Understanding and supporting autistic adults in mental health services

Course Overview
This course aims to provide you with an understanding of autism and how to support autistic adults when accessing mental health services.
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  • Written by experts
  • Introductory
  • 100% online
  • Video content
  • Multiple choice quiz
  • Approx. 3 hours to complete
  • Completion certificate
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About this course
This course aims to provide you with an understanding of autism and how to support autistic adults when accessing mental health services.The Autism Core Capability Framework was introduced in 2019. It was in recognition that people with autism face many challenges in all area of life, including when they are accessing mental and physical health care. It is also known that as a direct result of the knowledge gaps autism is sometimes not diagnosed or misdiagnosed.
The framework sets out core capabilities that clinicians and other people that support autistic people should be aware and able to follow in their practice areas.
The framework suggests 3 tiers of training depending on the responsibilities and job role of people. It also refers to the tiers as universal (Tier 1), practitioner (tier 2) and expert (Tier 3). This course is for mental health professionals that are working in mental health settings and have little or no knowledge on autism. This incorporates Tier 1 and Tier 2.
The course has been co-produced by experienced clinicians and autistic people as expert by experience. It offers the opportunity to discover personal experiences of experts by experience. This will help to highlight what is important to autistic people.
In addition, you will be able to share your experiences as well as clarify any myths and personal perspectives. This will ensure you gain knowledge and skills that can be used in your practice to enhance the quality of experience of autistic people when accessing mental health services.
Target audience:
Health care professionals including health care assistants who would be in direct contact with and would be supporting autistic adults in mental health settings.

Course content highlights:
  • Undestand what is autism and autism diagnosis
  • Personalised support for autistic people
  • Physical and mental health in autism
  • Law ethics and safeguarding
  • Diagnostic overshadowing in autism
  • Transition from child to adult and related issues and challenges for autistic people

By the end of this course you should:
  • Be able to understand of what autism is and identify signs and symptoms of autism
  • Be able to understand how autistic people experience life in a world that is geared mostly to non-autistic population
  • Understand what happens during the assessment process and how to support the person through this
  • Know about mental and physical comorbidities that are commonly experienced by autistic people
  • Know and understand risk areas and risk assessments for autistic people.
Our thanks go to all the autistic people who have contributed to this training especially by sharing their personal experiences. Their contribution has been invaluable in bringing theory to the practice area.

Course authors and designers

Ruwani Ampegama

Head of education and training
Since she qualified as a learning disability nurse in 1993 she has worked in community learning disability settings in south London and Surrey in a variety of roles. She has also completed a degree in health and social care and a further education teacher training


Debbie Spain

Post-doctoral Clinical Researcher
I  am a Consultant Nurse, Cognitive Behaviour Therapist and Systemic Practitioner. I qualified as a nurse in 2000 and a Cognitive Behaviour Therapist in 2004. Since then, I have worked in inpatient and community settings; primarily in national specialist services. 

Dr Lucy Mackintosh

Post-doctoral Clinical Researcher 
I  am a Consultant Nurse, Cognitive Behaviour Therapist and Systemic Practitioner. I qualified as a nurse in 2000 and a Cognitive Behaviour Therapist in 2004. Since then, I have worked in inpatient and community settings; primarily in national specialist services. 

Dr Lucy Mackintosh

Senior Clinical Psychologist 
Lucy has a background in working with people with autism, learning disabilities, sensory impairments, and mental health difficulties. She has an MSc from the Tizard Centre in Analysis & Intervention in Learning Disabilities. Since qualifying as a Clinical Psychologist, Lucy has worked at the National Autism Unit, an inpatient service for autistic men who are experiencing significant mental health, emotional or behavioural difficulties

Dr Sophie Doswell

Consultant Clinical Psychologist 
Sophie has worked in the NHS for 20 years, with individuals with a learning disability and/or autism. She joined SLaM in 2020 and is Chair of the Faculty for People with Intellectual Disabilities within the British Psychological Society (BPS). Sophie is the Consultant Clinical Psychologist across the Neurodevelopmental pathway in South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

Florin Ivan

Project Manager, Learning Hub | King's Health Partners

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