Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute — Trauma-Informed Mental Health Care for Youth with DD in Emergency Rooms (New Initiative)

Project Goal
Provide recommendations to improve emergency care for transition-age youth with developmental disabilities (DD) experiencing mental health crises 

Project Summary
Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute will conduct a landscape assessment and provide practice recommendations for emergency department providers and other critical first responders in Texas who provide care to youth with DD experiencing mental health crises. The project will focus on transition-age youth ages 14-25.

Using a trauma-informed framework, the project will address the unique mental health and behavioral health needs of youth with DD. Compared to their peers without disabilities, youth with DD experience a higher rate of abuse and mental health issues and often lack access to the supports and services needed to receive effective care as they age into adulthood. By combining a literature review, a landscape assessment, and practice recommendations, the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute will create the foundation for a sustainable continuum of crisis care for Texans with DD.

TCDD funds New Initiative projects to create new ways for Texans with DD to be included in their communities. New Initiative projects identify and propose innovative solutions to a statewide, regional, or local need. The projects may include programs, partnerships, or policy initiatives to address specific needs that emerge. The projects may also focus on benefiting unserved or underserved groups.