The State is issuing this application for the purposes of facilitating a peer-to-peer collaborative learning space where there is the ability to build capacity to increase knowledge, expertise, skills, and tool development for Direct Support Professionals (DSP), Providers, Clinicians, and Coordinators of Community Services. The facilitator of the cohort group will be assisting in creating a system of support that is equitable, trauma-informed and implements positive behavioral supports that can meet the needs of people with dual diagnosis. Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are at high risk for co-occurring behavioral health conditions. Research indicates that approximately 30-35 percent of all people with intellectual or developmental disabilities have a psychiatric disorder. (The Diagnostic Manual – Intellectual Disability: A Textbook of Diagnosis of Mental Disorders in Persons with Intellectual Disability, Second Addition DM-ID-2) People with intellectual and developmental disabilities experience trauma, including abuse and neglect, at higher rates than the general population. In addition to the increased likelihood of experiencing trauma, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are at increased risk of developing more severe post-traumatic stress symptoms than people without intellectual and developmental disabilities when exposed to the same traumatic event. (The Diagnostic Manual – Intellectual Disability: A Textbook of Diagnosis of Mental Disorders in Persons with Intellectual Disability, Second Addition DM-ID-2). The behavioral health needs of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities often go unrecognized. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities are often defined by their behavior. Recognizing that behavior is a form of communication and not a symptom of a person's disability is crucial to understanding what a person's needs are and supporting them to meet those needs. The co-existence of a psychiatric disorder can have serious effects on a person's daily functioning and can greatly reduce their quality of life. If a person's behavior is attributed to their disability, behavioral health conditions may go undiagnosed, and individuals may not receive necessary treatment and support. People with IDD and mental health needs often end up in a cycle of hospitalization, a return home, and rehospitalization.
