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Mental Health Services for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities in Canada: Findings from a National Survey
Author(s) -
Lunsky Y.,
Garcin N.,
Morin D.,
Cobigo V.,
Bradley E.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1468-3148
pISSN - 1360-2322
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-3148.2007.00384.x
Subject(s) - mental health , intellectual disability , documentation , service (business) , mental health service , psychology , service provider , medicine , psychiatry , nursing , business , marketing , computer science , programming language
Background People with intellectual disabilities are known to have a high prevalence of mental health problems but few studies have considered how such mental health problems are addressed in Canada. The purpose of the present study was to document both the range of mental health services available to individuals with intellectual disabilities across Canada and the perceived service gaps. Material and Methods A 30‐item questionnaire was developed that included questions on mental healthcare services for children, adolescents and adults with intellectual disabilities. This survey was sent to key informants in the 10 Canadian provinces and three territories. Results More than half of the respondents reported that generic mental health providers were poorly equipped to meet the needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities and mental health issues. Certain specialized services (inpatient treatment, emergency room expertise) were reported to exist by less than half of the respondents. Waitlists for specialized services were typically 4 months or longer. Respondents thought that training for staff and professionals was very important. Conclusion Some specialized services for individuals with intellectual disabilities and mental health issues were reported to exist in Canada but the need for more specialized services and further training was identified. Documentation of these service gaps should lead to further efforts in Canada for the improvement in services and developing policy.