The work performed by direct support professionals (DSPs) is critical to quality of life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). In Oregon alone, where Cognitopia is based, over 30,000 people with IDD rely on DSPs for support at work, at home, and in the community. Cognitopia joins the National Association for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) and American Network of … Read More
We’d like to share a couple of news items from this past week. One is about how both autism and intellectual disability are being redefined for better alignment with the World Health Organization’s disability classification system in the latest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The second item is an article from the National Institutes for … Read More
Every March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (DDAM) when the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) and its partners work together to showcase how people with and without disabilities unite to create strong, inclusive, diverse communities. A central point raised is how people with disabilities should not be sidelined but rather included in ALL aspects of life in their communities. … Read More
Around 18% of students in the Salem, Oregon school district have a disability. almost 1 in 5 – not a small number. Opportunities for inclusion in typical activities such as organized sports can be essential for the growth of all children and young adults. But for those with a disability, such opportunities are often lacking in many areas. Thanks to Capital … Read More
Powell’s Books, the long-standing bastion of the printed word in Portland, Oregon, always seems to be on the right path. Powell’s latest move to create a new display of stories and texts centered on neurodivergence is simply wonderful and fantastically inclusive. In the words of Powell’s bookseller Rin S.: One of my goals as a bookseller is to present the … Read More
If you are the primary caregiver for a neurodiverse child, you understand how tiring and frustrating it can be to tell their story over and over again. Cognitopia My Life Digital Portfolios make this easy. Your child might be young, an adolescent, or an adult, but you want other supporters to know your child the way you do. Whether autistic … Read More
We’re excited to see that FACT Oregon is conducting its Transition to Adulthood Virtual Learning Summit on January 29th. Many decisions and new opportunities face students as they engage in this transition along with their families and wider support networks. FACT Oregon, which “helps thousands of families each year navigate raising a child experiencing disability,” focuses annually on this great … Read More
Through Cognitopia’s long-time collaboration with Supporting Living, Learning, andEarning with Autism (SLLEA), we’ve been helping young adults with autism to be moresuccessful in learning how to live on their own, find successful employment, and pursuecollege degrees. This recently-produced video showcases how for one SLLEAparticipant, Cognitopia systematically builds independence and optimizes the efforts ofa key support staff. View this newly-released video … Read More
