Online course to improve healthcare for people with intellectual disability

More than 100 international experts from 17 countries have contributed to a world-first online course designed to improve healthcare for people with intellectual disability.

The ABLE XSeries, developed by a team of online learning specialists from The University of Queensland’s UQx and The Queensland Centre for Intellectual and Developmental Disability (QCIDD), was launched on World Down Syndrome Day, Monday 21 March.

The series of three Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) courses are designed to help those in the healthcare industry understand best practice for people with intellectual disability, and the impact for their families, disability organisations and health professionals.

The depth and breadth of the course provides new knowledge on interpersonal communication, physical health needs, health promotion, mental health and legal and ethical complexities, to name a few.

For more information or to register visit https://www.edx.org/xseries/intellectual-disability-healthcare

Adapted from UQ. Read the full press release here:https://www.uq.edu.au/news/article/2016/03/free-course-improve-healthcare-people-intellectual-disability

Latest Journal Now Available

The latest Mental Health of Children and Young People with developmental and Intellectual Disabilities is now available. Highlights include:

*Violence in children and adolescents with an intellectual disability and the importance of safety by David Dossetor.
*Matthews’ story by Janine and Leonard.
*Responding to sexual behaviours of children and young people with an intellectual disability by Deborah Corfield and Lesley Whatson.
*Knowledge is light: an interview with Sue Foley.
*The medicine cabinet: Anxiety treatment when SSRI's fail by Judy Longworth.
*Current models of health service delivery for people with intellectual disability by Gianfranco Giuntoli, BJ Newton and Karen R. Fisher.

Emotion-Based Social Skills Facilitator Training in May 2016

SAVE THE DATE

Emotion-based Social Skills Facilitator Training for Children with High Functioning Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome will be held on 19th and 20th May 2016
 
“Emotion-based Social Skills Training” (EBSST) is an innovative mental health promotion program developed at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead for children with High Functioning Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome, aged 8 to 12 years, their parents and teachers.
 
EBSST has been researched since 2004 and evaluated in over 300 Department of Education and Communities NSW public schools. Findings indicate improvements in children’s social and emotional skills up to 6 months after intervention, compared with children not receiving EBSST.
 
Emotion-based Social Skills Facilitator Training for ASD and Mild ID scheduled for 27th and 28th October 2016
 
For enquiries please contact Phuong Pham (phuong.pham@health.nsw.gov.au) or Rebecca Low (rebecca.low@health.nsw.gov.au)
Ph: (02) 9845 2005 / Fax: (02) 9845 2009

New Issue of the Journal of Mental Health for Children and Adolescents with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities for 2015

Volume Six, Issue Two, October 2015

The latest edition of the MHCAIDD journal is now available.  

Highlights include:

• The Developmental Psychiatry Clinic by Associate Professor David Dossetor
• Introducing the Practice Improvement Framework by Katelynd Turner
• The Medicine Cabinet: Propranolol by Judy Longworth
• Taking Time: A Trauma Informed Framework for Supporting People with Intellectual Disability by Jackson and Waters
• Occupational Therapy and working with children and adolescents with intellectual/developmental disability and mental health problems by Sarah White
• Learning and Support Teams by Department of Education
• Conference Report: European Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (ESCAP) 2015 Madrid by Associate Professor David Dossetor

Happy reading and we look forward to your feedback!
The School-Link Team

ASPECT Newsletter Special Focus on Mental Health & Wellbeing

This month ASPECT shift the focus to mental health and wellbeing, taking a look at the importance of strong support networks, as well as the emotional challenges associated with social isolation. 

The newsletter looks at how understanding the correlation between autism spectrum disorders and mental health challenges can lead to significant improvements in wellbeing and positive long term outcomes for children and adults on the spectrum.

Read articles by Dr David Dossetor, Dr Julian Trollor and more.

Link available here