Meet the newest I/DD App, Hello, It’s Me!

Richcroft is excited to announce the launch of a new social-emotional learning tool, created especially for people with disabilities. The state-of-the-art application, affectionately known as, “Hello, It’s Me,” and has been developed in partnership with Focus EduSolutions and Dr. Karyn Harvey, a nationally recognized author and clinician in the field of I/DD. Hello, It’s Me will feature several modules including interactive stories, wellness coaching, dating and friendships, live events, and games. The app is designed to bring together people from the I/DD community in a safe place where they can learn, interact, connect, and have fun.

 

We saw firsthand the loneliness, frustration, and social isolation caused by the pandemic. That’s why we consulted with several industry experts on a strategy for bringing this learning platform into existence. Our team of experts and developers recently attended the AAIDD Conference to introduce this new product to the I/DD community for the first time. We received great feedback and are extremely excited about the creation of this app and the purpose behind why we wanted to make it a reality. 

 

Hello, It’s Me is a first-of-its-kind social-emotional learning tool and has the potential to be a game-changer when it comes to helping adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) build and foster friendships and relationships — all online! Hello, It’s Me is a one-stop shop – complete with a virtual meeting space, where clients can interact within a safe, non-judgmental, disability-friendly space. The goal is simple — to reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness in people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

 

In building the Hello, It’s Me app, we took great care and consideration in ensuring safeguards were in place to protect our supported individuals. The interactive stories are based on real-life situations and give the user multiple choices to decide the outcome of any given situation. This is a great way for individuals with I/DD to “choose their own adventure,” and see the potential outcomes of their decisions firsthand. The gaming feature is also a fun and innovative way for individuals to engage with one another through the app. 

 

Hello, It’s Me will also provide access to wellness coaches, live social events such as dance parties and karaoke, all while helping to build a community of peers with I/DD. Community is the key to fill the void caused by the pandemic and Hello, It’s Me will help those who were deeply isolated during the pandemic to once again start building friendships and relationships outside of their homes. The most important piece of the app is for our individuals to feel that they are safe and they are not alone. 

 

The official launch of the app and all its incredible features will take place this October, in Las Vegas, at the CQL Conference.  Until then, you can learn more about the app and its features at www.hello-itsme.com. Apps that are targeted at the I/DD population are paving the way for a more engaged, less lonely, and infinitely more inclusive community and we can’t wait to see how it grows among our community of users — both at Richcroft and beyond.