Who Are the Young People Choosing Web-based Mental Health Support? Findings From the Implementation of Australia's National Web-based Youth Mental Health Service, eheadspace

Background The adolescent and early adult years are periods of peak prevalence and incidence for most mental disorders. Despite the rapid expansion of Web-based mental health care, and increasing evidence of its effectiveness, there is little research investigating the characteristics of young people who access Web-based mental health care. headspace, Australia’s national youth mental health foundation, is ideally placed to explore differences between young people who seek Web-based mental health care and in-person mental health care as it offers both service modes for young people, and collects corresponding data from each service type. Objective The objective of this study was to provide a comprehensive profile of young people seeking Web-based mental health care through eheadspace (the headspace Web-based counseling platform), and to compare this with the profile of those accessing help in-person through a headspace center. Methods Demographic and clinical presentation data were collected from all eheadspace clients aged 12 to 25 years (the headspace target age range) who received their first counseling session between November 1, 2014 and April 30, 2015 via online chat or email (n=3414). These Web-based clients were compared with all headspace clients aged 12 to 25 who received their first center-based counseling service between October 1, 2014 and March 31, 2015 (n=20,015). Results More eheadspace than headspace center clients were female (78.1% compared with 59.1%), and they tended to be older. A higher percentage of eheadspace clients presented with high or very high levels of psychological distress (86.6% compared with 73.2%), but they were at an earlier stage of illness on other indicators of clinical presentation compared with center clients. Conclusions The findings of this study suggest that eheadspace is reaching a unique client group who may not otherwise seek help or who might wait longer before seeking help if in-person mental health support was their only option. Web-based support can lead young people to seek help at an earlier stage of illness and appears to be an important component in a stepped continuum of mental health care.

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Mental health care in a Fleet Mental Health Support Unit.

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e475952004-001 ◽

1982 ◽

Author(s):

R. Blake Chaffee ◽

Ralph E. Bally

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Mental Health Care ◽

Support Unit ◽

Mental Health Support ◽

Health Support

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A certificate in youth psychiatry: meeting the training needs of psychiatrists

Australasian Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/1039856220943015 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 103985622094301

Author(s):

Iain Macmillan ◽

Andrew Thompson ◽

Megan Kalucy ◽

Daniel Pellen ◽

Eóin Killackey ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Young People ◽

Mental Disorders ◽

Mental Health Care ◽

Youth Mental Health ◽

Training Needs ◽

Specialty Training ◽

Optimal Care ◽

Adult Psychiatry

Objective: This paper provides the rationale for the development of sub-specialty training in youth psychiatry. Method: Training needs for youth psychiatry are discussed and the opportunities provided by sub-specialisation in youth psychiatry are presented. Results: The majority of mental disorders have their onset prior to 25 years. There has been substantial recent growth in services to meet the clinical needs of young people. The development of these services has exposed gaps in current training for psychiatrists, which varies considerably between child and adolescent, and adult psychiatry. Competencies acquired by psychiatrists in youth mental health are non-standardised, which may hinder optimal care. Conclusions: Sub-specialty training in youth psychiatry is needed to meet workforce demands. The development of a certificate in youth psychiatry, by the RANZCP Section for Youth Mental Health, is underway. This will complement existing training and provide trainees and psychiatrists the opportunity to develop specialist skills in the provision of mental health care for young people negotiating the transition between adolescence and adulthood.

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Early intervention in youth mental health: progress and future directions

Evidence-Based Mental Health ◽

10.1136/ebmental-2018-300060 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

