Course Code
Academic Year
The purpose of this course is to provide students with information and skills, which will increase their effectiveness in supporting people who have a dual diagnosis (a developmental disability and a mental health problem). The course will review why people who have developmental disabilities are vulnerable to mental illnesses; diagnostic issues; the biopsychosocial model of mental illness; six major types of mental illnesses and how they present in people who have a developmental disability; how to prepare comprehensive information for a mental health consultation; diverse intervention modalities and how to provide comprehensive supports. There will also be a focus on how the mental health system operates and the systemic issues, which act as barriers to accessing services for people with a dual diagnosis.