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, and other disabilities, this time of year can be full of joy but also full of

Advocating for People with IDD: Why RHT and Rural Health Innovation Matters Now More Than Ever In the quiet corners of rural America, far from metropolitan health centers and bustling medical campuses, there are people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) whose voices too often go unheard, whose lives are shaped by gaps in care that others may not even

Detecting Health Risks Early: How the HRST® Screening Service Saves Lives   For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and other complex support needs, small changes in health can quickly become life-threatening if overlooked. Intellectual and developmental disabilities are present from birth and can affect multiple body parts and the individual’s physical development. These disabilities impact adaptive behavior, life

Understanding the Health Risk Screening Tool (HRST®): A Proven Way to Replace Risk with Health and Wellness By Aliah Farley Every day, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) face health risks that often go unnoticed until it’s too late. These health risks affect individuals with IDD, who may require specialized support and monitoring. Many intellectual and developmental disabilities are

Top Reasons People Don’t “Act Right”: Understanding the Medical and Environmental Roots of Behavior in People with IDD When an individual with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) begins to act differently — withdrawing, becoming irritable, losing interest in food or daily routines — supporters often describe it simply as, “They’re just not acting right.” But what does that really mean?