As with all Australians, people with intellectual disability can have mental health issues.
Unfortunately there is a high prevalence of mental health disorders in people with intellectual disability and diagnosis can be more difficult if the person has limited verbal communication. Being aware of what may be a sign of a mental health issue and the appropriate health care response is critical for family carers and health care professionals.
What mental health services are available?
Disability Gateway services
The Disability Gateway has a range of national and state-wide services for when a person with disability you’re working with is in crisis, anxious or depressed and wants to talk with someone
Centre for Developmental Disability Health resources
The Centre for Developmental Disability Health (CDDH) has developed resources to help health care professionals respond to the mental health needs of people with intellectual disability and/or autism spectrum disorders, including clinical guidelines.
Council for Intellectual Disability fact sheets
The Council for Intellectual Disability has developed fact sheets to assist health care professionals in providing mental health support to people with intellectual disability.
3DN - Accessible Mental Health Services for People with an Intellectual Disability: A Guide for Providers
This guide by The Department of Developmental Disability Neuropsychiatry (3DN) at UNSW
offers a framework for mental health professionals to improve the accessibility and quality of mental health care for people with intellectual disability. It outlines:
- the nature of intellectual disability and its co-occurrence with mental disorders
- how mental disorders may present in people with intellectual disability
- the principles which underpin the provision of mental health care to people with intellectual disability
- a series of tools for inclusive practice, including examples of best practice
- a range of reasonable adjustments for mental health services to support the diverse needs of people with intellectual disability
- the implications for each major component of the mental health system.
3DN – Intellectual Disability Mental Health Core Competency Framework: A Manual for Mental Health Professionals
This guide by The Department of Developmental Disability Neuropsychiatry (3DN) at UNSW
offers a framework manual and toolkit for mainstream mental health professionals who provide mental health services within hospitals, government and non-government community services, and private practices. They also support mental health services to develop core competencies in intellectual disability mental health.
View or people with intellectual disability
View for intellectual disability carers