pp. 182-184 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

Patrick D McGorry ◽

Cristina Mei

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Early Intervention ◽

Young People ◽

Mental Health Care ◽

Psychotic Disorders ◽

Young Patients ◽

Youth Mental Health ◽

Mental Illnesses ◽

The Past

Early intervention is a fundamental principle in health care and the past two decades have seen it belatedly introduced into the field of mental health. This began in psychotic disorders, arguably the least promising place to start. The steady accumulation of scientific evidence for early intervention has eventually overwhelmed the sceptics, transformed thinking in psychotic disorders and created an international wave of service reform. This paradigm shift has paved the way to a more substantial one: early intervention across the full diagnostic spectrum. 75% of mental illnesses emerge before the age of 25 years, and young people bear the major burden for those disorders that threaten the many decades of productive adult life. The paradox is that young people aged between 12 and 25 years have had by far the worst levels of access to mental health care across the whole lifespan. Health services are poorly designed, grossly under-resourced and typically unfriendly to, and untrusted by, young people. Furthermore, until recently there has been a quite striking lack of interest in this transitional age group from clinicians and researchers alike, who had unthinkingly accepted the paediatric–adult split of mainstream medicine without questioning its utility and validity for our field and our young patients. Over the past decade, however, a major shift in momentum has occurred to take early intervention in youth mental health more seriously. Here we discuss the recent advances and evidence supporting an innovative integrated model of youth mental health care and look to the future.

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'The experiences, perspectives, and needs of young people who access support for mental health in primary care: a systematic review'

British Journal of General Practice ◽

10.3399/bjgp.2021.0335 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. BJGP.2021.0335

Author(s):

Rebecca Appleton ◽

Julia Gauly ◽

Faraz Mughal ◽

Swaran Singh ◽

Helena Tuomainen

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Primary Care ◽

Health Care ◽

General Practice ◽

Young People ◽

Narrative Synthesis ◽

Internet Searching ◽

Mental Health Support ◽

Health Support

Background: There is an increasing demand for mental health support in primary care, especially for young people. To improve mental health support for young people in general practice (GP), the needs of young people must be considered. Aim: To explore the experiences of young people (aged 12-25) on receiving mental health care in general practice and identify the needs of young people who present for mental health concerns. Design and Setting: A systematic review and narrative synthesis. Method: Six databases were searched for literature relating to young people’s experiences of receiving mental health care in general practice. Additional handsearching and manual internet searching were conducted. Narrative synthesis was employed. Results: Five studies and a further two reports from manual internet searching were included for synthesis. The synthesis generated four themes: the centrality of a trusting relationship; showing empathy and taking concerns seriously; providing time to talk; and reducing barriers to accessing primary care mental health support. Conclusion: To enable high-quality and effective mental health consultations with young people and the development of trust, GPs require unhurried consultations, and the ability to maintain continuity of care.

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Long-term mental health support systems in the aftermath of disasters in Japan – Statistical data of the Miyagi Disaster Mental Health Care Center

10.21203/rs.3.rs-119055/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Naru Fukuchi ◽

Shusaku Chiba

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Mental Health Care ◽

Care Center ◽

Disaster Mental Health ◽

Health Care Center ◽

Miyagi Prefecture ◽

Mental Health Support ◽

Health Support

Abstract Background A long-term mental health support system for the community is sometimes needed following massive natural disasters. Although the Disaster Mental Health Care Center (DMHCC) was established as a long-term mental health care center in Japan, its exact role and functioning are unclear. The Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (GEJE) of 2011 affected thousands of residents. The Miyagi DMHCC was established in Miyagi prefecture in response to the GEJE and supported residents and communities as a long-term mental health care center. Methods The main purpose of this study was to clarify which population is psychologically at high risk and which methods are useful for residents’ mental health in each phase. The study used data collected by the Miyagi DMHCC that included personal information of residents who were supported by the center from 2013 to 2018. Chi-square tests of independence were conducted on the annual number of individuals supported by the center, sex, and the number of support methods used by the center according to years. A one-way analysis of variance was conducted on the annual mean age, followed by a post-hoc comparison of the functioning of the center. Results The number of residents who needed mental health support dramatically increased in Miyagi prefecture after the 2011 disaster. The Miyagi DMHCC supported 6,850 individuals who sought mental health services, which accounted for 22.9% of all cases reported to the health services between 2012 and 2017. Based on the results, in the first few years, the elderly residents who lived alone were declared as high-risk individuals by the health survey and supported through home visits. Several years later, as younger people started to seek mental health support by themselves, they underwent counseling at the Miyagi DMHCC. Conclusion Residents who need mental health support might change depending on recovery phases. Long-term mental health care centers should observe community recovery and provide appropriate support. We discuss the implications of this result and future research directions.

