APPROACHES TO DELIVERING CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL-HEALTH-SERVICES - THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN EXPERIENCE

Approximately 10% of children and adolescents experience mental health problems, however only a small proportion receive specialised help, I dentifying approaches which can provide a balanced and effective servi ce for the large number of children and adolescents with problems is c urrently a major challenge for child and adolescent mental health serv ices in Australia. In South Australia, following a review in 1983, chi ld and adolescent services were reorganised into two separate but clos ely related services, This paper draws on experience in South Australi a over the last decade to identify approaches which can be employed in six key areas that significantly influence the effectiveness of child and adolescent mental health services, The paper also describes the s pecific features which were included in the South Australian child and adolescent mental health service to address these issues.