Evolving From Dual Diagnosis to Integrated Health

Written by our Annual Conference Partner Meridian Health Services 
​Over the past 10 years Meridian Health Services has been on a journey to provide integrated health services as part of mission to make our communities healthier through a focus on whole person health.  

To that end, MHS is excited to present a broader learning track at the INARF Conference in 2022 as well as a broader array of services in our 43 locations around the state of Indiana.  We hope that you will plan to check out some the MHS sponsored session this year, they are:

Cultural Awareness, The Key to Resilience – Presented by Uzama Price, EdD, NADD-DDS, BCBA
Tapping into an individual’s resilience is a key to helping overcome trauma experiences.  Given the extremely high comorbidity rate of IDD and trauma it is increasingly important that human service professionals understanding how to provide culturally aware supports and how their actions can impact a person’s resilience. 

Promoting Healthy Sexuality – Presented by Uzama Price EdD, NADD-DDS, BCBA
This session will explore ways to promote health sexuality for people with disabilities. An often-overlooked topic but central to a person health and well-being, learning about sexuality and healthy expressions of sexuality can promote stronger relationships, an increased sense of autonomy, and a better connection between mind and body. 

Hidden disABILITIES: Working with Diverse Client Needs – Presented by Michael L Slavkin, PhD, LMHC
Bias can impact our ability to provide positive behavior supports, this presentation will challenge participants to examine the bias they bring into their work and to reduce the impact of those biases.  Participants in this interactive workshop will explore ways to provide positive learning and enriching social environments to individuals with a variety of ability levels and needs. 

Implementing Trauma Responsive Care – Presented by Aldridge Palay Consulting
If leaders want their staff to be responsive to trauma, in the people they support and their workforce, the whole organization must reflect this value, and everyone must understand it and have tools to actually do it. This session reviews lessons from change management and the Rule of Three to chart a course of change to Trauma Responsive Care.

Improving Health with Dashboards and Conversations – Presented by Tabitha Witthuhn, BSN, RN, PHN
People with IDD/MI have shortened lifespans. By tracking data and sparking organizational conversations about health this disparity can be impacted.  Please join this session to learn about a system in use for tracking metabolic health that has made a positive reduction of BMI and hypertension for participants.

We are hopeful that you will join us for some or all of these sessions and will visit us at the conference to learn more about our Connxxions Program and our integrated health approach.  If you would like information regarding services prior to the conference please feel free to reach out to Meridian Health Services at 765-288-1928 or visit www.meridianhs.org.