Report: Many with developmental disabilities also have mental illnesses

[Guest guest]

Report calls for more treatment of 'dually-diagnosed' people

by K. Livio/The

Star-Ledger

Friday October 10, 2008, 5:00 PM

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/10/report_calls_for_more_treatmen.html

Private hospitals and community agencies that serve people with autism and

other developmental disabilities also must be prepared to deal with mental

illness, which affects more than one-third of their patients and clients,

according to a report released today.

Hospitals need to create more short-term treatment facilities and more

mental health professionals and direct care workers must be trained to treat

"dually-diagnosed" people, who too often don't get help for severe

behavior problems, the report by the Dual Diagnosis Task Force said.

A developmental disability is a chronic, life-long

condition, like mental retardation, autism or cerebral palsy, that may

interfere with language, mobility, learning, self-help, and independent living.

A mental illness is medical condition, like major depression, schizophrenia,

bipolar disorder, that disrupts a person's thinking, feeling, mood, ability to

relate to others, and daily functioning.

Human Services Commissioner Velez called the report a

"landmark effort" that will help the state prevent disabled people

from being wrongly institutionalized. Velez said she would use the report

"to enable individuals to fully participate in community life through the

support of a service system that delivers appropriate treatment."

The report was commissioned by the state but written by a task force

including parents who know the shortcomings of the mental health system first

hand.

Donna Icovino of Millstone, a co-chairwoman of the Dual Diagnosis Task

Force, said her son , was twice taken to a local hospital when his

behavior at his group home became unmanageable, but the hospital refused to

admit him. He is diagnosed with autism and bipolar disorder.

Against Icovino's will, her son was committed to a state psychiatric hospital

-- what she called "the saddest day of my life."

The shortage of treatment can be linked to misunderstanding about

developmentally disabled people, according to the report. Many wrongly believe

the developmental disability causes the potentially threatening or disruptive

behavior; traditional talk-therapy cannot work, and only medication can help.

The task force's recommendations include cross-training professionals in

mental health and developmental disabilities fields; adding short-term

treatment beds in hospitals prepared to treat dually-diagnosed people; and

creating county-based teams to assess the treatment needs of their

constituents.

Mindful of the state's fiscal restraints, the task force did not attach a

price tag to its recommendations, and suggested the department tap its existing

$9 billion budget to make incremental change.

The task force assembled at the Woodbridge Hilton to present the report to

Velez, who promised to create an executive committee to implement the

recommendations.

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