Listening to the Experts: Person-Centred Approaches to Supporting Autistic People and People with an Intellectual Disability in the Mental Health System
Quinn, Wood, Lodge and Hollins (2023)
Content Warning: Mentions of Self Harm and Institutional Abuse.
This article draws on the cases of four people to illustrate the limitations of current mental health system approaches to the challenges experienced by Autistic people and people with an intellectual disability. Despite policies aimed at reducing the number of Autistic people and people with an intellectual disability in mental health hospitals, there has been little progress and many experience long stays that offer little therapeutic benefits. Once admitted, people are at risk of restrictive interventions and significantly delayed discharge, resulting in trauma. This work explores the importance of relational work and listening to people. The authors demonstrate how this can support the provision of bespoke housing and care packages, to enable a successful return to community living. Lastly the authors recommend changes needed to ensure that autistic people and people with an intellectual disability can live ordinary lives in their own homes, with effective support from mental health services when needed.
