IDD Health Matters

In this episode, Danielle Terrell discusses her personal and professional journey working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Danielle describes how her background in psychology, early community experiences, and roles as a direct support professional, ABA therapist, and transition specialist shaped her passion for advocacy and health equity. She highlights the complex healthcare and mental health challenges faced by children and adults with IDD, including real-life case examples that underscore gaps in provider training and support systems. The conversation also explores her international advocacy work in countries such as India, Kenya, and Tanzania, where she helped raise awareness, build services, and support families, revealing that barriers to care are global. Danielle concludes by sharing three guiding principles—saying yes to opportunities, learning directly from people with disabilities, and being bold in advocacy—to promote a world where people with IDD are supported not just to survive, but to truly thrive.