A Vision for Change identified mental health services for children and young people as a priority area for development. The HSE has therefore placed a particular emphasis on developing child and adolescent mental health teams, improving inpatient access and addressing waiting times for assessment and progress has been made in recent years. The Government is committed to reforming our model of healthcare delivery so that more care is delivered in the community; access to modern mental health services in the community will therefore be significantly improved. It is proposed to ringfence €35m annually from within the health budget to develop community mental health teams and services to ensure early access to more appropriate services for both adults and children. There are now 61 multidisciplinary Child and Adolescent Mental Health teams nationally and further teams will be developed in line with the recommendations of A Vision for Change .
In terms of child and adolescent mental health infrastructure, two new purpose built units opened earlier this year at Bessboro, Cork and Merlin Park, Galway, increasing the total bed capacity to 36 beds, with a further increase to 52 beds expected before the end of 2011. It is also proposed to provide further beds in the Dublin region and, in this regard, work is due to commence later this year on the second phase of the Child and Adolescent Unit at St. Vincent's Hospital, Fairview which will increase capacity from 6 to 12 beds, and on the development of an 8 bedded facility at St Loman's, Palmerstown. In addition, work on the Linn Dara Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day Facility in Cherry Orchard, Dublin is close to completion.
Where an emergency situation arises for a young person, an assessment is arranged within 24 hours. Recent cases have arisen where there have been difficulties for some individuals under 18 years in accessing a psychiatric assessment. The Executive Clinical Directors have considered the issue and have committed to ensuring that in all such cases, an immediate assessment will be provided by the general adult mental health service in the catchment area.