Mental Health Crisis Response: Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities/Traumatic Brain Injury

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) can affect a person’s behavior, mood, personality, and thinking. If characteristics of IDD and TBI are not understood or managed appropriately, there can be increased frustration from both the caregiver’s perspective as well as the affected individual.

To more effectively work with individuals and manage behavior, caregivers benefit from understanding the characteristics or changes typically confronting the person with an IDD or TBI. In this workshop, we will:

Review types, causes, and statistics on behaviors, mental health, and brain injuries.
Discuss co-occurring disorders and the brain.
Explore types of behavior and techniques to manage behaviors.
Receive resources and tools.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Robyn Wheeler, RN, CBIS

Inspired by a personal family event, Robyn Wheeler has dedicated her nursing career to the care and support of those affected by neurological changes from brain injury or stroke. Through her experience as a staff nurse at Sanford Health, charge nurse at Bethany Homes, director of nursing at Lilycare Clinic, and private nurse/case manager, she has been able to witness the ripple effects from these injuries from multiple professional angles.

Wheeler spent a year in Detroit, Mich. working on advanced neuro-imaging research using a variation on MRI, diffusion tensor imaging, to detect mild to moderate brain injury in individuals such as NFL players and returning veterans. After returning to Minneapolis she worked as the education specialist for the Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance focusing on education, prevention, support, and advocacy. Robyn recently accepted the positing of Director of Integrated Care and Education (Nursing and Behavioral Health) for Wing House, a transitional care facility designed to assist adults after a brain injury and psychiatric or other neurological disorders.

Barb Luskin, PhD, LP

A member of the Autism Society of Minnesota's Counseling and Consulting Services team, Barb Luskin is a licensed psychologist who has worked closely with children and adults with ASD for more than 30 years in professional and home settings. She specializes in providing both assessments and counseling to individuals with ASD and those who support them.

Dr. Luskin’s services include diagnostic and functional assessments, individual therapy for adults and adolescents, training and consultation for caregivers; helping them to understand ASD, teaching them creative and effective interventions, helping them evaluate progress and providing guidance when adjustments are needed.

DHS collaborates with the Autism Society of Minnesota
The Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM) is pleased to be collaborating with the Department of Human Services in organizing the DHS Mental Health Crisis Response Workshop Series through 2017. AuSM is our state’s oldest autism organization serving individuals and families affected by autism in Minnesota, and the AuSM event planning team is honored to be working with DHS to bring this important workshop series to you.