Psychosocial disability is the leading cause of death for Australians under the age of 45 and the leading cause of disability in Australia.526 However, mental health services are significantly under-resourced and there are widespread access problems for people with psychosocial disability.527
Approximately 40 percent of persons with intellectual disability also have a psychosocial disability, a situation known as ‘dual disability’. Existing health services are very poor at supporting people with disability who experience more than one type of impairment. Traditional health treatment regimes focus on a diagnosis specific approach rather than a broader health needs based approach.
