Spectrum Arch, Inc.If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. For a mental health crisis, call or text 988.
Many families of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities have had the same experience: a crisis happens, and the emergency room or crisis team isn't sure how to help someone with an I/DD. New York has a program built for exactly this gap.
What CSIDD is
Crisis Services for Individuals with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities (CSIDD) is OPWDD's crisis program, based on a national model called START (which is why you'll also hear it called NYSTART). It supports people who have a developmental disability and complex behavioral or mental health needs, along with their families and the staff who support them.
OPWDD has expanded CSIDD so that it is available in every region of the state.
What it offers
- Crisis prevention: planning ahead, so a crisis is less likely and better handled when it happens
- Crisis response: help during and after a crisis, including working alongside hospitals and emergency services
- Training and consultation for families and support staff
- Resource centers in each region
How to connect
The best time to connect is before a crisis. Ask your Care Manager about a referral to CSIDD in your region, or ask OPWDD's Front Door. Having a crisis plan in place, and a team who already knows the person, makes the hard moments far more manageable.
Build your own crisis plan
- Early warning signs, and what helps at each stage
- What makes things worse, such as touch, noise, or certain words
- Medications, diagnoses, and doctors' contacts
- How the person communicates when distressed
- Who to call, in order
Keep copies at home, with staff, and in the car, and bring one to the emergency room.
Sources: OPWDD, Expand Crisis Services; OPWDD, CSIDD Expansion; National Center for START Services, New York; 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.