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It can be hard for people with intellectual disability to find mental health care that meets their needs.
Experts at UNSW made two resources to help mental health professionals:
- A manual that says what patients might want and need.
- A toolkit with ideas to improve mental health services.
About the manual
About the manual
The manual has information and skills health professionals need.
It says how to:
- Learn what your patient can and can’t do
- Communicate in ways your patient can understand
- Get help from carers and other supporters, if your patient says this is ok
- Use
Supported decision making is when you make your own choices with help from people you trust. These people help you understand information and think about what might happen. Then you decide what you want to do.
- Give patients information they can understand
- Work with other people who can help, like disability professionals
- Work with other organisations that can help
- Get help from experts
- Learn more about intellectual disability mental health
- Think about your own beliefs and attitudes.
About the toolkit
About the toolkit
The toolkit can help improve health services. It has ideas:
- to change clinical practice
- to help service managers include everyone
- to help health professionals understand and work with people with intellectual disability
We trust this resource
We trust this resource because it is:
- Made to help, not for profit
- Made by people who know a lot about the topic
- Made in Australia
We've checked this resource, and you can follow our guide to know if health information is true and right for you.
This resource was made by
National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health
The National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health (the Centre) works to improve health services and the health system so people with intellectual disability can live their best, healthiest lives.
The Centre was funded by the Australian Government. It is part of the National Roadmap for Improving the Health of People with Intellectual Disability.
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