 Others may over-rely on medication, usage of sedation to manage distress in the absence of tailored psychological support. Between 30-40% of people with intellectual disabilities are over-prescribed medication for psychosis, often without a corresponding mental health diagnosis.

Medication as Solution?

Core Competencies at University: Embed intellectual disabilities competencies across all mental health disciplines, not just specialist tracks.

Service Policy and Specifications: Ensure service pathways explicitly recognize the right of people with intellectual disabilities to access mainstream mental health support.

What Changes Should be Implemented?

Many mental health professionals receive limited training on intellectual disabilities during their core education. As a result, clinicians often feel unprepared to assess or treat people with intellectual disabilities. The knowledge gap fuels anxiety and avoidance. In some cases, practitioners may default to behavioral explanations, overlooking emotional or psychiatric causes.

University of North Texas

-Patient and public involvement members described feeling excluded by the inflexible systems, inaccessible environments, and a lack of guidance or continuity of care.
-Another highlighted how clinical environments themselves act as barriers to access, ‘A hospital or doctor’s surgery that looks clinical and smells odd may not be suitable for most neurodivergent children."

Excluded by the Inflexible System

Williams, N., Tuomainen, H., & Taylor, J. (2026). Lost in the system: rethinking mainstream mental health services for people with intellectual disabilities. Disability & Society, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2026.2634347 



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