Supporting People With an Intellectual Disability and Mental Health Problems: A Scoping Review of What They Say About Service Provision

Debates about dedifferentiation: twenty-first century thinking about people with intellectual disabilities as distinct members of the disability group

“…Poor care standards and difficulty obtaining emergency support were evident, and, instead of treatment, people with intellectual disabilities were more likely to be discharged early to an expensive out-of-area service. Carers can become caught in tensions and boundary disputes between different service models, not least that specialist intellectual disability mental health services co-ordinate long-term support while general mental health services focus on short-term treatment and throughput (Venville et al, 2015). Sheehan and Paschos (2013) concluded that adult mental health services in the United Kingdom are unable to offer high-quality care to people with intellectual disabilities who become mentally ill, and that outcomes from specialist services are more positive.…”

“…A scoping review identified 17 studies that considered the perspective of service users with intellectual disabilities and mental health problems (Venville et al, 2015). It found that while they report experiencing distress in both mainstream and specialist mental health services, mainstream in-patient settings were the site of the most negative and stressful experiences.…”

Inter-Professional Collaborative Care: A Way to Enhance Services for Adults with Intellectual Disability and/or Autism Spectrum Disorder and Mental Health Problems

“…In particular, conflict resolution, negotiation of shared roles and responsibilities and having sufficient time to engage in inter-professional discussion will be examined. We also plan to obtain feedback from our clients and their caregivers regarding their experiences receiving services from our inter-professional mental health team [22].…”

Care Experiences of Adults With a Dual Diagnosis and Their Family Caregivers

“…Individuals diagnosed with both a developmental disability and a mental health condition (termed a “dual diagnosis” within this article) contend with multiple challenges and systems-related barriers ( Davis, Barnhill, & Saeed, 2008 ; James, 2012 ; Venville, Sawyer, Long, Edwards, & Hair, 2015 ), rendering them among the most vulnerable in communities ( Bongiorno, 1996 ; Davis et al, 2008 ). Developmental disabilities are defined as conditions that result in significant limitations in adaptive skills that emerge in childhood ( Government of Alberta, 2000 ), including disabilities that are genetic in origin; caused by illness or prenatal or childhood injury (e.g., fetal alcohol spectrum disorder); and/or of unknown origin (e.g., autism spectrum disorder) ( Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 2012 ).…”

“…Generic disability services may be perceived as providing equal service across disabilities; however, concerns remain regarding the ability of such approaches to respond to the heterogeneity and potentially expansive needs of individuals with a dual diagnosis ( Gough & Morris, 2012 ). While firsthand research from the perspective of these individuals themselves and their family members is limited, a recent review of available studies indicates that mainstream psychiatric care is often experienced as disempowering and generally negative ( Venville et al, 2015 ). Mental health facilities that offer specialized treatment to people with intellectual disabilities are characterized by service users as considerably more tailored to their needs, but many service users continue to describe “negative” and belittling treatment from facility staff members ( Venville et al, 2015 , p. 199).…”