Youth mental health

The government and NHS have made a commitment to reform mental health services for young people. The transition between youth and adult secondary mental health services is a recognised problem that we have tackled in previous work; however, we cannot rely purely on secondary mental health services to solve problems in mental health for two reasons. First, the incidence of mental health problems among young people is rising faster than secondary mental health services can accommodate. Second, the majority of severe mental health problems begin in adolescence and, if treated late, tend to recur throughout life.

Objectives

Short-term:

• Develop and evaluate interventions to identify mental health problems swiftly, treat them effectively, and contain them in the community, thus allowing secondary (specialist) youth services to focus on complex care and on education.

Longer-term:

• Develop an integrated model of mental health care and prevention for young people across primary care, schools and social services to meet the aspirations of the government’s ‘Five Year Forward View’ and the needs of West Midlands’ youthful population – Birmingham is the ‘Youngest city in Europe’.

Latest updates

School-Based Mental Health Research

Researchers from our theme have recently released guidance for researchers, practitioners and schools around school-based mental health research. The report covers challenges that may be faced; facilitators that ease the process; and expert recommendations for improving the field. Please click here to download the PDF report.