Lifespan Study Launch

From the CEO, Richard Bruggemann

On Tuesday 7 February 2006, our Minister, the Hon Jay Weatherill, launched the Lifespan Project, a collaborative research project between Monash University’s Centre for Developmental Psychiatry and Psychology, IDSC, Minda and the Department of Education and Children’s Services (DECS).

The purpose of the project is to investigate the mental health of people with intellectual disability across the lifespan, with funding from the Australian Research Council and funding or in-kind support being provided by the three industry partners (IDSC, Minda and DECS).

IDSC established its Dual Disability Team to ensure that people with both intellectual disability and mental illness could access services. However, there has been insufficient research about the incidence and nature of treatment of mental illness in people with intellectual disability.

In late 2004, the Monash University Centre for Developmental Psychiatry and Psychology approached IDSC to be an industry partner in submitting a proposal to the Australian Research Council for a linkage grant. The Centre’s Director, Professor Bruce Tonge, chose South Australia because of the comprehensive nature of its services to people with intellectual disability and IDSC’s relatively complete and accurate records. IDSC then negotiated with Minda and DECS to also become industry partners.

The Lifespan Project aims to comprehensively survey the prevalence and nature of mental illness in a representative population of people from the age of 16 years with intellectual disability who live in South Australia, and to investigate potential risk and resilience factors. This will also enable a description of the mental health problems of specific groups such as the elderly, those in the care of ageing parents, those in forensic services, indigenous Australians with intellectual disability and older adolescents (16 years) as they move through the vulnerable period of transition from school into adult services.

Mental illness in adults with intellectual disability is a major national issue but is generally unrecognised. The study will produce findings that will systematically increase our knowledge of the prevalence and nature of mental illness in this group of disadvantaged South Australians. The identification of risk factors and the description of mental illness across the stages of adult life, particularly during late adolescence/young adult life and old age, will have implications for assessment, treatment, the planning of service delivery and mental health promotion.

It is interesting to contemplate that services to people with intellectual disability were originally part of the mental health system. This was the case not only in South Australia, but indeed around the western world where people with intellectual disability shared large daunting institutions with people with a range of mental illnesses.

This started to change around the world in the 1970s, and in South Australia this occurred with the creation of the "Intellectually Disabled Services Council" in 1982, which saw services for people with intellectual disability come out of the mental health system and become part of that organisation, whose tasks included reshaping the pattern of services for people with intellectual disability in South Australia.

Part of that reform agenda was that there should be a move away from institutional care towards the use of generic services, and that services would be provided in locations that were close to people with intellectual disability and their families.

It is pleasing to report that many of the old attitudes have changed significantly, including recognition of the right of people with disabilities to have medical treatment based only their need for medical care irrespective of the nature of their disability.

Mental illness can and does affect people with intellectual disability irrespective of their level of functioning. Although there is conjecture about the incidence of mental illness (indeed, that is one of the things we will find through the project), it is safe to assume there is a higher rate than in the population generally.

For people with intellectual disability, mental illness can severely affect daily functioning, jeopardise educational, vocational and housing opportunities, and disrupt family, friend and community relations.

The higher prevalence of mental illness in people with intellectual disability can be attributed to a number of factors, including:

• fewer support networks and friendships
• increased experience of loss, rejection and isolation
• increased likelihood of social disruption and segregation
• low self-esteem
• lack of control over one’s life
• poorer problem solving conflict resolution skills
• poorer ability to manage stress.

The outcomes of the project will be very important to people with intellectual disability. They will provide evidence on which to base future interventions, and will enable us to look at not only the prevalence of mental illness amongst people with intellectual disability, but also special programs that might be needed to meet needs, particularly when traditional treatment programs require a degree of cognitive ability.

As the project gathers pace, I will provide further information, particularly on how staff and clients can participate. In addition, Monash University has developed a website on the project, www.med.monash.edu.au/spppm/research/devpsych/lifespan.html, which will report on progress.

Richard Bruggemann
Chief Executive Officer, IDSC

The S.A. Minister of Disability Services, the Hon Jay Weatherill, officially launching the LifeSpan Project

Professor Bruce Tonge introducing the LifeSpan project at the study launch

Professor Tonge and the project industry partners: (l-r) Bruce Tonge, Richard Bruggemann (IDSC), Deb Kay (DECS), Phil Martin (Minda Inc.)

Barbara Pennington networking at the study launch