The Department of Human Services’ Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) and the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) are pleased to announce the Dual Diagnosis Professional Conference Series, which offers presentations focused on supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism (ID/A) and mental health needs. The selected presenters share their expertise on best and promising practices and provide general knowledge. Session topics, which focus on increasing the capacity to serve individuals with dual diagnosis in the community, are chosen based on identified needs and with input from the field of professional stakeholders.
- The invited audience of all professional stakeholders, including directand clinical supporters for individuals with ID/A are encouraged toattend.
- Registration is required and at no charge to attendees.
- Three (3) hours of training credit and a certificate of achievement is provided.
Topics include:
- PMAgitation in Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD): Agitation among individuals with IDD is very common with up to 30-40% of the population experiencing various manifestations of agitation at some point in their life. This includes restlessness, aggression, vocal and physical outbursts, and self-injury. In this presentation, we will discuss a person-centered approach to identifying the causes, management, and treatment of the agitated individual. We will discuss specific cases, evidence-based assessment modalities as well as de-escalation techniques, medication management including the challenges in treating individuals with IDD.
- History and the Future of Healthcare for People with IDD: In this presentation, we will discuss how healthcare for people with IDD has undergone a significant transformation in a relatively short period of time. We will review the challenges individuals have historically faced including stigma and discrimination, access issues and a general lack of understanding of their specialized needs. We will briefly go over important movements and legislative milestones that have led to the de-institutionalization and community integration in recent years. Finally, we will review innovative future opportunities to improve overall health for individuals with IDD.
- Polypharmacy in People with IDD: We know that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are on many different medications – both for physical health conditions and mental health conditions. Statistically a person with IDD is on at least 6 different medications at any given time. We also know that many patients with intellectual disabilities see multiple prescribers for a variety of different conditions, and communication between prescribers is less than ideal. We also know that these patients rely on others to obtain and take these medications. This is the perfect setup for the negative effects of polypharmacy. In this lecture we will discuss how polypharmacy can complicate the care of a person with IDD, the audience will understand how to prevent complications from polypharmacy, and we will review some clinical examples illustrating how different medications from the same class of drugs can cause complications.
Presenters Include:
- Deven Unadkat DO, MPA, FACEP – President & Chief Medical Officer: Dr. Unadkat is a board-certified emergency physician, recognized physician leader, and a founding partner at StationMD. After graduating medical school and completing his graduate studies in healthcare administration and policy at New York University, he completed his residency at Northwell Health where he served as chief resident. He has held numerous academic positions throughout his career and has served as assistant residency director for the emergency medicine training program at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. He has practiced clinically over the past 18 years in large academic centers, community hospitals, free standing emergency centers, and has been delivering care via telehealth. He has served as chairman and medical director of emergency medicine at a one of the largest academic trauma centers in New Jersey. Throughout his clinical career, Dr. Unadkat has focused on improving access to high quality medical care to vulnerable populations. As chief medical officer at StationMD, Dr. Unadkat, supervises a team of physicians and allied health professionals. He oversees clinical operations, education, clinical quality improvement, and development and growth of our clinical services.
- Maulik Trivedi, MD, FACEP – Chief Strategy Officer: Dr. Maulik M. Trivedi is a board-certified Emergency Medicine physician in practice for over 20 years. He has served as the chairman or associate chair of several emergency departments. He has also been an integral part of the core leadership of Emergency Medicine provider groups in the region. He is a founding partner of StationMD and has been instrumental in helping the organization achieve its mission of improving the quality of care for the IDD population. He is a recognized national speaker and thought leader on the use of technology and telehealth solutions to positively impact an individual’s medical care and foster independence. He continues to practice as an ER doctor in the NYC area. He has a special interest in applying tech solutions to keep both individuals and staff safe during the COVID-19 crisis. He and his family currently live in midtown Manhattan.
