New hub to focus on intersection between developmental disabilities and mental illness
TORONTO — One of Canada’s most high-profile mental health treatment centres says it’s opening a new research hub that will focus on the needs of people with both developmental disabilities and psychiatric conditions.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health says the new hub is the first in Canada to tackle the needs of a population that has long been ignored.
Statistics suggest that incidents of mental illness are considerably higher among those with autism, Down syndrome or other neurodevelopmental disabilities than among the general population.
The problem exists at all ages, but is worse for adults, as the few resources available while children are in school all but disappear once they age out of the system.