Management of psychiatric issues in patients with intellectual disability

The psychiatric treatment of people with intellectual disability and mental illness has progressed substantially. Not only have our interventions improved, the willingness and ability of psychiatrists to provide such care has grown enormously. Inclusion of psychiatric residents in this endeavor enhances the likelihood of future treatment interest by them as professionals in their own careers. Meaningful improvement in functional capacity and in reduction of symptom burden is achievable in most patients. Multiple levels of service delivery are adapted readily to care provision for this population when attention is paid to the environment of care and the education and training of staff is addressed. With greater attention now being paid to this population, continued improvement in the quality and capacity of service delivery is on the horizon.