The theme of the 2016 Collaborative Family Healthcare Association conference was "Celebrating the Many Faces and Places of Integration." The Medical Health Home Initiative was honored to offer the only session specifically focused on the needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), the critical role of family, and the importance of collaboration with primary care and other health care providers.
The NC panelists were NCCDD Council member and family advocate Kerri Eaker, Dr. Crystal Bowe, MD, family medicine physician and family advocate, Dr. Jill Hinton, PhD, clinical psychologist and advocate, and Karen Luken, project director and advocate. The speakers identified some of the challenges encountered when addressing the health and long term support needs of people with I/DD living in the community and offered examples of how quality outcomes can be achieved through coordinated collaborative care centered on the needs of the person with I/DD.
Systems change requires that we move into venues beyond the DD service system, illustrate the many faces of people with DD, and share recommendations that promote integration across health care, community services, and family.