News Story

Appointment of Chair of Intellectual Disability Mental Health

The Minister for Disability Services Hon. Paul Lynch MP has officially welcomed Associate Professor Julian Trollor as Chair of Intellectual Disability Mental Health at UNSW.

The Minister met with Dr Trollor at a reception recently at the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care (DADHC).

The NSW Government has provided $2.1 million over five years to create the position, which will work closely with DADHC and NSW Health.

Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show there are 177,700 people in NSW with intellectual and developmental disorders or other mental or behavioural disorders.

Many people with an intellectual disability are at a higher risk of also having a psychiatric disorder and their access to mental health services is at times limited.

The key objectives of the Chair of Intellectual Disability Mental Health are to:

• facilitate and support the development and delivery of courses in mental health and intellectual disability;
  
• lead the development of a research program in relation to people with an intellectual disability and mental health issues
  
• work with NSW Health to deliver psychiatric services to people with an intellectual disability and to assist in building the community of practitioners with expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of people with an intellectual disability and mental health issues.

Dr Trollor, from the School of Psychiatry, will be responsible for undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in mental health and intellectual disability to medical students, trainee psychiatrists, psychologists and other medical and allied health professionals.




Media Contact: Steve Offner | 9385 8107 | | Media & Communications Unit

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