Developmental Complexities

There are many factors and experiences that can affect a person’s development. For example, a child with a developmental disability experiences child maltreatment. This combination may mean that the usual treatments for developmental disability or maltreatment may not work the same for this child who has both.

We use the idea of “developmental complexity” to help us think about how to understand and support the needs of people with complex experiences.

At Mt. Hope Family Center, we study how complex experiences affect development across the lifespan. We’re developing new interventions and training community members how to better meet the needs of people with developmental complexity in their communities. We are also working to create policy change to reduce barriers to care.