History of the Division
The first recognized mental health programmes for children and adults with intellectual disability in the Western Cape Province were initiated by Professor Vera Grover, a University of Cape Town psychologist and then Director of the Child Guidance Clinic at UCT. During a career spanning the 1950s to 1980s, she was the forerunner in clinical and public service provision, teaching and advocacy for people with intellectual disability. A bequest from Vera Grover allowed a Professorship in Intellectual Disability to be established at UCT in collaboration with Alexandra Hospital in 1992 (initially referred to as the “Chair of Mental Handicap”, reflecting terminology of the era). Although there were preceding academic activities, the Division was formalized in 1995, with the first incumbent in the Vera Grover Chair being Prof Chris Molteno. Prof Colleen Adnams, the second incumbent of the Vera Grover Chair, retired in 2017. Prof Sharon Kleintjes currently heads the Division. The Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health accommodates the Vera Grover Chair at its offices at Groote Schuur Hospital for non-patient related research activities and access to general departmental administrative support
Professor Grover also established The Vera Grover Scholarship Trust to fund (a) scholarships for masters and doctoral studies in the field of intellectual disability and (b) grants to support attendance of training courses of less than a year aimed at improving knowledge and/or skills in intellectual disability by people already working in the field. These scholarships are open to researchers and practitioners working in the Western Cape. More information about these funding opportunities is available from the Western Cape Forum for Intellectual Disability at admin@wcfid.co.za
Teaching and research
In 2012 the Division established an MPhil in Intellectual Disability Mental Health, open to postgraduate multidisciplinary health professionals who are working in the field and are registered with the Health Professions Council (HPCSA) the South African Nursing Council (SANC) and the South African Council for Social Services Professions (SACSSP). Since 2018, the division has also offereds supervision of doctoral studies focusing on issues relevant to people with intellectual disability.
Areas of research which members of the division have more recently engaged in include: Studies focusing on the lived experience of people with intellectual disability and their supporters, advocacy and self-advocacy studies, and studies to inform policy and public service development for people with intellectual disability
Clinical Platform
The Division’s clinical service platform is based at two regional psychiatric hospitals, Alexandra Hospital in Maitland and Lentegeur Psychiatric Hospital in Mitchells Plain, offering in-and outpatient mental health care for complex psychiatric and behavioural presentations in children, adolescents and adults with intellectual and developmental disability. These hospitals still also accommodate adults with intellectual disability, many with severe and profound intellectual disability, in long-term care, a legacy of the era of institutionalisation and custodial care of people with mental illness and intellectual disability. Service development efforts in the hospitals are currently focussed on future planning for best support to these patients and other patients with intellectual disability receiving public mental health services and support from these institutions
