learning disabilities

Rick Elskamp sits with his oldest daughter, Sheridan, and discusses the frustrations of having his 23-year-old daughter on a waiting list for 10 years for services as an intellectually disabled adult, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, at the Elskamps' home outside Topeka, Kan. Thousands of Kansas residents with disabilities and hundreds of thousands across the U.S. are on waiting lists for services.

States promise to help disabled kids. Why do some families wait a decade or more?

Associated Press

Parents wait for state-covered services designed to their children foster independence and job skills for adulthood. But they must think years ahead while their families are under stress.

The Florida Developmental Disabilities Council is urging Governor Ron DeSantis to use American Rescue Plan dollars to raise wages for direct support professionals. These workers provide services to people with developmental disabilities. That could be anything from medication management to helping someone get dressed. Valerie Breen is the council’s executive director. She says during the pandemic, health concerns caused many of those workers to leave their jobs.

Health News Florida

Group Homes For Those With Developmental Disabilities Face Worker Shortage

Robbie Gaffney

Advocates say direct-support professionals who left the industry because of health concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic aren't returning because of low wages.

Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.

HNF Stories

Attorney: Settlement Reached In Parasailing Crash Lawsuit

Associated Press

Two Indiana teenagers who were seriously injured in a Florida Panhandle parasailing crash have settled their lawsuits, according to their…