The Queensland government will commit $2 million a year into the establishment of the new Queensland Centre of Excellence in Intellectual and Developmental Disability Mental Health (QCEAIDH) at Mater’s South Brisbane campus.
Approximately 80,000 Queenslanders live with an intellectual or developmental disability.
The centre aims to better support the mental health needs of children and adults living with an intellectual and developmental disability in the state, and will provide clinical leadership through a networked, state-wide approach in education and training advice, capacity building and support, specialist clinical advice and research.
The centre’s model of service was co-designed with key stakeholders and people living with an intellectual and developmental disability.
In partnership with the Centre for Excellence, dedicated specialist teams will be progressively rolled out across 12 areas including Metro North, Metro South, Gold Coast, Cairns and Hinterland, Central Queensland, Townsville, Darling Downs, Sunshine Coast, West Moreton, Mackay, Wide Bay, and Children’s Health Queensland.
Four services will provide outreach support to rural and remote regions, including:
- Townsville to North West
- Cairns to Torres and Cape
- Darling Downs to South West
- Central Queensland to Central West
The Mater Intellectual Disability and Autism Service (MIDAS) will also receive an uplift in resources as part of this initiative.
Why is the Centre of Excellence so important?
North Queensland patient Eli Waddell said the QCEAIDH clinic has been a ‘life-saver’.
The 28-year-old lives with Down syndrome, autism, ADHD and severe mental health challenges.
““Not many people have experience in dealing with complex disabilities, so the QCEAIDH clinic was a last resort for us to get the right diagnosis,” Eli’s mother Linda said.
“Eli has trouble with communication, and it’s hard for psychologists or psychiatrists who don’t regularly treat complex patients to help or understand them. Thanks to the QCEAIDH clinic, Eli has had opportunities he never thought possible, including starting his own small business”
Queensland Health Chief Psychiatrist Dr John Reilly said Queenslanders with an intellectual or developmental disability are two to three times more likely to experience mental illness.
“This can increase any functional impairments due to their disability, and impact on school or work attendance and engagement in social activities. However, it can be difficult to diagnose and treat effectively and we have identified a need to build capacity of existing services in this important clinical area,” he explained.
“The Better Care Together investment will support the establishment of dedicated intellectual and developmental disability mental health teams within Hospital and Health Services across Queensland and will greatly increase the capability of specialist mental health services to identify mental illness in Queenslanders with intellectual and developmental disability, and to improve their mental health and wellbeing,” he added.
“These multidisciplinary team services will provide specialist consultation as needed to deliver initial assessment and liaise with more generalist services and provide advice to support the provision of continuing treatment and care.”