Intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorders

Health service must provide free diagnostic assessments for adults, possibly via the adult mental health and addictions community services,  to establish whether they have an intellectual disability so can access disability support services and possibly benefit. This will require IQ and adaptive behaviour assessment and evidence deficits were apparent during developmental period. 

Similarlyfree  diagnostic assessments for autism spectrum disorders and ADHD in adults. Again to enable adults to access support services. 

Why the contribution is important

Because at present a number of people, particularly from deprived backgrounds, who do not receive these diagnoses during the developmental period prior to age 18, and flounder around as adults getting taken advantage of, and increasingly as being criminalised and convicted for crimes and even imprisoned whether innocent or not, and whether fit to stand trial or not - miscarriage of justice - Teina Pora being one recent example but there are many many more people this has happened to. 

by Corinne on February 10, 2023 at 11:51AM

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Average rating: 4.7
Based on: 9 votes

Comments

  • Posted by sarny March 07, 2023 at 14:16

    Fully agree, this should be free to test for these disorders. Our daughter paid out of her own money to get diagnosed, that she had saved up over the years, and I helped contribute but should not cost in excess of $800 which it does. She was not diagnosed with ASD till she was 19.
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