Vol. 455 No. 3
27 Dr. Moffatt asked the Minister for Health if he will put adolescent psychiatry on a priority list in his Department in view of the problems in this age group as regards eating disorders, drug abuse and addiction, alcohol abuse and addiction and the increase of suicide in this age group. [12035/95]
Limerick East): Services for adolescents, whose primary need is for psychiatric care, are generally provided by child and adolescent psychiatric services. In recent years, there has been significant expansion in child and adolescent psychiatric services in each health board with additional recruitment of child psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers.
My Department is in discussion with the health boards concerning their priorities for the further development of child and adolescent psychiatry. We are also commencing the formulation of a policy for the development of these services.
While the provision of psychiatric services for adolescents will receive due attention in my Department, attention must also be paid to the prevention of potential mental health problems among young people. The Department of Education and the Health Promotion Unit of my Department are involved in the delivery of health education programmes for young people to help them develop the ability to cope with events in their lives. The policy document on health promotion which will be published shortly will also address this issue.
Early identification of problems is also important and I am pleased that my colleague the Minister for Education is expanding the psychological service for primary schools. This service could in many instances intervene at an early stage in cases of learning difficulties to prevent the onset of subsequent emotional problems which would require the input of the child and adolescent psychiatric team. Likewise resources made available towards the implementation of the Child Care Act, 1991, will benefit child and adolescent psychiatric services in that emotional problems which may derive in children who have been assaulted, ill-treated, neglected or abused or who are at risk will have a better chance of being detected and treated at an earlier stage.
