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Editor性视界传媒檚 note: This is the second of two stories about services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the Longview area.

When the Concord Manor group home opened in 1979 at 414 S. Center St. in Longview, neighbors had two choices: respond with fear of the unknown or welcome the people who would be living on their street.

They chose the latter, embracing the adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who would call Concord home, said Inman White, executive director of Community Healthcore, the regional mental health authority.

At the time, such acceptance was rare: People with mental disabilities have been stigmatized and discriminated against for most of human history.

性视界传媒淭he story there were the neighbors, the people that opened their doors to us, that allowed us to come into their community,性视界传媒� White said.

Now, Community Healthcore性视界传媒檚 leaders are asking Longview residents, business leaders and civic organizers to show that same acceptance and opportunity once again. They say they want to partner with churches, businesses, colleges and employers to provide new opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to be included in events, find jobs, get an education and participate in the community.

性视界传媒楳ore alike than we are different性视界传媒�On March 25, Community Healthcore leaders hosted their first Developmental Disabilities Awareness Day event at Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Center. Hundreds of people got together to play games, dance, learn about resources for people with disabilities and more.

性视界传媒淭he purpose behind that is to not only bring resources to the individuals with IDD and their families ... but also let the community know that we性视界传媒檙e more alike than we are different,性视界传媒� said Patti Brady, community development specialist for Community Healthcore.

For Brady and others at Community Healthcore, that mission is personal. Brady has a sister with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and so does Sandra Taylor, who oversees the mental health authority性视界传媒檚 services for people with those disabilities.

Having a sibling with those disabilities has taught them something: 性视界传媒淲e性视界传媒檝e learned so much more about the importance of inclusion,性视界传媒� Taylor said.

As of 2020, about 8.3 million American adults had an intellectual or developmental disability, according to data from the Residential Information Systems Project at the University of Minnesota. But only 44% of adults and 20% of children with such a disability were known by their state性视界传媒檚 developmental disabilities agency.

About 2.88 million children had a developmental delay, and about 3.22 million children had an intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder as of 2020, according to the university性视界传媒檚 research.

Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities often need help performing daily tasks, such as bathing, eating, getting dressed and more. Some people with those needs in Texas live in group homes or state-supported living centers, where direct care workers assist them around-the-clock.

Between 30 and 40 group home providers operate in the nine-county region served by Community Healthcore, Taylor said. The nearest state-supported living center is in Lufkin. (Concord Manor closed March 18 because of funding challenges, highlighting issues surrounding the state性视界传媒檚 services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The residents there were moved to other facilities or began receiving in-home services.)

Intellectual and developmental disabilities can range from serious forms of autism spectrum disorder and Down syndrome to brain injuries and cerebral palsy. People with those disabilities could have severe, chronic mental or physical health conditions and might have trouble speaking, moving, learning, helping themselves and performing other basic life functions, according to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.

But that性视界传媒檚 not always the case.

Breaking down stigmasSocial stigmas about disabilities often hamper a person性视界传媒檚 ability to make friends, work and otherwise participate in the community.

性视界传媒淲hile barriers exist in our world in many forms toward people with disabilities, whether it性视界传媒檚 stairs or narrow doorways or lack of testing accommodations in the classroom environment, the biggest barrier for individuals with a disability is stigma. And that性视界传媒檚 community-wide in all aspects of life,性视界传媒� Jill Bezyak, a professor and coordinator of the University of Northern Colorado性视界传媒檚 Rehabilitation Counseling and Sciences program,

Though people might have disabilities, that doesn性视界传媒檛 mean they can性视界传媒檛 work 性视界传媒� and be excellent workers.

People with disabilities are often motivated, engaged, hard-working individuals who take off work less than other employees and enjoy working with others, according to . Goodwill provides job training and other resources to people who face employment barriers.

Brady concurs.

性视界传媒淲e let employers know that they can work. We have some hard-working individuals,性视界传媒� Brady said. 性视界传媒淭here性视界传媒檚 a lot of gifts and skills that they have that they could share the community.性视界传媒�

Accommodations for workers with a disability often cost little or nothing for an employer to make, according to the Job Accommodation Network.

People with mental disabilities also might struggle to make friends, even as children. Other people may avoid them or bully them. That kind of treatment continues into adulthood, which could decrease a person性视界传媒檚 quality of life, in a 2021 article for the Association for Psychological Science.

Some people might fear that people with an intellectual or developmental disability could be aggressive or harmful, but that性视界传媒檚 not the case, Taylor said.

性视界传媒淢ost of the individuals with developmental disabilities, they lead very quiet lives, but they性视界传媒檙e the most loving people ever,性视界传媒� Taylor said. 性视界传媒淎nd because it性视界传媒檚 quiet, my concern is that we don性视界传媒檛 lose the awareness of how important it is for them to continue to be more included in the community. Because of the quietness of their disability, it could be easy for us to go back to those days of ... secluding them off.

性视界传媒淭hey性视界传媒檙e not going to hurt you any more than your neighbor that you don性视界传媒檛 even know.性视界传媒�

While stigmas and bullying can be barriers, Brady doesn性视界传媒檛 believe animosity is the main reason people and organizations aren性视界传媒檛 doing more to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

性视界传媒淧eople are not over there going, 性视界传媒榊eah, I don性视界传媒檛 want to be around those people.性视界传媒� That性视界传媒檚 not the thing,性视界传媒� Brady said. 性视界传媒淧eople just don性视界传媒檛 know how to ... get involved and include people.性视界传媒�

性视界传媒楢ll of our jobs性视界传媒�Community Healthcore officials say they hope to work specifically with churches, businesses and civic groups 性视界传媒� even colleges 性视界传媒� to help people with mental disabilities.

性视界传媒淲e性视界传媒檝e attempted, and have been able to get some involvement, from some of the universities and colleges having some 性视界传媒榖uddy systems性视界传媒� with some of those students there, but that性视界传媒檚 never taken off the way we性视界传媒檇 like for it to,性视界传媒� said Rick Roberts, Community Healthcore性视界传媒檚 director of operations.

Roberts highlighted the Tim Tebow Foundation性视界传媒檚 Night to Shine prom event for people with disabilities as one example of how churches and organizations can get involved. The event takes place around the world, and New Beginnings Baptist Church in Longview is the local host.

性视界传媒淚t性视界传媒檚 going to be all of our jobs ... to make sure that these individuals are a part of our community,性视界传媒� Brady said. 性视界传媒淭here性视界传媒檚 a lot of work to be still be done there for the community. We性视界传媒檙e getting that going. That direction is much better, but there性视界传媒檚 a lot of work.性视界传媒�

Groups and businesses interested in learning more can contact Brady by emailing patti.brady@communityhealthcore.com or calling (903) 407-8899.