ND & Mental Health | www.ndaustralia.com

Mental Health
& Neurodevelopment

At least 70% of children and adults with neurodevelopment conditions - along with their caregivers - experience serious mental health disorders and much higher rates of suicide.

The social, financial and emotional pressure for people living with

neurodevelopment conditions, is almost impossible to quantify.

For most, this means life-long costs that touch every part of our daily lives including health, education, justice, employment, relationships and wellbeing.

50% of young people presenting to mental health services meet criteria for major depression.
They have 7-10 times the increased rate of attempted and completed suicides.
Depression is the most significant predictor of disability for these people.

Families have told us that they have been excluded from mental health services because of the presence of a diagnosed neurodevelopmental condition.

At the same time, professionals often report having a lack of knowledge and training about how to identify and respond to these needs.

Evidence suggests that for people living with neurodevelopment conditions:

Neurodevelopment Australia believes that effective mental health strategies must respond to these unmet needs and we are working to build projects and enable research that will help solve some of these problems.

Members of our Advisory Committee are leading efforts to affect change through their involvement on the the Federal Government’s National Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy.