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Mental Health

APD is committed to improving the support we provide to clients and their families who may be enduring difficult life stressors or mental health issues.

Many individuals with developmental disabilities also have comorbid psychological diagnoses, sometimes occurring at even higher rates than the general population.  Large scale studies indicate that people with developmental disabilities are three to six times more likely to develop a mental health disorder than other people, while psychotic disorders and mood disorders are three times more likely to occur in those with developmental disabilities than the general population.

Caregivers also struggle with the stress of providing care and finding services that will meet the needs of their loved ones. In these challenging times, it may seem difficult to seek mental health services due to stigma or feelings of hopelessness.

There is help available to you. We hope that you will find this information useful.

Mobile Response Teams

Mobile Response Teams (MRT) are designed to provide immediate, on-site services to individuals experiencing behavioral health crises. MRTs are staffed by a variety of trained professionals who aim to safely support de-escalation while reducing potential trauma and unnecessary hospitalizations.

Accessing MRT Services

The MRT Intellectual Developmental Disability (IDD) Mental Health (MH) Pilot Project

APD strives to meet the dynamic needs of individuals who have a co-occurring mental health diagnosis with a developmental disability. APD was awarded funding from the Florida Legislature for Fiscal Year 2024-2025, for the following:

  • Embed Board-Certified Behavior Analysts® (BCBA®) and Registered Behavior Technicians® (RBT®) on existing Mobile Response Teams in Broward, Hillsborough, Leon, and Orange counties. 
  • Offer training for Direct Support Professionals, Waiver Support Coordinators, BCBAs®, and RBTs® in the specified counties.

For more information, please email the team at the following email address:  Dual.Diagnosis@apdcares.org

Dual Diagnosis Resources

Suicide Awareness and Prevention Resources

APD is committed to improving the support we provide to our clients (and their families) who may be contemplating or have attempted suicide. The most vital difference we can make through our work is to save lives.