Treating the Whole Person: Why Integrated Care Matters for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) experience mental health conditions at significantly higher rates than the general population. Yet despite this increased need, many continue to face barriers to receiving timely, comprehensive behavioral health care. As healthcare continues shifting toward whole-person, integrated care, provider organizations have an opportunity to improve outcomes by addressing mental health, physical health, and substance use disorders together rather than separately.

Understanding the Mental Health Needs of Individuals with I/DD

Recent research highlights the disproportionate behavioral health burden experienced by adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. More than half of adults with I/DD have been diagnosed with anxiety (57.2%) or depression (57.1%), compared to approximately one in ten adults without I/DD (Anxiety, Depression, and Care Barriers in Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2026).

These differences extend beyond diagnosis. Adults with I/DD are substantially more likely to receive medications for anxiety or depression and are more likely to participate in counseling services. However, despite higher utilization of behavioral health treatment, access remains a significant challenge. Nearly 18% of adults with I/DD reported delaying therapy because of cost, while more than 9% reported going without needed therapy altogether (Anxiety, Depression, and Care Barriers in Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2026).

These statistics demonstrate an important reality: increased need does not always translate into adequate access.

Looking Beyond the Diagnosis

Behavior is often a form of communication. Individuals with I/DD may express underlying medical concerns, trauma, environmental stressors, or unmet emotional needs through behavioral changes. Unfortunately, behavioral symptoms have historically been treated in isolation, with providers relying heavily on medication rather than identifying the underlying cause.

At the 2026 OPEN MINDS Autism & I/DD Executive Summit, leaders from the Monarch agency in Albemarle, North Carolina, described an integrated care model designed to change that approach (OPEN MINDS, 2026). Rather than treating only behavioral symptoms, the model begins with comprehensive medical and psychiatric assessments while incorporating therapeutic interventions, behavioral supports, medication management, and education for caregivers.

The philosophy is simple: treat the whole person—not just the diagnosis.

What Integrated Care Looks Like

Integrated care brings multiple disciplines together to provide coordinated treatment that addresses all aspects of a person’s health. Rather than separating physical healthcare, behavioral healthcare, addiction treatment, and developmental disability services, these components work collaboratively to improve quality of life.

The Monarch model emphasizes:

• Comprehensive medical and psychiatric evaluations
• Behavioral and therapeutic interventions
• Family and caregiver education
• Targeted medication management
• Collaboration between physicians, therapists, and direct support professionals.
• Technology such as remote monitoring when appropriate
• Specialized education for individuals with I/DD who experience substance use disorders (OPEN MINDS, 2026)

Perhaps most importantly, direct support professionals are viewed as essential members of the treatment team because they often recognize changes in behavior before anyone else.

Why Integrated Care Matters

Integrated care offers benefits beyond improving behavioral health symptoms. Coordinated treatment can reduce unnecessary emergency department visits, psychiatric hospitalizations, and fragmented care while helping individuals remain safely in their homes and communities.

Organizations capable of providing comprehensive, person-centered services are better positioned to meet the changing expectations of healthcare systems and payers. More importantly, integrated care helps individuals receive treatment that respects their dignity while addressing the full complexity of their needs (OPEN MINDS, 2026).

What This Means for Communities

Organizations serving individuals with I/DD should routinely evaluate the prevalence of co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders within their populations. Understanding these needs allows providers to develop partnerships, expand clinical expertise, and build systems that support integrated, person-centered care.

Behavioral health is rarely experienced in isolation. Mental health, physical health, developmental disabilities, trauma, and substance use frequently intersect, making collaboration across disciplines essential.

CSBMG’s Commitment to Whole-Person Care

At Community Service Board of Middle Georgia (CSBMG), we recognize that every individual deserves compassionate, coordinated, and evidence-informed care. Integrated treatment reflects our commitment to meeting people where they are by recognizing the connection between behavioral health, physical health, and developmental needs.

As healthcare continues to evolve, whole-person care remains one of the most effective approaches for improving health outcomes, strengthening recovery, and helping individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities live healthier, more independent lives within their communities.

References

Anxiety, Depression, and Care Barriers in Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. (2026). [Study referenced by OPEN MINDS].

OPEN MINDS. (2026). Six times the anxiety, half the support. OPEN MINDS Industry Library.