Building the Path to Home

First steps

Specialized dual diagnosis support

It has taken the service and support community quite a while to understand that people with a dual diagnosis have specialized needs. But the message is finally getting through that there are many people with a dual diagnosis (over 90,000 in Ontario) and that mental health and developmental services have to support these people better. It’s their job.

If anyone ever says, “We don’t take people with a dual diagnosis,” you do have a right to insist on services. However, if you get this type of response, consider whether this is the best service to support the person whom you are trying to help.

Family 1
We need skilled people who will stick with it, who can get to the bottom of what is really going on. That takes time, commitment and significant expertise.

Family 2
It is also important to remember that not all families are able to respond well to programs, products or packages. We cannot be interested in what is easy for you to organize. Not unless it leads to an effective result for us. The system needs to learn to fit around the individual, not the individual adapting to the system's needs. There will be some families for whom it may be helpful or even necessary to turn matters over to you. But, for many others it is more important to plot and manage their own course.

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