Current Challenges and Future Opportunities for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Japan

Abstract

Japan has been facing a serious shortfall of child and adolescent psychiatric workforce relative to increasing service needs. Likely because of a combination of limited workforce supply and limited trust or perception of effectiveness, mental health services are under-utilized by the educational and child welfare systems. Child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP) has not been a formally established specialty in Japan. The lack of basic structure in the specialty most likely contributes to a lack of training facilities, limited exposure to and interest in the specialty, and hence an inadequate workforce. To date, there exists no standardized training program for CAP in Japan and each training hospital determines its own teaching curriculum and training content. Clinical experience in CAP varies greatly among hospitals. To solve current problems in child and adolescent psychiatry in Japan, we advocate for the development and establishment of a more standardized child and adolescent psychiatry training system that is akin to what exists in the US and that teaches and evaluates according to specific competencies. Through standardizing care and education and ultimately improving workforce, the quality of mental health services can be raised. The tragic and costly consequences of unidentified and untreated mental illness in youth can be avoided by taking timely evidence based actions in partnership with others.

The Efficacy of Early Start Denver Model Intervention in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Within Japan: A Preliminary Study

“…Accumulating evidence suggests that ESDM intervention almost certainly alleviates social interaction deficits in children with ASD [ 22 , 23 ]. There is a serious shortfall in the medical and welfare workforce of young children with ASD in Japan [ 24 ]. It is almost impossible for us to provide intensive ESDM interventions to all the referred cases of ASD.…”

Problem-Based Learning in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: A Perspective from Japan

“…2 So, while the absolute number of children is shrinking in Japan, there is no doubt that many health professionals, and especially medical doctors, will be providing support for children and their families with mental health needs in the near future. 3 Considering that stigma related to mental health disorders is lessening in Japan, 4 the need for child and mental health services will most likely increase, despite the demographic changes in the country. In the provision of mental health services, well-trained human resources play a crucial role.…”

A Preliminary Survey on Clinical Practice for Children and Adolescents with Gender Dysphoria in Japan: Current Situation and Challenges

“…The subjects of this study were certified child and adolescent psychiatrists. The certification system of child and adolescent psychiatry specialists in Japan by the Japanese Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JSCAP) has been discussed elsewhere [8,9]. We mailed a survey to all certified child and adolescent psychiatrists on a list provided by the JSCAP office on December 1, 2015 (315 total).…”