MUCH BRIEFER ASSESSMENTS OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

✍ Scribed by Dr Stephen Allison; Leigh Roeger; Vikki Dadds; Andrew Wood; Graham Martin

• Publisher: Informa plc
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 60 KB
• Volume: 7
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1039-8562
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1440-1665.1999.00220.x

✦ Synopsis

Childhood emotional and behavioural problems are widespread [ 1 ] and each year thousands of families seek assistance from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) around Australia. The overwhelming demand means that families often have to wait months for their first appointment [ 2 , 3 ]. As a result, troubled children can be denied timely help and family patterns of dysfunction can become entrenched. In South Australia, consumers and referrers have advocated change towards a more streamlined intake system. This prompted the South Australian CAMHS Program Committee to introduce Initial Consultations to triage new referrals.