Aging family caregivers of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have unique circumstances setting them apart from the general caregiving population. Such differences include the extensive duration of the caregiving, and health concerns that manifest in the caregiver and individuals with IDD over time. Because of increasing…

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are disproportionately impacted by potentially traumatic experiences; however, organizations serving this population have lagged in their integration of trauma-informed care (TIC). Trauma-informed care is a systemwide response to the pervasiveness of trauma that frequently requires an…

Many siblings anticipate fulfilling caregiving roles for their brothers and sisters with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Given these roles and the importance of supported decision making, it is crucial to understand how individuals with IDD and their siblings make decisions. Using dyadic interviews, we examined the perspectives…

Direct support professionals (DSPs) provide a range of supports in a variety of settings to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who count on these supports to live, work, and contribute in their communities. Despite this, high annual DSP turnover rates are problematic. DSP turnover is disruptive to people who receive…

Direct support professionals (DSPs) are deemed by existing literature as vital support to persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). They may be exposed to the traumatic experiences of people with IDD with potential psychological implications. Secondary traumatic stress (STS) has been studied among related professionals across…

We propose a justice-based partnership between employees and family members as a means to create services and support systems for people with intellectual disability, enhancing quality of life indicators. More specifically, we examine the links from mutual intergroup justice to three outcomes reported by family members: satisfaction with the…

The roles and responsibilities of direct support professionals (DSPs) are evolving. This qualitative study explores how DSPs perceive their role and explores those perceptions across DSPs working in traditional, intermediate, and innovative agencies, as defined for the study. Examining 440 DSP survey responses and interviews with 24 DSPs, we found…

This study reports on the results of an online survey of direct support professionals (DSPs) during the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020 to measure their perceived quality of life, stressors, coping/resilience skills, and knowledge of health care rights directly related to the pandemic for the persons that they support. Specifically, we examined…

The rate of competitive employment, or employment in community settings for minimum wage or higher, of working-age individuals with disabilities trails behind individuals without disabilities in the United States. These statistics are even more alarming among Hispanic individuals who have disabilities. The purpose of this study was to explore the…

People with disabilities have more health complications and higher healthcare utilization related to tobacco use than people without disabilities. Yet, they are less likely to use tobacco cessation resources. Important to meaningful and lasting health behavior change are relationships developed in the home, workplace, and community. Some people…

Although faith has particular prominence in the contemporary American landscape, its intersection with disability and families has received little attention. We examined the spiritual and religious lives of 530 parents and caregivers of family members who have intellectual disability. For most participants, faith had clear relevance and was…

Direct support professionals (DSPs) provide integral support to many individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Yet, individuals' access to qualified DSPs is often compromised as organizations struggle to hire and retain DSPs. Despite a vast body of research exploring factors associated with turnover, adverse childhood…

Trauma-informed care (TIC) is a systemwide approach that emphasizes organizational practices based upon principles of safety, choice, collaboration, empowerment, and trustworthiness. It is intended to influence an entire organization, with implications for clients and the workforce. The present study explored the extent to which IDD organizations…

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (PWIDD) often encounter barriers in the health care system when seeking general and specialized medical care. Literature has shown that PWIDD experience a lack of proper screening for and prevention of cancer compared to the general population. However, less is known regarding the cancer care…

Supporting families who have family members with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) as they move through life is a critical need (Reynolds, Palmer, & Gotto, 2018). The phrase, "supporting families," juxtaposes the typical family support paradigm in response to the ongoing shrinkage of federal and state dollars and the…