[Differentiating crises in people with intellectual disabilities].

BACKGROUND: Crises in people with intellectual disabilities often occur at the intersection of mental health care (MHC) and intellectual disability care (IDC). Different actors and crisis regulations with their own definitions and agreements make appropriate care challenging. Effective collaboration between MHC and IDC is essential but often not structurally organized.

AIM: To distinguish between different types of crises in order to promote shared perceptions and a common language between MHC and IDC. This will improve the coordination of interventions and make cooperation between professionals more effective.

METHOD: Based on clinical experience and scientific background, I propose a model with four types of crises: contextual crisis, somatic crisis, overburdening, and psychiatric crisis.

RESULTS: Better differentiation between different types of crises can be advantageous for people with intellectual disabilities. It ensures a shared perception and common language across domains, leading to better task distribution and cooperation between the various professionals involved.

CONCLUSION: Better differentiation of crises can improve collaboration between MHC and IDC. This model provides tools for joint crisis management and can further improve care in the future.