Researchers from the University of Cincinnati and Ohio State University found that adults with developmental disabilities who had integrated care were less likely to go to the emergency room or be hospitalized than others who were not.
Posted on Journal of Disability and Health, Their study found that adults with developmental disabilities may be better served using integrated care health centers that co-locate physical and mental health services
The retrospective cross-sectional study examined inpatient and outpatient encounters of 6,706 adults with developmental disabilities from 2022 to 2023 who were patients in two health care models offered at the University of Cincinnati and its affiliated academic health system, UC Health.
The researchers found that adults with developmental disabilities who participated in an integrated psychiatric and primary care model were 50% less likely to present to an emergency department and 38% less likely to require all-cause hospitalization. According to the study, the odds of patients being referred to the psychiatric emergency department were 72% lower for patients using the integrated care model.
Patients in the study either visited the University of Cincinnati Timothy Freeman, MD, Center for Developmental Disabilities, which provides comprehensive primary and behavioral health care, or the University of Cincinnati/UC Health Mood Disorders Center, which uses a traditional model of care to provide psychiatric services.
“We’re trying to find a better and more efficient way to provide care to adults with disabilities, many of whom are transitioning from the pediatric health care system,” explains Corey Keeton, an associate professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine and also in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience. “The adult health care system is very different from the pediatric system and is much more limited in terms of resources.”
Keeton, a co-author of the study, says he and other psychiatrists involved in the study saw patients at both the Freeman Center and the Moods Disorders Center, which allowed them to participate in both models of care. Looking to the future and further advancements in care, the Freeman Center celebrated the grand re-opening of a newly expanded 15,000 square foot facility in September 2025.
“Our vision with the Freeman Center is to build an environment that provides adults with disabilities the support they need to address their mental and physical health. We aspire to create a true level of integrated services that meet the unique needs of the community,” says Keeton.
“We want patients to feel supported inside and outside the four walls of our office. Our team works to provide comprehensive services to our patients, including primary care, psychiatric medication management, psychological testing, behavioral health care management, counseling, behavioral intervention support and community navigation.
“With all these services in one clinic, it really opened up the possibility of collaboration between providers, medical professionals and community organizations. This collaboration has allowed our patients to succeed and thrive,” adds Corey. “Creating a space where patients have access to multiple specialty services in one location works to reduce barriers to care. Patients have the opportunity to make an appointment with their primary care provider for their annual physical, see their psychiatry clinic for medication adjustments and have their weekly therapy session, all within one visit to the center.
“Hopefully more places will consider using integrated care models to serve adults with disabilities,” says Keeton. “We want the Freeman Center to serve as an example of how things could be, and we want to support those working with more traditional models, which is necessary to improve access to care.”
Daniel Gilmore, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at Ohio State University, was lead author of the study in the Disability and Health Journal.
“These findings are exciting and suggest the potential of integrated care to support the physical and mental health of adults with developmental disabilities,” says Gilmore. “However, the study was cross-sectional, and much work remains to better understand the relationships between integrated care and service use.”
Other study co-authors include Emily Johnson, MD; Aurora Rivendale, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at UC. Lauren Wing, MD, associate professor of family medicine at UC and medical director of the Timothy Freeman Center.
Additional co-authors include Susan Havercamp, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral health at Ohio State University. Lindy Weaver, PhD, associate professor of occupational therapy at Ohio State University. Ingrid Adams, professor of medical dietetics at Ohio State University. and Brittany Hand, PhD, associate professor of internal medicine at The Ohio State University.
