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Cumberland-Perry IDD program reports 1,150 registered clients; staff cite employment successes and staffing, housing shortfalls
Summary
County staff described intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) services covering supports coordination, residential services, employment programs and independent-living training, and identified staffing shortages and a lack of affordable housing as key needs.
County staff presented an overview of intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) and autism services shared by Cumberland and Perry counties and described strengths and ongoing needs.
Brian (staff member) said the IDD program serves about 1,150 registered individuals, with an estimated 80% living in Cumberland County and 20% in Perry County. "Right now, our ID services provide services to about 1,150 individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism, and they're registered with our office. The split between our counties is about 80% Cumberland, 20% Perry," Brian said.
Staff listed services that include supports coordination, residential supports, supported employment, job-training services, adult-development programs, family support (including respite), transportation, recreation, and socialization. Brian highlighted Project SEARCH, which began locally in 2017. "Project Search started in our counties in 2017...35 people have gone through the program thus far. 25 have gotten competitive jobs upon completion of the program. So that's a 71 percent success rate," Brian said. He also said, "As of 03/31/2025, 205 out of the 1,150 people have of working age, so 25% are working competitively," a formulation read into the record.
The county also described independent-living supports. Pathways Academy, launched in 2014, offers a 12-to-18-month curriculum that helps participants practice daily living skills prior to moving into supported apartments. Brian said 22 people have graduated from Pathways and a new class will start in September 2025.
Staff identified several needs: ongoing staffing shortages that prevent residential programs from accepting referrals; some day programs remain closed or merged with others; difficulty locating residential placements for individuals with challenging behaviors, sometimes requiring relocation to other counties; rapid growth in the population served that strains support-coordination organizations; and a lack of affordable housing for individuals wishing to live independently.
Ending: staff characterized the IDD program as a cross-system effort with partnerships across mental health, children and youth services, aging, and local school districts, and they emphasized pressures from staffing and housing shortages as priorities for county planning.
