Remember when I said in my opening statement that the lack of resources for the dual diagnosis of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD or IDD) and Mental Health is an area of concern for those we serve in the I/DD community? Since locating professionals in the IDD/Mental Health community and support groups are two areas where there has been an increase in requests for assistance, a workgroup under the umbrella of the Developmental Disabilities Planning and Policy Council (DDPPC) has been formed to provide greater access to mental health supports for individuals living with a dual diagnosis of I/DD and Mental Health.
The DDPPC workgroup was created approximately one year ago and consists of members from the DDPPC, partner agencies, and the community. After gathering information from council members, it was determined that identifying resources and providers in the IDD/Mental Health community was an area that needed to be explored. It was later determined that the information should be housed in a centralized location, therefore leading the workgroup to request access to these resources through Tennessee Disability Pathfinder’s (Pathfinder) website. Pathfinder, a hub of resource information and supports, will provide a directory in their Resources Guide that can be found via a link to a webpage on TNPathfinder.org.
The webpage will consist of educational materials, healthcare professionals, community agencies, and support groups available for this population. The webpage has not yet been completed, however, will be ready to launch in the near future. Stay tuned to Pathfinder’s social media to find out the launch date of the directory.
The mission of the DDPPC is to serve the I/DD Mental Health population to improve the quality of life for people in Tennessee living with a disability. The DDPPC is a council under the Planning and Policy Councils (PPC) which are made up of healthcare professionals, providers, families, and advocates who are committed to improving the quality of life for people living with a disability in Tennessee. Established in 2011, the councils allow for public collaboration on issues affecting the department and those in DIDD (Department of Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities) services.