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Beyond Compliance: A Neurobehavioral Approach to Mental Health for Youth with IDD

For youth with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), mental health care is often replaced by behavioral management. This session challenges the assumption that neurodivergent individuals cannot benefit from therapy, offering a paradigm shift through the FASCETS neurobehavioral lens. Led by a trained facilitator, we will explore how shifting from a “compliance” model to a “brain-based” understanding—utilizing strategies from PACE and Interpersonal Neurobiology—breaks down barriers to care. Participants will learn to reframe “maladaptive behaviors” as symptoms of underlying brain-based differences, providing a tangible framework for clinicians, educators, and families to foster true mental wellness and regulation in the IDD population.

How lived experience informs this session

This presentation is grounded in the integration of professional clinical frameworks and first-hand lived expertise. As the parent of a young adult with autism, I navigate the same service systems, resource gaps, and 'compliance-first' models that my clients face daily. This dual perspective allows me to bridge the gap between abstract clinical theory and the practical, high-acuity reality of supporting neurodivergent youth. By sharing de-identified 'real-world' examples of how the FASCETS model has transformed both my clinical practice and my own understanding of neurobehavioral support, I provide participants with a framework that is not only evidence-based but also deeply 'vetted' by lived experience. My goal is to move beyond the clinical lens to offer strategies that prioritize the dignity, felt safety, and authentic needs of the individual and their family.

Presenters