Kitsune, Inc.is dedicated to helping people with disabilities who fall through the cracks of receiving services.
Our group is composed of family members of young adults on the autistic spectrum or with learning delays, two landlords, a retired lawyer, a member of another local nonprofit group, and two professionals who provide services to the disabled in Frederick county. Due our experiences with family and others in our lives, the founders of Kitsune formed a plan to address some of the needs of those who fall through the cracks.
Where are the cracks?
There are supports available to individuals with intellectual disabilities and those with severe mental illness. There is also a large population of people with disabilities that do not meet criteria for such funding, but still require additional assistance and support.
People with other developmental and learning disabilities often need support for employment and independent living.
What disabilities are we talking about?
We are talking about those with autism spectrum disorder, learning disabilities, language disorders, and executive functioning deficits. These are the individuals who are forgotten in society, maybe due to an invisible disability, or their ability to present well initially to others. These individuals want independence and can reach that goal with a little extra support. Kitsune is only one piece of the puzzle to help, but we feel strongly that we can make a difference in people’s lives by helping them to live independently.
Need versus available services.
To illustrate the disparity between need and services provided the graph below indicates the larger group of disabilities that warrant support versus the smaller group of “designated need that actually receives support. If the need is not defined by a public service department then the individual does not receive services.
For example, many people believe that a person diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder will automatically receive public assistance. This is not the case.
This graphic is a generalized illustration of a ratio of identified Developmental and Learning Disabilities compared to public services available for those who also have Intellectual Disabilities.
