Get started

“Understanding Addiction and Developmental Disabilities” is a specialized curriculum for people living with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD) and substance use disorders.

This website provides what you need to screen the person with I/DD you’re trying to help and guide them through the curriculum. You should only walk someone through these resources if you are that person’s mental health clinician, caregiver, guardian or parent and they have given their permission.

Step one:

First, review the facilitator’s guide thoroughly and refer back to it if you need to.

Then, download this screening questionnaire.

Find a time when you will have the undivided attention of the person you are screening. Have the interviewee read and answer these questions, or read these questions to them, and record their answers.

Step two:

If you feel the person you have interviewed has a substance use disorder, access the free curriculum using the form below. The curriculum consists of 14 short videos and 14 curriculum sheets that you can use to review the material from the videos.

While you can move at your own pace, we do not recommend viewing multiple videos in a single session. Treatment takes time, and “Understanding Addiction and Developmental Disabilities” is designed to be easy and flexible.

There is no cost to participate and giving us your personal information does not register you for a formal treatment plan. Your information will only be used for informational purposes to improve the “Understanding Addiction and Developmental Disabilities” curriculum and website user experience.

Step three:

At the end of the curriculum, take the screening assessment again and look for improvement. If you see none, it may be time to reach out to a mental health / substance use disorder provider, like Monarch, for more help.