MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT FOR PEOPLE WITH IDD

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have higher rates of mental health conditions than people without disabilities, but may face challenges in getting treatment.

Treatment for mental health conditions may include:

• Medication
• Talking with a therapist, counselor, or social worker
• Talking with a group of people
• Animal-assisted therapy (horse riding, therapy dogs, etc.)

 

Challenges include:

• Finding providers who take insurance
• Finding medications that are covered by insurance
• Providers who aren’t comfortable working with people with IDD
• Delays in care
• Difficulty communicating

 

Advice from people with disabilities:

For people with disabilities: don’t be afraid to ask for help! Your primary care provider is a great place to start. Look for peer mentorship opportunities where you can meet with another person with a disability and mental health condition to help you figure everything out.

For providers: treat everyone as an individual, regardless of their disability. Understand that disabilities may affect how someone experiences a mental health condition, but don’t assume that everything is because of a disability.

 

988

24-hour crisis hotline

988lifeline.org

 

Learn More:

National Alliance on Mental Illness

nami.org

The Arc of Virginia

https://www.thearcofva.org

 

Created for people with disabilities by people with disabilities.

This work was supported by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research [grant #90IFRE0047].