Recap: NASDDDS Directors Forum and Mid-Year Conference
We are pleased to share a recap of the recently concluded NASDDDS Directors Forum and Mid-Year Conference held on June 14-16, 2023, in Portland, Oregon. A key highlight of the conference was the insightful presentation by Allen Morgan, Director of I/DD Field Operations at the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.
His session, "Bridging Multiple Systems: Innovations in Support," focused on the enhancement of home and community-based services (HCBS) for individuals with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) who also have mental or behavioral health needs. Allen effectively highlighted the necessity to scale promising practices to enable the success of these individuals in their communities. He also spoke to Georgia’s unique approach to improving the access and quality of mental health and substance use treatment for individuals dually diagnosed with BH/DD via NADD Accredited CCBHCs.
Georgia is the first state in the nation to integrate IDD care (via NADD accreditation) into the CCBHC model. This innovative approach can be game-changing considering folks with IDD are 2-3 times more likely to also have a mental illness than the general population.
Some key highlights from the presentation on the partnership in Georgia:
This is an unordered list
Began conversations in early 2021
Decision made in fall of 2021 to require CCBHCs to become NADD accredited
Established project in the fall of 2022
The first project in the U.S. to require NADD accreditation of CCBHCs
10 Community Service Boards transitioning into CCBHCs
Those 10 will become NADD Accredited
River Edge - first to become accredited in January 2023
The NADD organization aims to elevate care for the roughly 35% of individuals with an IDD diagnosis who also experience mental health challenges. NADD Accreditation requires programs to meet competency-based professional standards and promote ongoing professional and program development. NADD provides support, education, and Certification for staff working in NADD Accredited programs.
We were proud to see Allen, alongside industry professionals like Beth Krehbiel of Washington State's Developmental Disabilities Administration and Stacy Nonnemacher of NASDDDS contribute to the constructive dialogue surrounding our shared mission. These interactions have strengthened our commitment to fostering connections that can revolutionize the quality and person-centeredness of care for people with I/DD and BH needs.
