Meeting Summary and Resources:
The DTF meeting of January 30, 2020 focused on addressing the mental health needs of individuals with Autism and other developmental disabilities. Dr. Kathy Sanders, the Deputy Director and State Medical Director of the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH) provided a presentation highlighting the ways DMH is partnering with DDS to provide services to individuals with mental illness and autism, and also discussed meeting the needs of individuals with other developmental disabilities.
Dr. Sanders emphasized that as a result of the Autism Omnibus Law of 2014, adults can now be dually eligible for services from both DDS and DMH. The agencies developed a consent form that can be signed to allow sharing of information between the two agencies. Not all individuals with autism who have a mental illness will be eligible for DMH services. DDS and DMH are working together to provide specialized risk assessment and treatment planning consultation, including a dangerousness risk assessment for individuals with autism who have a mental illness. DDD and DMH are increasing coordination at the state and local level, and are gathering information to address gaps in services for this population. It is critically important to advocate for necessary services. For more detailed information, please review the slides developed by Dr. Sanders.
Services for Individuals with ASD and Mental Illness
Dr. Kathy Sanders, Deputy Commissioner & State Medical Director, Department of Mental Health
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(8:30 for informal networking)
9am-11am meeting
Combined Jewish Philanthropies
126 High St. Boston
Speaker: Kathy Sanders MD., Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health
Topic: Dr. Sanders will discuss what services and initiatives are available to address the mental health needs of individuals with Autism and other developmental disabilities, as well as discuss the process of how to access the services.
We will provide time for Q&A, so please come prepared to ask questions/give examples that might help clarify how to access services for the clients you work with
A meeting summary and resources will be shared here after the meeting.