Adaptive Strategies

Adaptive Strategies Video Series

People with I/DD experience behavioral and physical health issues at rates higher than the general population and can benefit from the same evidence-based interventions which are used for people without I/DD. This series will feature specific interventions and treatments highlighting modifications and adaptations for  people with I/DD. Please feel free to share with clinicians and community members!

Adaptive Strategies: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Developed through a collaboration between NASDDDS and the Louisiana’s Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities

Adaptive Strategies: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Developed through a collaboration between NASDDDS and the Missouri Department of Mental Health

Adaptive Strategies: Motivational Interviewing and Pharmacological Interventions

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services enlisted the University of New Hampshire (UNH) National Center for START Services to conduct a Systems Gap Analysis (SGA), including recommendations for best practices to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and autism who require significant behavioral health support. They offer a variety of resources and support with more information on their webpage at THIS LINK.

These videos were developed through a collaboration between NASDDDS and Maine’s Office of Aging and Disability Services and Office of Behavioral Health.

• Adaptive Strategies for Motivational Interviewing:
  • Motivational Interviewing – Module 1 (video)
  • Motivational Interviewing – Module 2 (video)
  • Motivational Interviewing – Module 3 (video)
• Adaptive Strategies for Pharmacological Interventions:
  • Pharmacological Interventions – Module 1 (video)
  • Pharmacological Interventions – Module 2 (video)
  • Pharmacological Interventions – Module 3 (video)
  • Pharmacological Interventions – Module 4 (video)

Therapy Modification Briefs

Despite long held beliefs that people with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) may not benefit from mental health treatment, we know that people with I/DD can successfully utilize integrated medical and mental and behavioral healthcare (Ervin, Williams, and Merrick, 2014). To that end, on behalf of Louisiana’s Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities, we offer briefs which outline modifications to personalize traditional mental health treatments for persons with I/DD.

Targeted to mental health practitioners, we hope that these briefs will be shared far and wide to effectively improve outcomes particularly for those people with I/DD and co-occurring mental health conditions.

• Adaptations to Assertive Community Treatment for IDD
• Adaptations to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for IDD 
• Adaptations to Dialectical Behavior Therapy for IDD
• Adaptations to Positive Parenting Program for IDD
• Adaptations to Trauma Focused CBT for IDD
• Adaptions to EMDR for IDD
• Adaptions to Multisystemic Therapy for IDD

Further supporting resources:

• I/DD Mental Health Therapy Guides (The Ohio State University Nisonger Center)

• Modifying Psychopharmacologic Interventions for Traumatic Brain Injury (NASHIA)

This brief is produced by ACL’s Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Technical Assistance and Resource Center (TARC) and provides clinicians with information and an array of accessible approaches for modifying psychopharmacologic interventions for TBI. This brief is also geared towards assisting brain injury personnel partners better with their behavioral health providers on best practices for TBI related interventions. Content for this brief was drawn from “Section VI. Psychopharmacologic Interventions for TBI,” of the Administration for Community Living “2022 Behavioral Health Guide: Considerations for Best Practices for Children, Youth, and Adults with TBI,” available at: https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/programs/2022-05/TBITARC_BH_Guide_Final_May2022_Accessible.pdf. The section was written by Michael Chiou, MD, and Lindsey Gurin, MD, NYU Langone Health.

• Modifying Clinical Interventions for TBI (NASHIA)

This brief of the ACL’s Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Technical Assistance and Resource Center’s (TARC) highlights considerations and best practices for the diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders in people with TBI. The brief also includes challenges related to brain injury and provides recommendations and strategies for clinical intervention. Content for the brief was drawn from “Section V. Modifying Clinical Interventions for TBI,” of the Administration for Community Living Behavioral Health Guide: Considerations for Best Practices for Children, Youth, and Adults with TBI (acl.gov),  released in 2022. The section was written by Theo Tsaousides, PhD, ABPP, clinical assistant professor, and Maria Kajankova, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.