Statewide Intellectual Disability Mental Health Hubs

​​​​​​​​ On this page

1. What are the Statewide Intellectual Disability Mental Health Hubs?
2. Scholarships and professional opportunities
3. Intellectual Disability Mental Health chairperson
4. Research, resources and tools

What are the Statewide Intellectual Disability Mental Health Hubs?

Two Statewide Intellectual Disability Mental Health Hubs have been established to help people with intellectual or developmental disability access appropriate mental health care. They are funded by NSW Health.

The Hubs were created due to evidence that people with intellectual disability and mental health conditions experience a lower quality of life, hurles in accessing appropriate services and higher raters of inpatient care to manage their conditions.

Hub for adults

The Statewide Intellectual Disability Mental Health Outreach Service (SIDMHOS) is:

• a specialist mental health service that improves access to mental health care for adults with intellectual disability
• provides clinical support, workforce development opportunities and capacity building to local health districts and specialty health networks in order for consumers to receive specialist mental health care from their local service.

Find out how to access the Statewide Intellectual Disability Mental Health Outreach Service.

Hub for children and teens

The Sydney Children's Hospital Network Mental Health and Intellectual Disability Hub (SCHN MHID) is similar SIDMHOS and offers:

• a multi-levelled approach to service provision to best meet the individual support needs of the referrer and the complexity of the consumer, who is under age 18
• workforce development, professional development opportunities and education for health and disability professionals interested in learning more about providing evidence based and effective mental health care for people with intellectual disability.

Find out how to access Sydney Children's Hospital Network Mental Health and Intellectual Disability Hub.

Scholarships and professional opportunities

The Hub at Sydney Children's Hospital Network offers scholarships and other professional opportunities. Their Kids Webinar Series introduces a range of topics including sensory processing, positive parenting, emotion skills development and other topics.  

The Statewide Intellectual Disability Mental Health Outreach Service Hub for adults has developed a series of education and training sessions using the Project ECHO platform to offer

• practical advice and clinical teaching through lecture-based presentations and participant-led case discussions
• the opportunity for participatns to present their own clinical cases and receive specialist feedback.

Project ECHO is open to all registered health professionals in NSW.

Intellectual Disability Mental Health chair

Professor Julian Trollor has been the Chair in Intellectual Disability Mental Health at the University of NSW since 2009.

With the team at the Department of Developmental Disability Neuropsychiatry (3DN), Professor Trollor develops research, tools and resources to help mental health clinicians work with people with intellectual disability. Some of these resources include:

• The Guide: Accessible Mental Health Services for People with Intellectual Disability
• The Intellectual Disability Mental Health Core Competency Framework: A Manual and Toolkit for Providers
• ID Health Education by 3DN
• Responsible Psychotropic Prescribing to People with an Intellectual Disability Podcasts

Research, resources and tools

The resources are listed under the following categories: e-Learning, Podcasts and webinars, Printables, and Resources.

e-Learning

My Health Learning - IDMH

The Intellectual Disability and Mental Health Learning pathway has 15 modules available on My Health Learning, covering assessment, treatment, recovery and  managing challenging behaviour. NSW Health staff can access this resource by:

1. Enter your Stafflink user name and password.
2. In the Search bar, type in "intellectual disability and mental health".
3. Select the first box "Intellectual Disability and Mental Health - Learning Pathway"

Project ECHO

Project Echo comprises of a series of 10 focused IDMH sessions that blend a short education session with a grand  rounds-style clinical presentation and review. It is hosted by Statewide Intellectual Disability Mental Health Outreach Service (SIDMHOS).

Podcasts and webinars

Kids Webinar Series

The Sydney Children's Hospital Network  Kids Webinar Series features information on adapting mental health care for kids with intellectual and developmental disability.

Responsible prescribing of psychotropic medications podcast - UNSW

The Responsible Psychotropic Prescribing to People with an Intellectual Disability Podcasts aim to educate health professionals on safe and effective prescribing practices for the treatment of mental health disorders in people with an intellectual disability and are available

Printables

Easy Read Mental Health Resources

NSW Health has created 18 printable information sheets about mental health care in NSW available for people with low literacy, including information about introducing services, the Mental Health Act and making complaints.

Resources

ID Health Data Portal - UNSW

The ID Health Data Portal was developed by the Department of Developmental Disability Neuropsychiatry (3DN) to better understand the demographics and health service usage of people with Intellectual disability in  their LHD.

Intellectual Disability Mental Health Core Competency Framework - UNSW

The Intellectual Disability Mental Health Core Competency Framework: A Manual for Mental Health Professionals

• describes the specific skills and attributes required by mental health professionals for the provision of quality services to people with an intellectual disability
• outlines the necessary approaches to clinical practice when working with people with an intellectual disability
• identifies the core competencies that mental health professionals require to work in this area
• includes a self-assessment tool to help professionals determine their current skill set
• guides readers to resources that support professional development in intellectual disability mental health.

Intellectual Disability Network resources

The Agency for Clinical Innovation has a a number of resources related to the care of people with intellectual disability, including stories on different aspects of hospital care, admission to discharge planners and communication tools. 

The Guide - UNSW

The Guide: Accessible Mental Health Services for People with an Intellectual Disability - A Guide for Providerswas developled in consultation with key national stakeholders and funded by the Australian Government Department of Health. It includes:

• a framework of understanding and action for frontline mental health service providers
• an overview of intellectual disability mental health and why accessible services are important
• the principles that should guide service delivery
• practical strategies for inclusive and accessible services,
• and the implications for the service system.

Tools and apps

Healthy Minds

The Black Dog Institute's Health Minds tool is designed for people with mild to borderline intellectual disability to recognise and better regulate their thoughts and feelings.

MySigns

My Signs is a device-based app to help families and carers record mood and behaviour of people with limited verbal communication to share with health professionals.