Assessing the need for a specialist service for people with intellectual disabilities and mental health problems living in Israel: a qualitative study.

Background: It is well established that people with intellectual disabilities are at higher risk of developing mental illnesses. This study aimed to assess the need for a specialized service for people (children and adults) with intellectual disabilities and mental health problems living in Israel.

Methods: Our research question was: is there a need for a specialist mental health service for people with intellectual disabilities living in Israel and, if so, what type of service would be most appropriate? We conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with 14 major stakeholders to identify key themes in response to our research question.

Israeli psychiatrists report on their ability to care for individuals with intellectual disability and psychiatric disorders.

Background: The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities enshrines the right of people with intellectual disability to optimal mental health services. However, the literature suggests that psychiatrists' ability to meet such a standard is questionable. Psychiatrists' self-assessment regarding their training, knowledge and skills in working with this population was examined, as well as the availability of continuous education resources.

Social-sexual education in adolescents with behavioral neurogenetic syndromes.

Background: Adolescents with developmental disabilities have unmet needs in their sexual and social knowledge and skills. We conducted a sexual social group intervention in adolescents with neurogenetic syndromes, mainly with Williams and velocardiofacial syndromes and their parents.

Method: Ten adolescents with neurogenetic syndromes and 14 parents participated in a Social Sexual Group Education Program.

Psychiatric morbidity with focus on obsessive-compulsive disorder in an Israeli cohort of adolescents with mild to moderate mental retardation.

The study evaluated the prevalence of DSM-IV-TR-defined psychiatric disorders in adolescents with mental retardation, with a focus on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), for which data at present are sparse. Eighty-seven adolescents with mild to moderate mental retardation attending the Israeli special-education system were screened for psychiatric disorders in general and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in particular. Sixty-one percent had at least one psychiatric disorder.

An alternative model for psychiatric service delivery for people with intellectual disabilities in a vocational rehabilitation center.

The prevalence of mental illness in the intellectually disabled (ID) population is high. Because of their special characteristics, such as involvement of multiple carers (family, social services, protected housing staff, vocational instructors), linguistic limitations and the need for a familiar and steady environment, these patients require special therapeutic consideration. In Israel, as in many other countries, people with ID (PWID) receive psychiatric services from general psychiatric outpatient clinics and hospitals; their treatment is generally not specifically tailored to their needs, and hence often suboptimal.

Trends in mental health services for people with intellectual disability in residential care in Israel 1998-2004.

Persons with intellectual disability (ID) have more mental health problems than the general population and utilize psychiatric service to a greater extent. This study was conducted to look at trends over time in the number of psychiatrists recruited, psychiatric medication and hospitalization for persons with ID in residential care in Israel. Data was extracted for the 1998-2004 period from the annual surveys conducted of medical service in all residential care centers in Israel by the Office of the Medical Director.

Mental health services for people with intellectual disability in Israel--a review of options.

Intellectual disability (ID) (often also referred to as "mental retardation," "development disability," "mental handicap," "learning disability" or as "generalized learning difficulties") is common in all countries. Many people with ID suffer from psychiatric/behavioral/emotional disturbances (known as "dual diagnosis"). Specialist psychiatric services are needed to address these problems effectively, but are not currently available in most countries, including Israel.