According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD), persons with disabilities “include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others”.
NSMH02 aims to discuss the fundamental questions “How similar?” and “How different?” are the most vulnerable groups of persons with disabilities, namely those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and those with mental health problems.
As per the RPD Act 2016, Intellectual disability is a condition characterised by significant limitation both in intellectual functioning (reasoning, learning, problem solving) and in adaptive behaviour which covers a range of every day, social and practical skills, including—
a) "specific learning disabilities" means a heterogeneous group of conditions wherein there is a deficit in processing language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself as a difficulty to comprehend, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations and includes such conditions as perceptual disabilities, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia and developmental aphasia;
b) "autism spectrum disorder" means a neuro-developmental condition typically appearing in the first three years of life that significantly affects a person's ability to communicate, understand relationships and relate to others and is frequently associated with unusal or stereotypical rituals or behaviours.
In the World Health Organization’s (WHO) report the term “psychosocial disabilities” refers to the disabilities of children with either diagnosed or perceived mental health conditions and/or intellectual impairments, which may also be caused by stigma, discrimination and exclusion.
Psychosocial disability is an internationally recognised term under the UNCRPD, used to describe the experience of people with impairments and participation restrictions related to mental health conditions. These impairments can include a loss of ability to function, think clearly, experience full physical health, and manage the social and emotional aspects of their lives.
The objectives of the NSMH02:
A. To identify the domains of measurement of psychosocial and mental health components for Person with Intellectual and Developmental Disability (PIDD).
B. To develop need-based approach for PIDD and their care takers.
C. To address the societal limitation for inclusion that interact with those psychological differences as well as the stigma in the society.
Topics:
The overall theme for the NSMH02 is on Mental Health and Social Inclusion of PIDD the topics are summarised in the list below however; we welcome presentations on any topic related to intellectual and developmental disability and mental health.
1. Measurement of impairment and implications
2. Needs of mental health for PIDD and their care takers
3. Person-centred approach
4. Mental Health Services and therapies
5. Challenging behaviour and social exclusion
6. Stigmatization, labelling and challenges
7. Social well-being
8. Accessible awareness materials
