scholarly journals Mind the gap: the interface between child and adult mental health services

2005 ◽  
Vol 29 (8) ◽  
pp. 292-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Swaran P. Singh ◽  
Navina Evans ◽  
Lester Sireling ◽  
Helen Stuart

Adolescents with mental health problems are poorly served by mental health services, since responsibility for care often falls between child and adult services. Within the UK, there is no consensus on how service boundaries should be delineated. Some services use an age cut-off at some point between 16 and 18 years, whereas others consider child services to be appropriate only for those in full-time education. The Audit Commission (1999) reported that nationally 29% of health authorities commissioned child and adolescent mental health services for young people before their 16th birthday only, although adult services were not considered suitable for those under 17 years old. The report highlighted the poor development of adolescent services and their inadequate links with other agencies, including adult mental health services.

2012 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 45-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoff Dickens ◽  
Judy Weleminsky ◽  
Yetunde Onifade ◽  
Philip Sugarman

Aims and methodMental Health Recovery Star is a multifaceted 10-item outcomes measure and key-working tool that has been widely adopted by service providers in the UK. We aimed to explore its factorial validity, internal consistency and responsiveness. Recovery Star readings were conducted twice with 203 working-age adults with moderate to severe mental health problems attending a range of mental health services, and a third time with 113 of these individuals.ResultsMental Health Recovery Star had high internal consistency and appeared to measure an underlying recovery-oriented construct. Results supported a valid two-factor structure which explained 48% of variance in Recovery Star ratings data. Two Recovery Star items (‘relationships’ and ‘addictive behaviour’) did not load onto either factor. There was good statistically significant item responsiveness, and no obvious item redundancy. Data for a small number of variables were not normally distributed and the implications of this are discussed.Clinical implicationsRecovery Star has been received enthusiastically by both mental health service providers and service users. This study provides further evidence for its adoption in recovery-focused mental health services and indicates that items relating to addictive behaviour, responsibilities and work could be further developed in future.


2013 ◽  
Vol 202 (s54) ◽  
pp. s41-s44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clare Lamb ◽  
Margaret Murphy

SummaryThis discussion paper outlines our personal views for debate on some of the complexities inherent in the crucial task of improving mental health services for young people in the UK.


Author(s):  
N. Crowley ◽  
H. O’Connell ◽  
M. Gervin

Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neuro-developmental disability with multi-systemic impacts. Individuals with ASD without intellectual impairment (DSM-V) or Aspergers (DSM-IV) are often particularly vulnerable to mental health problems such as anxiety disorders including social phobia and generalised anxiety disorder, depressive disorders and psychosis. Adults with ASD without intellectual impairment suffer higher rates of physical and psychiatric morbidity, display a poorer ability to engage with treatment and have a lower chance of recovery compared with the general population. It is widely acknowledged that adults with suspected ASD without intellectual impairment and co-morbid mental health problems are often not best supported through adult mental health services and often require more tailored supports. This review seeks to (a) increase awareness in the area of undiagnosed cases of ASD without intellectual impairment in adult mental health settings and (b) highlights the importance of identifying this population more efficiently by referring to best practice guidelines. The value of future research to examine the benefit of having a team of specialist staff within adult mental health teams who have received ASD training and who are supported to work with the ‘core difficulties’ of ASD is discussed and a model for the same is proposed. It is proposed that a specialist team could form a ‘hub’ for the development of expertise in ASD, which when adequately resourced and funded could reach across an entire region, offering consultancy and diagnostic assessments and interventions.


2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 57-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sami Timimi

SummaryIn 2007 the UK Government announced a substantial expansion of funding for psychological therapies for those presenting with common mental health problems. This ‘Improving Access to Psychological Therapies’ (IAPT) project was widely welcomed, however, evidence backed, economic, and conceptual critiques were voiced from the start and the project remains controversial. In 2011, the UK government announced it was extending the IAPT project to encompass services for children and young people with the aim of ‘transforming’ the way mental health services are delivered to them. Here I critically reflect on the problems associated first with IAPT and then with CYP-IAPT and ponder whether CYP-IAPT is significantly different to the problematic adult IAPT project or more of the same.


