HEALTH AFFAIRS: Safeguarding Health For People With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities: Absent Federal Leadership, Others Must Step Up
The article Safeguarding Health For People With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities argues that recent federal policy shifts have dismantled essential health infrastructure and funding for the 17 million Americans living with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Because these individuals face higher risks of chronic conditions and preventable mortality, the authors call for a coalition of private-sector organizations, states, and clinical societies to step into the leadership void. This non-federal response must focus on providing trustworthy health guidelines, stewarding national data ethically, and promoting a social model of disability that prioritizes community integration and self-determination. Ultimately, the authors emphasize that people with IDD must play a central role in leading these efforts to ensure health equity and combat growing misinformation.
