On this page, you will find information and resources specific to supports and strategies that encourage healthy emotional, physical, and mental well-being for individuals with I/DD, brain injuries, or other cognitive disabilities and a mental health condition. Individuals and supporters may find ideas for achieving wellness goals and navigating medical systems.
- Easy Read Summary: Things That Will Help People To Leave the Hospital— Report that provides helpful strategies for people with developmental disabilities and mental health conditions transitioning out of a hospital and back to their homes (Health Care Access Research and Developmental Disabilities Program and Center for Addiction and Mental Health, 2023)
- Clinical Pearls in IDD Healthcare that are Important Knowledge for DSPs— Article covering the health needs of people with disabilities and “clinical pearls,” or small bits of information, that may help a DSP identify health care concerns in the people they work with (IntellectAbility)
- Health Care for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Behavioral and Mental Health Issues— Guidance for possible medical issues that might be triggering certain behaviors and steps to consider when weighing whether to prescribe psychotropic medications (Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, University of Tennessee Boling Center for Developmental Disabilities, Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, WITH, 2021)
- Healthcare Transition Toolkit— Comprehensive toolkit to empower people with disabilities, their families, and other disability advocates to help youth with disabilities manage their own health care as they transition to adulthood (Autistic Self-Advocacy Network)
- Practical Tips for Supporting a Person’s Preferences in Their Health and Wellness Goals— Ideas and strategies for supporting a holistic sense of health and wellness (Frontline Initiative, 2023)
- People With Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD): Telehealth Overview— Brief for health plans to further expand understanding of how telehealth modalities can improve access to person-centered care for people with I/DD (Resources for Integrated Care, 2023)
- Healthy Brain Webinar Series for People With IDD (Video)— Presentation that introduces the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Healthy Brain Initiative for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (HBI-PwIDD) (HealthMatters Program, 2020-23)
- Healthy Behavior Check-in: Supporting Well-being for People with Disabilities— Checklist that provides a template to learn about the needs of people with disabilities, and what their actions and non-verbal cues say about their needs (Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities)