Transitioning Youth into Adult Mental Health and Addiction Services: An Outcomes Evaluation of the Youth Transition Project

M Cappelli; S Davidson; J Racek; S Leon; M Vloet; K Tataryn; K Gillis; A Freeland; J Carver; S Thatte; J Lowe

doi:10.1007/s11414-014-9440-9

Transitioning Youth into Adult Mental Health and Addiction Services: An Outcomes Evaluation of the Youth Transition Project

J Behav Health Serv Res. 2016 Oct;43(4):597-610. doi: 10.1007/s11414-014-9440-9.

Authors

M Cappelli^{1

2

3}, S Davidson^{4

5

6}, J Racek⁴, S Leon^{5

6}, M Vloet^{5

6}, K Tataryn^{4

5

6}, K Gillis^{6

7}, A Freeland^{6

8}, J Carver⁹, S Thatte⁸, J Lowe¹⁰

Affiliations

¹ Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, 401 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada. [email protected].
² CHEO Research Institute, 401 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada. [email protected].
³ University of Ottawa, 75 Laurier Avenue East, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada. [email protected].
⁴ Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, 401 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada.
⁵ CHEO Research Institute, 401 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada.
⁶ University of Ottawa, 75 Laurier Avenue East, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
⁷ The Ottawa Hospital, 501 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada.
⁸ Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, 1145 Carling Ave, Ottawa, ON, K1Z 7K4, Canada.
⁹ Stella's Place, 45 Bowden St, Toronto, ON, M4K 2X3, Canada.
¹⁰ Youth Services Bureau, 2675 Queensview Dr, Ottawa, ON, K2B 8K2, Canada.

PMID: 25292462
DOI: 10.1007/s11414-014-9440-9

Abstract

The Youth Transition Project was designed to provide youth with mental health and addiction issues with individualized transitional care plans as they transition from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS). Over an 18-month period, a total of 127 (59.1%) youth were transitioned and seen by an AMHS provider, 41 (19.1%) remained on a waitlist for services and 47 (21.8%) canceled services. The average time to transition was 110 days (SD = 100). Youth exhibited a wide range of diagnoses; 100% of the population was identified as having serious psychiatric problems. Findings demonstrate that the Youth Transition Project has been successful in promoting continuity of care by transitioning youth seamlessly from youth to adult services. Inconsistencies in wait times and service delivery suggest that further model development is needed to enhance the long-term sustainability of the Youth Transition Project.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adolescent Health Services
Female
Humans
Male
Mental Disorders / therapy*
Mental Health Services*
Mental Health*
Qualitative Research
Substance-Related Disorders / therapy*
Transition to Adult Care*
Young Adult