Implementing mental health screening within a youth alcohol and other drugs service

Abstract

Background: While clinical studies consistently demonstrate high rates of co-occurring mental health problems among young people with substance use disorders, mental health assessments are not routinely conducted within Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) settings.

Aims: To describe the implementation of a universal mental health screening program within a youth AOD service. We report on the adoption of screening by AOD staff over the subsequent 30 months, as well as rates of identified psychological problems.

Method: Examination of service data that were collected following implementation of the screening program.

Results: Between August 2005 and December 2007, AOD workers completed 383 screens (87.4%) from a total of 438 eligible young people. Two hundred and sixty-eight (70.0%) scored 17 or above on the K10, with the mean score of the sample being 23.4 (SD = 9.6). Twenty-seven per cent reported moderate to severe suicide risk, with 9.9% reporting self-harm in the past month.

Conclusion: With appropriate levels of training and support, mental health screening can be readily implemented within routine AOD practice. However, such initiatives require screening to be identified as a core service issue. Given the high rates of psychological issues identified within the sample, we recommend that mental health screening should be integral to treatment planning within youth AOD settings.

Keywords:

• comorbidity
• mental health
• screening
• substance use
• youth

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge the support of the National Illicit Drugs Strategy, Alcohol Education Rehabilitation (AER) Foundation and the Colonial Foundation. The authors wish to thank the staff and young people at YOT DASWest who continue to support this project.