Division of Developmental Disabilities
Disability is not inability. It's not a weakness; it's a sign of unique strength.
Every day, people with disabilities navigate a world full of barriers—some visible, some invisible—and in doing so, they show resilience, creativity, and courage that inspires us all. Their strength isn’t measured by conforming to society’s standards, but by the ability to adapt, persevere, and shine in their own way.
True inclusion isn’t just about access—it’s about recognizing and celebrating the unique strengths each person brings. When we shift our perspective, we see that disability is not a limitation, but a powerful reminder that strength comes in many forms. Let’s start celebrating difference and everyone's individual strength.
2024 DDD Annual Report
We have published our first Annual Program Report to share key achievements and goals with the I/DD community. To learn about the work the Division has done, please review our 2024 Annual Program Report. If you have any questions or feedback about the report, please let us know by emailing BHDDH.AskDD@bhddh.ri.gov. We hope this information is helpful for you.
Hospital News
Eleanor Slater Hospital and the 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment
ESH is dedicated to understanding and addressing the most pressing health and wellness concerns for the communities we serve. ESH undertook a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) for its service area. The goal of the CHNA is to monitor the health of community members and to identify common and unique challenges across the region. The CHNA informs the development of a Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) to address identified priority needs and align community investments with the highest needs. Read it here.
ESH/ Burrillville High School Career and Technical Education (CTE) Working Together!
A great ESH/ Burrillville High School Career and Technical Education (CTE) collaboration! Meet Eleanor the nurse and her patient. Eleanor was made by the ESH leadership team, and the patient was made by the Burrillville High School CTE Engineering and Construction Management teams! They were recently on display in the Annual Glocester Scarecrow Contest. The BHS Engineering team successfully made the patient's wheels roll, arm wave, and head to light up - powered by solar energy!
Division of Behavioral Health
Governor's Overdose Task Force Celebration
Yesterday, the Governor’s Overdose Task Force celebrated its 10-year anniversary. The meeting carried special significance as we remembered and honored those we’ve lost, while also highlighting the remarkable progress we've achieved over the past decade. Encouragingly, fatal overdoses in the first six months of 2025 were down 33% compared to the same period in 2024.
The press release is available at tinyurl.com/4b25nbn9, and the meeting presentation and audio recording can be accessed at preventoverdoseri.org/presentation-archive.
Dr Cerbo featured in a prominent study
BHDDH's own Deputy Director Dr. Louis Cerbo, participated in a Brown and Michigan State universities study about suicides in prison. The findings were featured in the medical journal JAMA Network Open. Read the study at: https://tinyurl.com/SuicidesInPrison.
Webinar on Mass Violence
If you didn't have a chance to watch the webinar with Dr Joseph Parks exploring the critical issue of Mass Violence in the United States: Definition, Prevalence, Causes, Impacts & Solutions, the PowerPoint slides are available here.
Click here to watch a video of the webinar.
Who We Are
BHDDH is Rhode Island’s second largest state department, with more than 1,200 employees, touching the lives of more than 50,000 Rhode Islanders.
What We Do
We license and oversee a large network of providers that offer services for MH, SUD, DD. We operate the only LTACH Hospital in the state, and the state’s Psychiatric hospital.
Get Help
If you are in a non-emergency crisis, call/text 988. BH Link also offers confidential behavioral health services.
BH LINK- For confidential support and to get connected to care:
Visit their 24-hour/7-day Triage Center:
975 Waterman Ave., East Providence, RI
Licensing / Report Suspected Abuse
Join our team - BHDDH is Hiring!
We’re seeking compassionate and dedicated individuals to join our team. If you or someone you know is looking for an opportunity to make an impact, check out our open positions by scanning the QR code.
