About this episode

Dr. Paca Lipovac discusses her career in improving care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and the systemic challenges faced in the field.

Dr. Paca Lipovac, a longtime leader in the developmental disabilities field, shares how a personal connection—her niece's disability—drew her into a 26‑year career dedicated to improving care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). She describes her work overseeing highly complex, medically fragile populations at Richmond Community Services, emphasizing the importance of creating "enviable lives" that mirror the dignity and opportunities anyone would want. Lipovac highlights major systemic challenges, including an expensive and fragmented U.S. healthcare system, inadequate Medicaid reimbursement, and a lack of provider training in IDD care, all of which limit access to necessary services. To address staffing shortages and improve care quality, she outlines innovative solutions such as partnering with colleges to train her own nurses and recruiting international direct support professionals, achieving strong retention and better continuity of care. She concludes with core principles for improving the field: treat people with disabilities first and foremost as people, act with deep respect, and build supportive "village-like" communities that foster…

People in this episode

Guest: Dr. Paca Lipovac

Topics covered

• developmental disabilities
• healthcare challenges
• staffing solutions
• Medicaid reimbursement
• provider training

Keywords

• developmental disabilities
• healthcare
• Medicaid
• staffing shortages
• care quality

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Richmond Community Services

Places: U.S.

More episodes of IDD Health Matters

• Ep 157: Person-Centered Support in Action: Practical Tools for Better Outcomes · July 20, 2026 · 31 min
• Ep 156: Dignity, Technology, and the Future of Disability Services · July 12, 2026 · 26 min
• Ep 155: Empowering Lifelong Learning for People with Disabilities · July 2, 2026 · 20 min
• Ep 154: IDD Perspectives Webinar with Jonathon Crumley · June 29, 2026 · 55 min
• Ep 152: From Overlooked to Advocate: Neil Romano's Fight for Disability Rights and Respect · June 15, 2026 · 36 min

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