Access to Child and Adolescent Psychiatry for Users of Child Protection Srvices in Mid-Norway

​This report presents the results of an internet-based survey of leaders and staff members from 32 municipal child protection service agencies (CPS) and 7 child and adolescent psychiatric outpatient clinics (CAPP) in Mid-Norway. The CPS employees were also concerned about more difficult access to CAPP for children and young people living in an unstable family situations where the parents’ ability to provide adequate care and support for the child is under evaluation. Lack of patient motivation was another factor which CPS employees saw as a barrier to good access. Respondents from CPS and CAPP agreed about two types of access problems – difficult access to inpatient mental health services, and limited access outside of CAPP’s normal office hours. Respondents suggested several measures which can improve access to CAPP for CPS users. These include more resources to CAPP to reduce waiting times, better communication and coordination between CPS and CAPP, and more outreach from CAPP to families and first line agencies at the local level.