Leaders from the National Center for START Services® were able to share their expertise on mental health for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) at a recent national conference of psychiatrists and other professionals.
NCSS Medical Director Dr. Jen McLaren and NCSS Clinical Director Dr. Jill Hinton presented at the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Annual Meeting, which was held October 14-19 in Seattle, Washington. Dr. McLaren and Dr. Hinton are both members of the AACAP subcommittee on IDD.
They both participated in a Clinical Perspectives session titled "Trauma in the Intellectual Developmental Disorder Spectrum: Empowerment Through Awareness." Dr. McLaren focused on refining treatment options and Dr. Hinton discussed specific strategies for supporting children and adolescents who present with trauma symptoms. Dr. Hinton also presented as part of another Clinical Perspectives session, "Healthy Sexuality in Intellectual Developmental Disorder: Practical Pearls for Clinical Practice," and Dr. McLaren served as discussant for "Ethical Dilemmas in Individuals with ASD and Intellectual Developmental Disorder (IDD): Applying Four Pillars of Medical Ethics to Inform Decision Making in Clinical Practice."
This annual meeting offers the opportunity to connect with clinicians and prescribers, including START Medical Directors, from across the country who treat children and adolescents with mental health concerns. Through sessions, such as the ones mentioned above, psychiatrists are able to learn about supporting people with IDD in their practice. This meeting draws more than 4,000 child and adolescent psychiatrists and other allied professionals from all over the world, both in-person and virtually.
