National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health

13/05/2026

This Federal Budget was, in large part, a missed opportunity to improve health care for people with intellectual disability.

Critical investments, including support to build health workforce capability, were left out.

The challenges have not gone away, and neither has the need for action.

We will keep working alongside people with intellectual disability and experts to push for the change that is needed.

See our media response to the Federal Budget here:

Media Release

03/05/2026

Centre Director, Scentia Professor Julian Trollor, has spoken to the media following the Federal Government's recent changes to the NDIS.

He says stronger alignment between disability and health systems is critical if we are serious about improving outcomes for people with intellectual disability.

Hear Professor Trollor talk about the importance of the NDIS and the health system working together below.

21/04/2026

Five projects. One goal: better health for people with intellectual disability.

Our 2025 Innovation Seed Funding Grants are already making progress, backing practical ideas from across the sector.

Here's what we' re supporting:

- Aruma: Boosting Health Literacy through Animated Micro-learning

- Murdoch Children's Research Institute - MCRI: Health Checklist for people with cerebral palsy and intellectual disability co-developed by consumers

- Pharmaceutical Society of Australia: Me and My Medicines

- Western Sydney Health: Building Connections in Western NSW

- Women's and Children's Health Network: Evaluating dental transition pathways from paediatric to adult disability services in South Australia

We've just released a 6-month update on how these projects are going.

Read more: https://nceidh.org.au/news/seed-funding-update

20/04/2026

Julia Hawkins from the Centre's Engagement Team ran a Community Connections Tour workshop with members of Down Syndrome WA's Advisory Network and CEO Cassandra Hughes.

Members shared the importance of having health care professionals who listen to them and treat them as adults. They also talked about the challenges of long wait times at health appointments and advocated for quiet rooms in health care settings. Members are keen to join the Centre's People and Family national network to stay connected and continue to learn and share.

The Community Connections Tour will continue until June 2026. It is one way that the Centre is ensuring that people and families from different backgrounds and with different experiences are directly guiding our work.

Find out more about the Community Connections Tour here: https://nceidh.org.au/our-work/projects/community-connections-tour

Down Syndrome WA

19/04/2026

Meet the team behind our work.

This week in our Meet the Team series we're introducing Charlotte Bridge.

Charlotte is part of the Centre's First Nations team, working to improve culturally safe practice and the health outcomes for First Nations people with intellectual disability.

We asked Charlotte a few questions about her role, what motivates her work, and what's one thing she'd change in health care.

Get to know Charlotte below.

16/04/2026

Did our recent webinar on improving health care training?

The recording is now available.

In this webinar we looked at:

- why better education and training are essential to improving health care for people with intellectual disability

- how the Intellectual Disability Health Capability Framework can strengthen health professional education

- what systemic changes are needed to build a more capable health workforce

Watch the full webinar here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYDpdyF1f9Q

14/04/2026

Flinders University is launching the resources developed through the Working Together: Preventing Everyday Harm research project (https://everydayharm.org.au/).

The resources were co-designed with people with disability, support workers, and organisations to find out what practical steps we can all take to address and prevent everyday harm.

Join the team at one of four events to learn more about the resources and the research that sits underneath them.

Hear from
- Lead researcher: Professor Sally Robinson
- Community Researchers: Tyra Buteux, Rachel High, Ruby Nankivell and Hannah Zsigoszki

Please click on the links below to RSVP for your local event.

- Sydney (in person), Friday 17 April 2026: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/working-together-preventing-everyday-harm-sydney-launch-event-tickets-1985333353504

- Adelaide (in person), Friday 24 April 2026: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/working-together-preventing-everyday-harm-adelaide-launch-event-tickets-1984254981063

- Melbourne (in person), Friday 8 May 2026: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/working-together-preventing-everyday-harm-melbourne-launch-event-tickets-1985552080723

- Online, Wednesday 20 May 2026: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/working-together-preventing-everyday-harm-online-launch-event-tickets-1985334574155

13/04/2026

Big name keynote announced for our 2026 National Research Symposium.

Dr Yona Lunsky, one of the world’s leading researchers on mental health for people with intellectual disability, will deliver the keynote address.

For more than 20 years, Dr Lunsky has worked to improve mental health care for people with intellectual and developmental disability and their families. She currently serves as Scientific Director of the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre and leads the H-CARDD program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

Her work brings together clinicians, families and people with disability to improve primary, emergency and mental health care.

Join us to hear from Dr Lunsky and other leading researchers.

Register now: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/national-research-symposium-2026-tickets-1983403242490

07/04/2026

7 April is World Health Day. This year's theme is "Together for health. Stand with science".

At the Centre, we use data, research, health practitioner expertise and the experiences of people with intellectual disability to better understand health issues affecting health care for people with intellectual disability. This is called "building evidence".

We use the evidence to make practical, real-world solutions.

We then work with our partners, advocates and decision-makers to put these solutions into action across the healthcare system.

This helps create lasting improvements in health care for people with intellectual disability.

Read more about our work in our 2025-2028 Strategy: https://nceidh.org.au/news/centre-strategy-2025-2028

01/04/2026

At the National Centre of Intellectual Disability Health, our work is driven by passionate people dedicated to improving the healthcare experience for people with intellectual disability.

In the coming weeks we will introduce you to some of the people on the Centre's team.

Next up in our Meet the Team series is Raylene Griffiths.

We asked Raylene some questions so you can get to know her!

31/03/2026

Registrations are now open!

Join us for the National Intellectual Disability Health Research Symposium 2026.

The Symposium will be
- Online
- From 10am AEST
- On Wednesday 13 May

It will:
- Bring together researchers from across Australia who want to improve the health of people with intellectual disability
- Be a place to connect and share ideas
- Give attendees an opportunity to be part of an ongoing National Research Network.

If you're a researcher who wants to improve the health of people with intellectual disability, you won’t want to miss this event.

Find out more and register now: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/national-research-symposium-2026-tickets-1983403242490