UCEDD National Training Initiative MERGE Supplement

The Merge National Resource Center will serve a target population of individuals with co-occurring Mental Health, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (MHIDD). Merge will emphasize state and local entities with a role in improving outcomes, including state agencies, healthcare/mental health providers, developmental disability service providers, para and pre-professionals, families, and individuals with MHIDD. Goals: Drive systems change through policy improvement, enhanced service design and service coordination; build multidisciplinary workforce capacity through continuing education and pre-professional training, and; improve coordination and implementation of person- centered, culturally relevant services and referral systems, thus improving quality of life for people experiencing MHIDD. Objectives include: collaboration with stakeholders, support of engaged steering committee, resource development and dissemination, website, communities of practice, national conferences, evaluation and sustainability Outcomes include: Increased number of collaborations across systems, increased knowledge among providers and multidisciplinary professionals to effectively support people with MHIDD and use 988 Dialing Code; increased service capacity; improved access to MH services for people with ID/DD; increased understanding of life experiences of people with MHIDD; improved delivery of equitable and responsive programs, training and TA; improved life outcomes of people with MHIDD and; Improved infrastructure of service delivery system. Approach: a universal design and culturally relevant framework that is driven by people with lived experience will be used across Merge activities. Significant partnerships include the MHDD National Training Initiative partners and advisory board, TASH, Center for Dignity in Healthcare, and National Disability Rights Network. Products include an online web resource clearinghouse accessed via ACL for people with MHIDD, families, practitioners, educators and policy makers; multi-format trainings and resources, and; digital storytelling series.