HDI introduces new mental health project: Merge

The University of Kentucky Human Development Institute introduces a new project: Merge. The project will strengthen the existing training framework serving Kentuckians with co-occurring mental health, and intellectual and developmental disabilities (MHIDD). By evolving current training, Merge aims to increase and improve the application of person-centered services and referral systems. 

Merge hopes to build stronger connections across systems in Kentucky, including state agencies, medical providers, medical service providers, LEND trainees, families, and individuals with MHIDD.

Merge will work with a team of state partners that includes people with lived experience. This team will identify existing resources, needs, gaps, and priorities. Existing resources will be strengthened and will address racial, health, and economic inequities in underserved communities. Once gaps and needs are identified, universally-designed supports will build a trauma-informed, and recovery-oriented framework for application. These efforts help fulfill Merge’s goal to increase understanding and improve the implementation of person-centered, culturally relevant services and referral systems.

For more information, contact Kristen Dahl at kristen.dahl@uky.edu.

Latest Updates

Photo of Wellness event participants standing in a circle

HDI Wellness Event is a great success!

Dr. Nicholas Lamar Wright always planned on recruiting help to make the One Mile Wellness event a success, but he …

Photo of Preston and Lane Lewis

Tribute to Preston Lewis, Advocate and Educator by Dr. Harold Kleinert

Our state lost an amazing advocate and educator with the recent passing of Preston Lewis on October 20 of this …

Photo of the garden featuring a smiling Kathy Sheppard-Jones

HDI Sensory Garden Blooms

Nancy Savage had been walking by a mostly empty planter box in front of the Mineral Industries Building a while …