The Centre is the spark. We’re really making something that’s never been done before—and we’re making it here at CAMH.
About 45 per cent of adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities—such as an intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder or Down syndrome—also have a mental illness including addiction, yet this population faces profound challenges in getting the care they need.
Through the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, we will drive discovery, build greater capacity, and train the experts of tomorrow in this field. The ripple effect of this work will reach across Canada and ultimately around the world. We will drive clinical care, research, education and training—and share our knowledge globally.
CAMH has already demonstrated a clear commitment to responding to this urgent need and improving care in this field through our clinical services, in which rich clinical and research training is available, and through a focus on this population within the Geriatric and Adult Neurodevelopmental Psychiatry Division—but we must create the capacity to achieve so much more.
Through this Centre, we are able to pay attention to mental illness, including addictions, in adults with very complex illnesses—both mental and physical. And to change the way we deliver care, we will train the mental health providers of tomorrow—nurses, doctors and students from a range of health care disciplines.
In the Azrieli Centre, this population will get the care it deserves.
