Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 April 2023
16. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health for an update on extending of CAMHS services to young people up to the age of 25 years, as set out in Sharing the Vision; if there is a timeline for this extension of services; the training that will made available for staff in this transition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18207/23]
View answerRecommendation 36 of Sharing the Vision: A Mental Health Policy for All outlines that appropriate supports should be provided for on an interim basis to service users transitioning from CAMHS to General Adult Mental Health Services and that the age of transition should be moved from 18 to 25.
To this end, a Youth Mental Health Transitions Specialist Group has been established by the HSE to progress Recommendation 36 of Sharing the Vision. This Group convened in September 2021 and has met regularly since.
To work towards the delivery of this recommendation, two working groups were established with oversight provided by the Specialist Group. Workstream 1 is focused on the development of an enhanced transitions plan (including implementation plan) to support individuals transitioning from CAMHS to General Adult Mental Health Services at 18 years. Staff training, engagement, and support, is a key principle under which recommendations of this workstream will be delivered.
Workstream 2 is working towards the development of a reconfiguration plan, including prioritised and phased recommended actions, to plan for the provision of age-appropriate specialist mental health services up to age 25. Detailed actions have been developed by the workstreams, with associated timelines to measure progress and implementation.
The Specialist Group has progressed discussions on developing recommendations to provide age-appropriate mental health services for young people in a phased manner. This process has involved extensive consultation nationally and internationally and the commissioning of the University of Galway to conduct research to support the work of the group.
The HSE Specialist Group updates the Sharing the Vision National Implementation Monitoring Committee (NIMC) regularly submitting quarterly Status Reports on Transition, including associated timelines. The phased 2022-2024 milestones and outputs for Recommendation 36 are set out in the Sharing the Vision Implementation Plan 2022-2024.
