When a client’s family cannot provide historical psychological documentation confirming an IDD diagnosis prior to age 22, providers reported taking the following steps:

1. Request records from the school district — IEPs, evaluation reports, and special education eligibility determinations often document intellectual disability and are retained for years after graduation.
2. Contact prior treatment providers, hospitals, or state agencies (such as former DHS/DDS case files) that may hold historical records.
3. Work with the client’s current DDS case manager or support coordinator, who may have access to historical DDS eligibility records.
4. If no historical records can be located, DDS has a process for establishing eligibility through a current psychological evaluation combined with a review of available collateral history. Contact your DDS regional office for guidance on this pathway.

Providers noted that school records are often the most reliable and accessible source, as IDEA requires districts to retain special education records for a minimum period after a student exits.