Care pathways for young people who misuse substances: using the evidence to design services

Abstract

The literature argues for using care pathways to manage better services for intervening with young people who use or misuse substances and recommends their contents. We conclude that care pathways should be based on strategic models of care; however, there remain areas of uncertainty, including those about the balance of services that should be delivered, adoption of prevention programmes, and development of audit tools to monitor the impacts and effectiveness of care pathways. This review provides our recommended list of contents for models of care on which we recommend that associated care pathways should be based.

What is known about pathways to mental health care for Australian Aboriginal young people?: a narrative review

“…The literature also emphasizes the need for flexibility in mental health care pathways [ 12 , 37 , 67 , 81 ]. Specifically, pathways need to account for variations in geographic location, age, cultural background, and other demographic factors relevant to Aboriginal populations [ 10 , 19 , 42 , 44 , 47 , 82 – 84 ].…”

“…Sectors are separated by filters that reflect factors such as accessibility and patient values, as well as decisions related to consultation, diagnosis, referral, and admission processes [ 17 , 18 ]. Care pathways have the potential to improve inter-professional collaboration, with potential positive impacts on patient outcomes [ 19 – 25 ]. Research suggests that service providers in Aboriginal communities value defined, written protocols for the screening and assessment of mental health challenges [ 12 ].…”