Two individuals with disabilities may have the same condition, but it can look different on each person. It's important not to assume you know what they have or that if they are able to tell you, that they will be like other individuals. With this population you may need to slow down your pace and questions. A rapid-fire style and the inability to answer quickly may frustrate these callers.

Depending on the situation you may also go with sticking to fewer words and repeating them. This is not necessarily because the caller doesn't understand larger words, but an attempt to get information quicker.

As with any caller you may have a hard time communicating with, ask simple questions and give simple instructions.

There are times when a person with condition that affects their speech may call in. It can be easy to assume that they are intoxicated or under the influence of a substance. Always ask questions and get as much information as possible before trying to determine something like this. Never assume or handle a call based on this kind of assumption.

Use caution when asking a mentally disabled caller if they feel “safe”, as you would with a child caller. They may say yes since they are on the phone with you, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are physically out of harm’s way. Make sure to ask further questions to confirm that they really are physically safe and if they will still feel safe after they hang up the phone.