Sunday, 16 January 2005 - 10:15 AM

This presentation is part of: Mental Health Service Utilization

Young Adults in Transition From The Child Mental Health System To the Adult Mental Health System: Parent Perspectives

Purpose: A high proportion of young adults (ages 18-20) with mental health problems, transitioning from the child to the adult mental health system, often drop out of specialty mental health services and may experience significant functional impairments (Clark & Davis, 2000; Vance, 2002). Serious mental health problems in childhood are often not classified as severe mental disorders in adulthood. Many of these young adults who may have been involved in wrap-around services or other intensive outpatient services find it difficult to access the adult mental health system for medication and treatment. Parents/primary caregivers who have been instrumental in helping these young adults get needed mental health services when they were under age 18 are left out of any direct involvement in assisting their young adult in making this transition. This pilot study explored from the perspective of parents/primary caregiver what they perceived to be the challenges in the transition from the child mental health system to the adult mental health system for their young adult and family.

Method: Using focus group methodology, parents/primary caregivers were invited to share their experiences in helping their young adult child in making the transition from the child mental health system to the adult mental health system. Three focus groups (6 to 8 parents/primary caregivers in each group) were held to address this gap in services for young adults. Each focus group took approximately 2 hours and the sessions were audio-taped and transcribed. The focus group data was reviewed for common themes.

Results: Parents/caregivers of young adults (ages 18-20) who participated in the focus group sessions reported that the transition time period was one of uncertainty and fear. They experienced being shut out of their young adult child’s behavioral health care and unable to directly access services for their young adult child. In spite of being shut out, they continued to operate as the service coordinator/ advocate for their young adult child. They consistently expressed worries about the lack of out reach from the behavioral health system to their young adult child and concerns about the problems young adults experienced in continuing needed medications (especially when the young adult child moved to a new community for college). Parents/primary caregivers reported that the greatest hardship for the family was watching their young adult child stop medications and/or services and feeling helpless in getting needed services for their child. Most of the parents/primary caregivers reported that their young adult would let them know when things were not going well but their child resisted seeking out services on their own

Implications: Social workers need to develop interventions that support parents/primary caregivers during this transition time period. Parents/primary caregivers are a critical link to the young adult child in need of services. Many of these young adults would benefit from having a mental health caseworker or coordinator who could help them in navigating the adult system.

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