Down Syndrome Research Foundation

1409 Sperling Avenue, Burnaby
British Columbia, Canada V5B 4J8

email: info@dsrf.org

Follow us on Facebook

Tele-mental health
N. Virji-Babul, R. Friedlander, J. Down, V. Ashworth, K. Watt, M. Loyola, C. Wenger

20-30% of children and adults with DS experience behavioural or psychiatric disorders.  Optimal case management of the high prevalence of comorbid physical and mental health requires subspeciality health care services such as psychiatry and developmental pediatrics. However, there is limited availability of subspeciality health services, particularly in rural areas of BC.  In addition, the time and financial burdens for families traveling to urban centers to receive consultations often prove prohibitive.   The Down Syndrome Research Foundation (DSRF) in consultation with PHSA, BC Children’s Hospital and VIHA have developed a collaborative care based program model with a central case management approach using telehealth as the medium for the clinical consultations.  A regularly scheduled clinic for children with DS living on Vancouver Island has been initiated.  Consultations are conducted using live videoconferencing.  A child psychiatrist and a developmental pediatrican connect concurrently with the child and family, and with community care providers.  As of August 2008, five consults have occurred. Evaluations conducted by DSRF indicate high levels of satisfaction for all participants.