Audit of the use of communication supports in mental health of intellectual disability (MHID) settings Authors - S.Keane, C. Howorth and P. Dodd- St. Michael's House Intellectual Disability Services

Issued on October 4 2019

Methods: Participants were adults and children with intellectual disabilities prospectively recruited from a psychiatry clinic in a large, urban‐based intellectual disability service in Ireland. Information relating to communication supports was derived by the treating psychiatrist using a structured audit tool. We analysed data using SPSS.

Results: Although data collection is ongoing, initial data suggest that analysis will show underuse of communication supports in MHID settings. We envisage that qualitative findings will highlight barriers and inform the development of communication supports in this complex setting.

Implications: The national policy framework for mental health service delivery in Ireland does not include speech and language therapists in the recommended core multidisciplinary MHID team. We hope this study will inform future revisions of this policy.

Keywords: communication supports, mental health, psychiatry, service delivery