AFFIRM

The link between intellectual disability and mental illness

Many young Australians living with an intellectual disability are more likely than the general population to be diagnosed with a mental illness and often have few places to turn for mental health support. Dr Peter Baldwin (Research Fellow School of Psychology UNSW & BlackDog Institute), with the help of a grant from AFFIRM, is customising a tool – Healthy Mind -that can help people with borderline-to-mild intellectual disability manage their anxiety and distress and help improve their day-to-day functioning. This research, although in its infancy, is already showing promising results.