What is Dual Diagnosis?
Dual Diagnosis is a term applied to the co-existence of both developmental disabilities (autism, intellectual disability, epilepsy, cerebral palsy) and mental health issues. For more information, please visit NADD.
Who We Are
Reach Across L.A. is a cross-systems, collaborative project that focuses on recognizing and addressing the needs of individuals with co-occurring developmental disabilities and mental health disorders. It was established in 2008 and is made possible by generous Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) grant funding from the California Department of Developmental Services.
This project includes the following 3 programs:
- The Los Angeles Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Education (LA MHaDDE) Program, which developed a series of cohort-based trainings for direct support providers, educators, administrators, allied health professionals, and clinicians who work with this population.
- The Los Angeles Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Tools for Assessing Quality of Services (LA TAQS) Program, which will identify what assessment and treatment models are being utilized for those with dual diagnosis, develop quality assessment tools to evaluate best practices, and improve integrated systems of care for clients with dual diagnoses.
- The Los Angeles Transition-Age Youth Service Integration Program (LA TAYSIP), which will conduct a targeted needs assessment of transition-age youth (14 – 25 years of age) and develop interventions for individuals and agencies working with this population to improve referrals, education, and care coordination.
Vision
Reach Across L.A. works to improve the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities and mental health disorders by following these core principles:
- Research
- Empowerment
- Advocacy
- Collaboration
- Health
Project Partners
Special thanks to Barbara Sultan and the artwork of the Lotus Project Los Angeles