Service Utilization Patterns in Parents of Youth and Adults With Intellectual Disability Who Experienced Behavioral Crisis

Abstract

This is an electronic version of an article published in [Weiss, J. & Lunsky, Y. (2010).Service utilization patterns in parents of youth and adults with intellectual disability who experienced behavioral crisis.

Social service utilisation patterns among children with mild intellectual disability – differences between children integrated into mainstream classes and children in self-contained classes

“…For instance, the use of informal support may decrease the use of formal services among families with a child with a disability (Zwaanswijk et al 2003). According to parents of children with ID living outside Sweden, they do not apply for services when they intend to solve the difficulties themselves, perceive the applying process as too troublesome, experience the child's difficulties as minor or have negative experiences of formal support (Douma, Dekker, and Koot 2006;Weiss and Lunsky 2010). Such reasons may also apply to Swedish parents.…”

The Brief Family Distress Scale: A Measure of Crisis in Caregivers of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

“…Such a large percentage of Moderate impairment suggests that even in a community sample, many families of individuals with ASD experience significant distress (Baker-Ericzén et al, 2005). If data were collected from tertiary-level or crisis-related services, we might expect to find a higher percentage of Marked impairment (Weiss & Lunsky, 2010).…”

“…Each point was grounded in a statement describing a point along the continuum from no stress to complete crisis, shown in Appendix A. The statements were adapted from qualitative interviews with parents of individuals with developmental disabilities and mental health problems (Weiss & Lunsky, 2010). stressful, but we are managing to deal with problems when they arise").…”

Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities Who Live With Family and Experience Psychiatric Crisis: Who Uses the Emergency Department and Who Stays Home?

“…For instance, data regarding adults with ID in the United States receiving U.S. Medicaid waivers indicates that rates of adults living with family members rose from approximately 6% in 1992 to 39% in 2006 (Lakin et al, 2007). Families of individuals with dual diagnosis will often strive to handle the mental health problems themselves, until they are unable to cope, and crisis ensues (Weiss & Lunsky, 2010). Yet not all crises lead to the ED.…”

“…Gender (Lunsky & Havercamp, 2002), age (Davidson et al, 1994;Shoham-Vardi et al, 1996), and level of ID (Davidson et al, 1994) have also been correlated with mental health service use, although not yet examined with ED use. From a systemic perspective, a number of studies have highlighted that individuals with ID face multiple barriers to accessing primary care and mental health care (Dekker & Koot, 2003;Einfeld et al 2006;McCarthy & Boyd, 2002;Ouellette-Kuntz, 2005;Weiss & Lunsky, 2010), which may make emergency service use more likely. As well, caregivers of individuals with ID who have experienced psychiatric crisis note a lack of meaningful daytime activities, respite services, and Individuals with intellectual 5 mental health care (Weiss & Lunsky, 2010), although it is yet to be shown whether differences in such service receipt is related to emergency service utilization.…”