#30 How Accommodations Work Best for Those Living in a World Not Designed for Them

<p dir="ltr">Dr. John Gotchall, Pulmonary and Critical Care Doctor, The Arc of Benton County Justice Advocate, and The Arc of Benton County Board Member; Diane Scottaline, Executive Director of The Arc of Benton County; and Cody Gotchall, Self-Advocate and The Arc of Benton County Board member, discuss: </p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">How a person receives services through the community Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) services program, and how accommodations are accessed if a person doesn’t meet services criteria.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Accommodations are independent of county services, and the onus is typically on the individual who needs the accommodations to ask for them.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Accommodations are typically very low-cost, and “should be applied as generously and liberally as possible.”</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Approximately 18% of Americans experience IDD, but only about 1.5-2% receive services.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Co-occurrence of mental health disorders along with IDD are very common, and if accommodations aren’t provided, mental health symptoms may be exacerbated.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">How CommCards can identify communication impairments, express personalized accommodations, and can improve interactions between individuals with IDD and the justice system.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Distinctions between “soft” and “hard” accommodations, and how both are in-line with the ADA’s goals for nondiscrimination.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">People with IDD tend to be victims more frequently as they are a vulnerable population. This should be considered during the adjudication process for people with disabilit