What is a Dual Diagnosis Treatment Team?
The Dual Diagnosis Treatment Team (DDTT) is a recovery-oriented approach to supporting youth and adults who are diagnosed with both a mental illness and an intellectual disability. This program offers a comprehensive team approach to mental health treatment and service coordination for individuals with behavioral health challenges who have not progressed in their recovery after receiving more traditional behavioral health services.
The DDTT, the individual, his/ her family and other supports work together using person centered, recovery-oriented approaches to develop a support plan which helps the individual progress in their recovery journey. The DDTT promotes the principles of everyday lives for individuals and families.
Where are services provided?
DDTT services are provided to individuals in the community in all settings which may include: an individual’s private home, licensed or unlicensed residential settings, day programs, and other community settings.
Who provides DDTT services?
- Psychiatrist Consultant
- Licensed Mental Health Professional
- Behavioral Specialist
- Registered Nurse
- Mental Health Recovery Coordinator
The DDTT program has a high staff-to-participant ratio. DDTT staff are available to the individual and their support team 24-hours a day, 7 days per week, including holidays and on-call services. The DDTT provides intensive training and technical assistance to all members of the individual’s support team (e.g. family, residential provider) to assist with the implementation of the comprehensive DDTT service and support plan in all settings.
DDTT staff have training and experience working with individuals with co-occurring mental health challenges and intellectual disabilities. The DDTT provides behavioral health treatment, rehabilitation and supportive services that are needed to help individuals progress on their road to recovery and to become as independent as possible in their home and community. DDTT services are individually tailored with the majority of clinical interventions provided in the individual’s home and community. Working together with the individual and their support team, the DDTT provides comprehensive and integrated mental health treatment, service coordination and rehabilitation services to help individuals:
- Understand their mental illness
- Manage their mental health symptoms including the use of medications, coping skills, positive behavioral supports and participation in activities that promote ongoing recovery and whole health wellness
- Access local community resources to help meet basic needs (e.g., food, housing, etc)
- Access medical care – including primary and specialty care
- Participate in activities of daily living
- Develop positive social and interpersonal relationships
- Structure their time
- Participate in meaningful activities in their community
- Connect to needed services and supports in the community
- Prepare for transition from the DDTT to less restrictive, less intensive mental health services and supports
Who is eligible for DDTT services?
- Be 18+ years old
- Present with an intellectual and/or developmental disability or IQ indicative of borderline intellectual functioning as described in the most current DSM
- Present with a co-occurring, qualifying mental health diagnosis, as described in the most current DSM
- Meet all related County Board and/or managed care organization medical necessity criteria
- Be at-risk for losing current community or home placement
- No appropriate lower levels of care available or have been utilized and exhausted
- An individual who would benefit from DDTT services, but does not meet the requirements identified, may be eligible for services upon written prior approval by the County Board, Managed Care Organization or other payer.