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Youth Experiences With Referrals to Mental Health Services in Canada: Protocol for a Web-Based Cross-Sectional Survey Study

JMIR Research Protocols ◽

10.2196/16945 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. e16945

Author(s):

Shalini Lal ◽

Danielle Joanna Starcevic ◽

Rebecca Fuhrer

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Mental Health Services ◽

Health Services ◽

Mental Health Care ◽

Youth Mental Health ◽

Health Concern ◽

Referral Process ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Web Based

Background Youth mental health is an important public health concern affecting low-, middle-, and high-income countries, and many young people in need of mental health services do not receive the care they need when they need it. An early step in accessing mental health care is the referral process, yet most of the research done on pathways to care has focused on clinical populations (eg, first-episode psychosis) recruited from mental health care settings. There has been limited research attention on the experiences of referral to mental health services from the perspectives of youth recruited from the general population who may or may not have received the services they need. Objective This study aims to investigate the experiences that youth between the ages of 17 and 30 years have with referrals to mental health services and to better understand their perspectives on the use of technology to facilitate referrals. Methods This study will use a cross-sectional, Web-based survey design. A convenience sample of 400 participants from 3 Canadian provinces (Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia), between the ages of 17 and 30 years, will be recruited via Facebook and will be invited to complete a Web-based survey anonymously. A questionnaire including a series of quantitative and qualitative questions will ask participants about their sociodemographic characteristics, past experiences with referral and access to mental health services, and opinions about using technology to facilitate the referral process. Results Participant recruitment is planned to be initiated by early January 2020 and is estimated to be completed by May 2020. Data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression or chi-square tests for quantitative data, and descriptive content analysis will be used for the qualitative data. Conclusions The results of this study can help inform the improvement of referral policies and procedures in youth mental health service delivery. A better understanding of young people’s perspectives on referral processes and their opinions on how these processes can be improved are essential to providing appropriate and timely access to mental health care. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/16945

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It helps to talk: A guiding framework (TRUST) for peer support in delivering mental health care for adolescents living with HIV

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0248018 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. e0248018

Author(s):

Carol Wogrin ◽

Nicola Willis ◽

Abigail Mutsinze ◽

Silindweyinkosi Chinoda ◽

Ruth Verhey ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Mental Health Care ◽

Peer Support ◽

Viral Suppression ◽

Age Groups ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Mental Health Support ◽

Health Support ◽

Living With Hiv

Introduction Adolescents living with HIV have poor treatment outcomes, including lower rates of viral suppression, than other age groups. Emerging evidence suggests a connection between improved mental health and increased adherence. Strengthening the focus on mental health could support increased rates of viral suppression. In sub-Saharan Africa clinical services for mental health care are extremely limited. Additional mechanisms are required to address the unmet mental health needs of this group. We consider the role that community-based peer supporters, a cadre operating at scale with adolescents, could play in the provision of lay-support for mental health. Methods We conducted qualitative research to explore the experiences of peer supporters involved in delivering a peer-led mental health intervention in Zimbabwe as part of a randomized control trial (Zvandiri-Friendship Bench trial). We conducted 2 focus group discussions towards the end of the trial with 20 peer supporters (aged 18–24) from across 10 intervention districts and audio recorded 200 of the peer supporters’ monthly case reviews. These data were thematically analysed to explore how peer supporters reflect on what was required of them given the problems that clients raised and what they themselves needed in delivering mental health support. Results A primary strength of the peer support model, reflected across the datasets, is that it enables adolescents to openly discuss their problems with peer supporters, confident that there is reciprocal trust and understanding derived from the similarity in their lived experiences with HIV. There are potential risks for peer supporters, including being overwhelmed by engaging with and feeling responsible for resolving relationally and structurally complex problems, which warrant considerable supervision. To support this cadre critical elements are needed: a clearly defined scope for the manageable provision of mental health support; a strong triage and referral system for complex cases; mechanisms to support the inclusion of caregivers; and sustained investment in training and ongoing supervision. Conclusion Extending peer support to explicitly include a focus on mental health has enormous potential. From this empirical study we have developed a framework of core considerations and principles (the TRUST Framework) to guide the implementation of adequate supportive infrastructure in place to enhance the opportunities and mitigate risks.

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