2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 601-608 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Reale ◽  
Maria Antonella Costantino ◽  
Marco Sequi ◽  
Maurizio Bonati

Objective: To investigate the care management and continuity from child to adult mental health service for young adults with ADHD. Method: A questionnaire survey from 18 Regional ADHD Pediatric Centers (RAPC) in Lombardy, Italy, was used to collect data on transition protocols and population served, and to track the pathway of care of ADHD patients once they reached adulthood. Results: Twenty-eight percent of RAPC had transition protocols and 3% of the population annually served were potential referrals to adult service. Of 52 patients who turned 18 years, just over 70% were monitored by the general practitioner, of those 5 with RAPC support. One fifth of patients continued to use mental health services, the majority was still monitored by the RAPC, and only three by services for adult. Conclusion: Managing the process of transition to adult services in mental health care remains a need to be prioritized and better defined for ADHD patients.


2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 286-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aurélie Schandrin ◽  
Delphine Capdevielle ◽  
Jean-Philippe Boulenger ◽  
Monique Batlaj-Lovichi ◽  
Frédérick Russet ◽  
...  

Purpose Adolescents and young adults’ mental health problems are an important health issue. However, the current organisation of the care pathway is not robust enough and transition between child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and adult mental health services (AMHS) has been identified as a period of risk. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach A retrospective survey was conducted in Montpellier University Hospital concerning transitions organised between CAMHS and AMHS between 2008 and 2009. The aim was to assess if transitions met four criteria identified in literature as warranting an optimal transition. Findings In total, 31 transitions were included. Transition was accepted by AMHS in 90 per cent of cases but its organisation was rarely optimal. Relational continuity and transition planning were absent in 80 per cent of cases. The age boundary of 16 often justified the triggering of the transition regardless of patient’s needs. Discontinuity was observed in 48 per cent of transition cases, with an average gap of three months without care. Psychiatrists reported difficulties in working together. Finally, at the moment of the survey (one to three years later), 55 per cent of patients were lost to follow-up. Research limitations/implications This is a retrospective study on a small sample but it reveals important data about transition in France. Practical implications Transition process should include collaborative working between CAMHS and AMHS, with cross-agency working and periods of parallel care. Social implications Transition-related discontinuity of care is a major socioeconomic and societal challenge for the EU. Originality/value Data related to the collaboration between CAMHS and AMHS services are scarce, especially regarding the transition in France.


2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 163-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaelle Hendrickx ◽  
Veronique De Roeck ◽  
Athanasios Maras ◽  
Gwen Dieleman ◽  
Suzanne Gerritsen ◽  
...  

The transition from child and adolescent to adult mental health services for young people with mental health problems is of international concern. Despite the high prevalence of mental disorders during adolescence and their tendency to continue during adulthood, the majority of young people do not experience continuity of care. The aim of this review paper is to unravel the complexity of transitional mental healthcare to clinicians, policy makers and mental health service managers, and to address challenges to a smooth transition process at all levels.


2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Camilla Lauritzen ◽  
Charlotte Reedtz

Parental mental illness may increase the likelihood of neglect and abuse, and is also a potent risk factor in terms of offspring developing mental health problems themselves. Collaboration between the adult mental health services (AMHS) and the child protection services (CPS) has the potential of reducing risk for the children, by using family supporting interventions and making help available at an earlier stage. The aim of this study was to explore the collaboration between the CPS and the AMHS in terms of routines, attitudes and knowledge. Data was gathered using electronic survey questionnaires. Several barriers to inter-service collaboration were identified in this study. Even though adult mental health professionals were positive towards the CPS, they were reluctant to refer cases of concern. They also lacked knowledge about the CPS. Conclusion: The results indicate that there is an unresolved potential for inter-service collaboration involving the children of patients with mental health problems.


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