P0305 - Transition to home for youth with complex mental health issues

Abstract

The partnership between Wood's Homes Exceptional Needs Program (ENP) and the Calgary Health Region's Young Adult Program (YAP) began in September 2005. The initial mandate was to reduce the length of hospital stay for youth with complex mental health issues. This partnership program provides transitional treatment beds from YAP, a hospital-based program, to ENP, a community-based intensive residential program, which can be available for a 2 to 3 month period until the child is integrated back into the family setting. After its initial 6-month pilot period, the Calgary Health Region (CHR) completed a preliminary program evaluation. The results demonstrated that the youth admitted to the ENP-YAP program were successfully integrating back into their homes without readmission to the hospital program. A formal contract has been established to fund the ENP – YAP ongoing partnership. Services provided include: a CHR liaison nurse, psychiatric follow-up by CHR psychiatrists, family and individual therapy, parent support groups, client treatment groups, educational support, and connections to other community therapeutic agencies. In February 2006 a one-year follow-up evaluation was completed that demonstrated ongoing success with enhancing family relationship dynamics and avoiding readmission into hospital. A recommendation from this second evaluation was to expand the number beds and broadening the partnership base to include the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Program (CAMHP). This commenced April 1, 2007. This poster presentation will illustrate the history of the partnership, details of the program services, specific outcomes, lessons learned, and plans for future development.