Disability services and support workers can prepare the person for intake by:

• explaining what the mental health professional does, the purpose of seeing them, and how they can assist the person with their mental health

• helping the person prepare for the intake visit or phone call by role playing what might happen during the session

• encouraging the person to write a list of questions to ask the mental health professional. See Your first appointment within the I am a person with intellectual disability section for more information and ideas. The document is in an Easy Read format, so you could view the document together with the person you support

• explaining to the person what may happen at the end of the intake session – they may make an appointment for an assessment or may need to wait to hear whether the service will be right for them

• encouraging the person to let the mental health professional know if they do not understand something the professional is saying. They can let the professional know how they best understand information. You could also provide communication support, if this is OK with the person.

Disability professionals could also work together with the mental health professional by:

• letting them know the person’s preferred communication methods. You can also let the mental health professional know how you can assist in communication support

• arranging the intake session at a time and environment that suits the person best.

Disability services can encourage and assist support workers to be involved in the assessment process where appropriate. Some actions you can take to support the person include:

• preparing for the appointment by ensuring the person knows the time and place of the appointment and who they will see. It is important that you support the person in the usual way, as you would for other upcoming events (e.g. it may be written on their activity board or diary and talked about in the weekly and daily plan)

• offering reassurance and letting them know you are available to talk

• helping the person to think of and write down any questions they may have and encouraging them to take this list to the appointment

• updating information records to ensure that recorded information about behaviours (usual and changes) are up to date and accessible. This can help with providing information about the person’s behaviours and what their usual baseline functioning is. For more information about recording information about behaviours and wellbeing, see Recognising mental health problems

• considering the most appropriate environment for the assessment. If possible, it may be more appropriate to arrange for the assessment to be conducted in an environment the person is familiar with (e.g. their home)

• considering the time of day for the assessment and what would best suit the person and their routine

• preparing communication resources for the appointment. You can indicate if the person has specific communication support needs for the assessment and work out together with the mental health professional how supports can be provided for the duration of the assessment

• arranging a support person to accompany the person if this is what they would like

• collecting consent from the person’s guardian if this is necessary

• being aware of the person’s previous contact with mental health services and any negative experiences they may have had. The person may require additional support if they have had negative experiences in the past.

You can use our planning and checklist tool to help guide how you support the person through the assessment process.

Disability services can also:

• consider whether an emergency department management plan is needed to help facilitate assessment for service users. Tools like the A2D Together folder may be helpful in building the management plan. The emergency department management plan may include:
  • brief medical history
  • list of medications
  • professionals involved in the person’s care
  • behaviour support plan techniques
  • considerations for the person (e.g. sensory requirements, their likes and dislikes, topics they like to talk about to help build rapport or reduce distress)

• raise awareness that specialist intellectual disability mental health services are available for health and mental health professionals to consult. You can find more information on these services here

• provide resources and further training or education on supporting mental health assessment to support workers, such as through 3DN’s Intellectual Disability Health Education e-learning courses which are available for a small fee
  • How to Support a Person with a Possible Mental Illness and Intellectual Disability

Treatment planning

Disability services and support workers can:

• be informed about laws in your state and territory that guide decision-making and consent for people with disability, and advocate for the person to be involved in decision-making as much as possible
  • For information on capacity to consent and supported decision-making in NSW, see the NSW Trustee & Guardian website which includes a Capacity Toolkit

• consider how the person will get to their appointments

• ensure that all members of the team have a copy of the person’s treatment plan.

Early stages

Disability services and support workers can:

• consider whether the individual’s support needs (e.g. behaviour support, daily life skills) are being met during mental health treatment, and whether NDIS funding is being used effectively to meet these needs

• accompany a person with intellectual disability to their treatment session or appointment (where appropriate and if the person with intellectual disability or their guardian agrees). They can:
  • help to provide and interpret information
  • learn about the person’s treatment plan. If you would like to read about what treatment plans include, you can find detailed information here
  • learn how they can consistently support the person to use their coping strategies
  • learn how they can support the person if they become distressed or show behaviours of concern

• obtain support to manage behaviours of concern. Services could suggest engaging a behaviour support practitioner or a review of the person’s existing behaviour support plan.

Ongoing monitoring

Disability services and support workers can:

• review a person’s treatment plan and how they are responding to treatment, especially when they live in a group home or supported independent living. If any changes are noticed, contact the person’s next of kin or appropriate medical professional

• share progress reports with others in the person’s mental health team and participate in regular multidisciplinary review sessions

• be aware of when to encourage the person to seek a medication review with their GP or psychiatrist, and how they can help to advocate for the person if they are not responding to treatment. The person could also obtain a Home Medicines Review, conducted by an accredited pharmacist. Support workers can find more information in Strategies for common challenges

• provide support workers with resources and further training or education on supporting mental health treatment, such as through 3DN’s Intellectual Disability Health Education e-learning courses
  • Treatments and Supports for Mental Illness
  • Supporting Behaviours of Concern

• encourage mentoring for support workers, including talking to colleagues about strategies and debriefing after stressful situations. More information for support workers can be found in the Looking after myself section and 3DN’s Intellectual Disability Health Education e-learning course Supporting Carers, Colleagues and Self-Care, available for a small fee.

When a service comes to an end, disability services and support workers can:

• ensure that support workers are familiar with the person’s discharge, or Transfer of Care plan and can assist in its implementation by
  • accompanying the person to follow-up appointments
  • supporting ongoing treatment (e.g. implementing psychological techniques and/or making sure the person adheres to their medication schedule)

• ensure that there is a clear plan for monitoring the person’s recovery that is used consistently by all those providing care and support to the person (e.g. keeping a diary or log in which support workers can write brief notes after their shifts)

• ensure that supports for daily needs and behaviour are in place

• link the person with community activity and support groups for social connections

• link the person with educational or vocational supports if they would like guidance in this area. You could work together with social services to do this

• encourage the person to discuss the development of a crisis plan with their GP or psychiatrist, or ensure that support workers are familiar with the crisis plan if one exists

• encourage the person to talk to someone they trust if they start to feel unwell again

• provide support workers with resources and further training or education on supporting mental health recovery and what to do during a mental health crisis, such as through 3DN’s Intellectual Disability Health Education e-learning courses
  • How to Support a Person in a Mental Health Crisis.