“The Buoy”: Utilization of a low-threshold ambulatory setting for traumatized children and adolescents in Austria

Abstract

SummaryBackgroundThis investigation intended to assess the use of an outpatient clinic providing low-threshold, short-term trauma therapy for children and adolescents across the first 6 years of its existence.MethodsA retrospective analysis of the records of all patients undergoing treatment in this institution between 2001 and 2007 (n = 2510) has been performed. We evaluated demographic data, reason for contacting the unit, the referring person or institution, the person or institution in charge of the care and custody of the child, the number of contacts with the clinic, presence of physical or psychiatric illness of a parent, and medications prescribed.ResultsAges of patients ranged from 1 to 17. Gender distribution was even. Having experienced the death of a relative, experienced violence, or having witnessed traumatic death were the main reasons for presentation. The utilization rates of immigrants rose throughout the observation period. Children from foster care were seen less frequently than expected. Medication was hardly prescribed.ConclusionsAmple utilization of this institution clearly demonstrates the need for short-term acute outpatient trauma therapy for children and adolescents. Efforts to provide easily accessible institutions for youth who experience traumatic events should be stepped up.

Prevalence of mental illness among parents of children receiving treatment within child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS): a scoping review

“…The flowchart in Figure 1 illustrates the process of screening and data extraction undertaken in the review. Overall, 18 studies [32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49] were identified to have reported on the prevalence of mental illness among parents of children receiving treatment in CAMHS.…”

“…Framing of the prevalence of parental mental illness was largely dependent on the purposes of the study and research methods employed. Studies reported on prevalence of mental illness, in general, among parents of children in CAMHS [32][33] (see Table 2) or reported on the number of children attending CAMHS who had at least one parent with a mental illness [34][35][36][37][38][39] (see Table 3).…”

“…13%, Naughton et al [32]; 7%, Huemer et al [37]) were identified as impediments to collating mental health information for both parents of a child. An absence of a mental health status for a parent in circumstances of relationship breakdown and living separately from children, which is a predictor of mental illness in both fathers [51] and mothers [52], is likely to result in underestimations of the prevalence of parental mental illness in CAMHS.…”

“…In other studies (e.g. Golhar & Srinath [36]; Huemer et al [37]; Reay et al [38]; Jayaprakash et al [42]) details of mental illnesses among parents, such as breakdown by diagnosis and whether the condition was current or historical, were not included. These issues may reflect limitations in the depth and consistency of detail recorded in CAMHS case-notes in relation to parent mental health status that can be extracted for research purposes.…”