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Development Disabilities
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Provider Agency Handbook -PDF
Eligibility for Services
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To be eligible for developmental disability services, the person must have mental retardation or a related condition. A person with mental retardation means a person who has substantial limitations in present functioning, manifested as significantly subaverage intellectual functioning (IQ under 70), existing concurrently with demonstrated deficits in adaptive behavior and who manifests these conditions before the person's 22nd birthday. |
A person with a related condition means a person who has been diagnosed as having a severe, chronic disability that meets all of the following conditions:
- is attributable to cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, Prader-Willi syndrome, or any other condition, other than mental illness or an emotional disturbance and is found to be closely related to mental retardation because the condition results in impairment of general intellectual functioning or adaptive behavior similar to that of persons with mental retardation and requires treatment or services similar to those required for persons with mental retardation;
- is manifested before the person reaches 22 years of age;
- is likely to continue indefinitely; and
- results in substantial functional limitations in three or more of
the following areas of major life activity:
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A. self-care;
B. understanding and use of language;
C. learning;
D. mobility;
E. self-direction; or
F. capacity for independent living.
These eligibility standards typically apply to a person who is old enough to have completed a test of intellectual functioning. Children who are under 5 years of age are not old enough for this type of testing, and eligibility for DD services is determined by looking at test scores applicable to the child's age. Typically, a child is diagnosed by a psychologist as having a global developmental delay, and test scores are usually at more than two standard deviations below the mean, in at least two areas of functioning, one of which is cognition.
It is important to note that eligibility for Developmental Disability services must include significant delays in areas of cognition. While many times medical conditions and/or behavioral conditions are also a part of the person's disability, these concerns alone would not result in eligibility for these services, and there are other services that would be more appropriate.
There are a variety of services available for people with developmental disabilities. There is no charge for case management services or some of the other programs available through the county agency. Many of the programs are funded through Medical Assistance and there may be fees or premiums for that program.
To make a referral for services, call 507-304-4319 and ask to speak to the intake worker for either children's services or adult services. You will be asked to provide recent medical, psychological and/or special education assessments to the agency to help determine eligibility.
