Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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379. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to fast track children in care to access CAMHS in a speedier manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42880/17]

Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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The Government is strongly committed to developing all aspects of mental health services envisaged under A Vision for Change, and being delivered by the HSE, including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). Significant progress has been made over recent years, underpinned by additional funding given since 2012 to develop mental health services overall.

HSE CAMHS has standardised operation procedures which supports timely access to services, based on professional clinical assessment and prioritisation, to address the mental health needs of all children presenting to this specialist service. Despite increasing demands overall on CAMHS, irrespective of the source of referrals, individual cases assessed as urgent receive priority. Children in care, therefore, access CAMHS in the same way as other young people assessed as requiring this specialist clinical service.

The development of CAMHS is a priority under the HSE Service Plan 2017. In addition, TUSLA and the HSE published in March last a joint working protocol to support good collaboration and working relationships between both agencies. The protocol governs how children in care access HSE related services, including transition of young people in care to adult services. Minister Zappone and I have recently commenced a joint assessment to see how our respective Departments, in conjunction with the HSE and TUSLA, can further improve inter-agency co-operation in relation to CAMHS.

I will continue to closely monitor progress this initiative, in the context of the agreed priorities for CAMHS set out in the HSE Service Plan for this year, including improved Access and reducing Waiting Lists.