Youth engagement with an emerging Irish mental health early intervention programme (Jigsaw): participant characteristics and implications for service delivery

Abstract

Background/Aims: The transition to adulthood represents a critical period which influences mental health problems, but access to and utilisation of mental health services by young people is poor. Jigsaw is a response to the challenge of transforming how young people access mental health support and attain positive outcomes. This article presents an overview of the characteristics of young people engaging with this service.

Method: Data about young people who engage with Jigsaw are captured through an online system designed to record salient clinical, case management, service delivery, and outcome information. Participant characteristics are summarised to portray the young people who engaged with the service for the first time during 2013 (N = 2420).

Results: The majority of young people engaging with Jigsaw were female, aged 15–17 years, and were referred by their parents. Over half were in full-time education, although many 21–25-year-olds were unemployed. Young people presented with a range of difficulties which varied by age and gender. They reported high levels of distress, with age and gender having a significant impact on their well-being.

Conclusions: This study provides emerging evidence to support the need for an early intervention component within the system of mental health care.

• Community services
• early intervention
• prevention
• youth mental health

Declarations of interest

The work of Drs. Illback, O'Reilly and O'Keeffe at Headstrong was supported by government funding provided by the Irish Health Service Executive and philanthropic funding from the One Foundation and Atlantic Philanthropies. Dr. Peiper and Dr. Illback were supported by the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (Grant SP019436-01-2). Dr. Clayton was on sabbatical leave from the University of Kentucky, College of Public Health and worked as a Senior Research Scientist at Headstrong in 2012.

Notes

¹Headstrong – The National Centre for Youth Mental Health is a registered charitable organization which engages in service development, research and advocacy around the mental health needs of young people age 12–25.