People with developmental disabilities often have complex health needs that do not fit neatly within a traditional medical or mental health clinic. For example, physical health concerns may affect behavior. Anxiety may make medical appointments difficult and stressful. Families may find themselves coordinating care among multiple providers who do not always have the full picture of what is going on.
The Neurobehavior HOME Program at Huntsman Mental Health Institute brings that care together. HOME (short for Healthy Outcomes, Medical Excellence) is a coordinated outpatient care program serving children and adults with developmental disabilities and mental health or behavioral challenges. Patients at HOME receive primary medical care and mental health services from a single integrated team. This program helps reduce fragmentation and create a more complete approach to lifelong health.
A Whole-Person Approach to Health and Well-Being
The HOME Program provides services throughout the lifespan of our patients, including:
- Primary and preventive medical care
- Annual physicals and well-child visits
- Psychiatric evaluations and medication management
- Individual and group counseling
- Behavioral, crisis, and case management
- Psychological testing
- Nutritional counseling
- Referrals to specialty care
This model allows providers to consider medical, psychiatric, behavioral, and social needs together rather than treating each concern in isolation. Care coordinators can also help patients and caregivers navigate appointments, hospitalizations, insurance, and follow-up care.
Autism Services Designed Around Individual Needs
The same facility houses Huntsman Mental Health Institute’s extensive Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinic, which serves children, adolescents, adults, and their families. Up to 70% of children and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) will have a co-existing mental health condition, like anxiety or depression. The Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinic provides:
- Autism assessments
- Behavioral consultations
- Individual and family therapy
- Parent training
- Social skills groups
- Early intervention
- Opportunities to participate in research
The clinic connects individuals with expertise across multiple areas of care by partnering with the HOME Program and the University of Utah Department of Psychiatry.
Turning Research Into Better Care
HOME is first and foremost a clinical program. However, it also operates within an academic medical center committed to research, education, and innovation. That connection creates a bench-to-bedside-to-home model. Researchers and clinicians can study the needs of people with developmental disabilities, identify promising practices, and translate those discoveries into everyday patient care. Experiences within the clinic can help researchers better understand what supports patients and families over the long term.
Families across the country need better access to coordinated medical and mental health care like the HOME Program. Through philanthropy, Huntsman Mental Health Foundation helps fuel the research, innovation, and clinical expertise needed to improve care for more individuals and to develop models that can reach communities well beyond Utah. Give today to help create a healthier future for people with developmental disabilities and their families.
