Reflecting on 2025 and Advancing Support for Individuals with IDD

Community Service Board of Middle Georgia (CSBMG)

As 2025 comes to a close, organizations across the nation are reflecting on progress, challenges, and opportunities for growth in behavioral health and developmental disability services. The National Center for START Services® (NCSS) recently shared holiday greetings and reflections highlighting the collective efforts of providers, families, and communities committed to improving outcomes for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) (National Center for START Services [NCSS], 2025).

Throughout the year, national conversations have continued to emphasize the intersection of mental health and IDD. Individuals with IDD experience higher rates of trauma, abuse, and unmet mental health needs, yet often face significant barriers to accessing timely and appropriate behavioral health services (Lago, 2025). These disparities reinforce the importance of integrated, person-centered systems of care that prioritize prevention, early intervention, and crisis stabilization.

At CSBMG, reflection serves as a foundation for action. As the agency looks ahead to 2026, continued collaboration, workforce development, and community education remain essential to strengthening supports for individuals with IDD and their families. Advancing whole-person care is not only a professional responsibility—it is a shared commitment to dignity, healing, and inclusion.

References

Lago, J. (2025). The mental health needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities can no longer be ignored. New Hampshire Bulletin.
National Center for START Services. (2025). Happy holidays from NCSS. Institute on Disability.