NEWS RELEASE
BOULDER COUNTY HOUSING AND HUMAN SERVICES
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Key Points:
- Boulder County Housing and Human Services (BCDHHS) continues its collaboration with the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability (IOD) to assess and inform services for people in the community with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism and brain injury with a Mental Health diagnosis and/or crisis.
- BCDHHS and IOD ask anyone who participates in these services and their family members and service providers to take part in a survey at boco.org/IDDSurvey and telephone interviews about what is available, what is working, and where improvement is needed.
- A virtual informational meeting for the public will be held on November 10 at 1:00 p.m., and anyone interested in joining this meeting or seeking additional information should contact Rebecca Seiden at [email protected] or 720-564-2730.
- This assessment will lead to a summary of available resources and strengths as well as opportunities for better supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism and brain injury, and their family members.
- This assessment will also help inform potential future investments for Boulder County Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Mill Levy funding.
(Boulder County, Colo.) – The Boulder County Department of Housing and Human Services and University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability (IOD) are seeking participants for a survey and informational interviews about mental health and crisis services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including autism and brain injury. The results of this assessment will inform later efforts to improve and streamline the community’s crisis system, improve the mental health of county residents, and reduce emergency services utilization such as psychiatric admissions.
“Through the online survey and phone interviews, we are hoping to collect as much information as possible from anyone who either accesses or provides these services, and we also want to hear from family members of people with these disabilities,” said Rebecca Seiden, Program Coordinator for BCDHHS’ Intellectual and Developmental Disability Mill Levy Program. “It’s the people closest to these services and supports who know what’s working and where there are opportunities to improve, and we are grateful for their help in this important assessment.”
BCDHHS and IOD hope that after taking the survey, which is available at www.boco.org/IDDSurvey and can be completed in about ten minutes, participants will also share it with others they know who should weigh in on the services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism and brain injury.
Another element of the study is the telephone interviews that are being conducted with community members across Boulder County who have a family member with IDD, including autism and brain injury, and a co-occurring mental health condition. Through the confidential interviews, which should take no more than 20 minutes, participants will be able to share their thoughts on services that are needed and those that are working well or could be improved.
“The answers from these telephone interviews will be combined with answers from other families to provide feedback to Boulder County on the mental health service needs for people with intellectual and developmental disability, including autism and brain injury, and their families,” said IOD Program Manager Ann Klein. “I encourage anyone who wants to participate in the telephone interviews, or knows someone who should, to reach out to me directly at [email protected].”
The IOD’s Center for Systemic, Therapeutic, Assessment, Resources, and Treatment (START) services will also conduct another informational meeting on November 10, 2022, between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., during which Dr. Joan Beasley, co-founder of the START model, will present about the model and respond to questions. Boulder County Housing and Human Services invites people with lived experiences and families and caregivers to attend this virtual Zoom meeting.
Additional questions about the BCDHHS/IOD study on services for people with intellectual disabilities, autism, and brain injury, and requests for the link to the November 10 Zoom meeting, should be directed to Rebecca Seiden at [email protected] or 720-564-2730.
Information about the Boulder County IDD Mill Levy Program is available at www.BoulderCountyIDD.org.
About the Boulder County Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Mill Levy
A Developmental Disabilities property tax increase was approved by voters in 2002 to supplement an existing mill levy to support developmental disabilities programs in Boulder County. Funding from this mill levy continues to help people of all ages with cognitive and developmental disabilities live fuller, more satisfying, and independent lives. Information at www.BoulderCountyIDD.org.
About the University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability’s START Model
The Systemic Therapeutic Assessment Resources and Treatment (START) Model was developed and implemented in 1988 by Dr. Joan Beasley and her team to provide community-based crisis intervention for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and mental health needs. The model, which utilizes a national database, is a person-centered, solutions-focused approach that employs positive psychology and other evidence-based practices.
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