Developmental Disability

Overview

Linn County Developmental Disability programs offer a wide range of services to support individuals in our local community. We respect diverse family cultures, honor individual lifestyle choices and are committed to a proactive team approach.

Developmental disabilities are a disability diagnosed as a mental or physical condition or a combination of mental and physical conditions resulting in significant impairments to daily functioning. The disability:

• Must have its origin in the brain
• Must be established prior to the age of 22, or in the case of intellectual disability the condition must be determined before 18 years of age
• Must be expected to last indefinitely
• Must result in significant impairments in at least two areas of daily functioning:
  • self care
  • communication
  • cognition
  • mobility
  • self direction
  • capacity for independent living and economic self sufficiency
• The impairments must not be primarily related to: mental illness, substance abuse, an emotional disorder, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a learning disability or sensory impairment

The most common developmental disabilities include: intellectual disability, Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and fetal alcohol effect or fetal alcohol syndrome.