The stigma that developmentally disabled people face from
society is the largest barrier between them and their ability to
lead fulfilling lives.

Diminishing this stigma is the main goal of Douglas County’s new
planning coordinator for developmental disabilities, Marsha
Meyer-Miesch.

Normal people have a fear of the unknown rooted in a lack of
experience with being around developmentally disabled people, she
said.

“Developmentally disabled people are interested in travel,
friends, buying a home and saving money for retirement, exactly the
same things I’m focusing on,” Meyer-Miesch said. “Despite their
disabilities, their hopes, dreams and desires are the same as
everyone.”

Developmentally disabled people are defined as those who develop
conditions before the age of 22 that make it difficult or
impossible for them to lead normal lives.

Such conditions include autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, Down
syndrome, mental retardation and other neurological
conditions.

The county’s long-range plan to include developmentally disabled
adults was adopted in 2000 and says it is difficult to determine
the number of these residents in the county.

But Developmental Pathways, the main provider of services to the
county’s developmentally disabled, serves 210 people here and has
55 more waiting for services, the plan says.

The plan defines the major problems faced by the developmentally
disabled and suggests ways for the county to solve them.

Meyer-Miesch said another of her goals is to fully implement the
plan.

Transportation, employment, housing, health care and recreation
are the most pressing problems addressed in the plan.

Transportation is a major hurdle faced by developmentally
disabled as many of them have physical handicaps, Meyer-Miesch
said.

“Adults [with this type of disability] often want to work, but
there are so many barriers,” she said. “Transportation is a big
problem.”

The plan suggests working with the Regional Transportation
District and other transportation providers to expand both fixed
and individual routes, and to train drivers in dealing with
developmentally disabled people.

Regarding housing, the plan focuses on making available more
affordable housing to the developmentally disabled.

One way to do this is to provide incentives to developers who
designate a certain percentage of their developments to disabled
people, the plan says.

“Affordable housing has always been an issue,” Meyer-Miesch
said.

Health care is another big problem for the developmentally
disabled, she said.

Most receive medical care through Medicaid, but services are
often limited.

“Medicaid does not provide dental insurance,” Meyer-Miesch said.
“Being denied something as basic as that is infuriating.”

She said she will work in her new capacity as the county’s
disability coordinator to fix this dental health care
problem.

“I want to work on an initiative to change this situation,”
Meyer-Miesch said.

Employment is another problem for the developmentally disabled,
she said.

“I’ve seen a lot of positive situations come out of hiring
developmentally disabled persons,” Meyer-Miesch said. “Companies
that are willing [to hire such people] can usually adapt
well.”

To address all these issues and to share information about the
services that are available to the county’s developmentally
disabled people, Meyer-Miesch said she is planning an informal
monthly get together for them and their families.

And she said that anyone interested in learning more about the
developmentally disabled and how they can help should call her at
(303) 688-4825 ar visit her office on the second floor of the
Douglas County Human Services Building, which is at 101 Third St.
in Castle Rock.

“Developmentally disabled people are wonderful because they give
us opportunities to learn more tolerance,” she said. “I know my
life has been enriched from the relationships I’ve formed with them
and their family members.”

Before moving to Colorado, Meyer-Miesch worked for a private
company in Alaska that provided services to developmentally
disabled people.