Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Who does The Arc help?

A. We help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), their families and supporters. Our clients are transition age youth and adults living in El Paso County.

Q. What is IDD?
A. IDD is an acronym for Intellectual and Developmental Disability. IDD is an overarching term used to describe a life-long disability attributable to cognitive, neurological or other impairments manifested before the age of 22 and usually lasting for a lifetime. IDD affects the activities of daily living in language, learning, living independently, mobility and self-care, among other areas. Autism, Down syndrome, intellectual disabilities, epilepsy and cerebral palsy are examples of IDD.
Q. What do you call a person with a disability?
A. A person. We use “People First Language,” which is an objective and respectful way to speak about people with disabilities by emphasizing the person first, rather than the disability.
Q. Who can I talk to about my family member with IDD?

A. Contact Cecilia Navarro Tanner at (915) 564-4978 or email her at: ceci.navarro@thearcofelpaso.org