Skip to main content
Normal View

Mental Health Services Report

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 February 2013

Tuesday, 12 February 2013

Questions (674)

Dan Neville

Question:

674. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Health the number of the 39 child and adolescent mental health services accepting referrals of all young people up to and including 17 years of age as recommended in A Vision for Change. [6950/13]

View answer

Written answers

The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) was traditionally provided to children aged 0 - 15 years, and care and treatment of 16 and 17 year olds was the responsibility of adult services. However, A Vision for Change recommended that CAMHS should be provided for all up to the age of 18 years. The implementation of A Vision for Change is a work in progress, and transitional arrangements apply as CAMHS is expanded to facilitate the provision of services to 16 and 17 year olds.

Last year, the HSE finalised "Access Protocols for 16 and 17 year olds to Mental Health Services" which came into effect from 1st January this year. In an effort to ensure that children are treated in an age appropriate manner, the new protocol provides that from 1st January 2013, CAMHS will accept referrals of all new cases of children up to their 17th birthday, and from 1st January 2014, the service will accept referrals of all new cases of children up to their 18th birthday.

The fourth Annual Report on CAMHS, published by the HSE in December 2012, provides a detailed picture of the current stage of development of HSE Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Progress in a number of key areas includes a 10% increase in the number of new cases seen by CAMHS for the period October 2011 – September 2012, and a continued reduction in the number of children and adolescents admitted to adult units.

As the issue raised by the Deputy relates to a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply in respect of the detailed information sought.

Top
Share