James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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53. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to address the deficiencies in child and adolescent mental health services at primary, community and acute levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17026/18]

Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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The development of all aspects of mental health services for young people, as reflected in the agreed HSE Service Plan 2018, remains a priority for Government. Services have benefitted from the significant additional investment for mental health over recent years which has resulted in an overall provision of some €910 million for this care programme in the current year.

There are currently 69 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) teams, 4 CAMHS units and three Paediatric Liaison Teams.  Approximately 18,800 children will be referred to the CAMHS service this year, with around 14,400 to be seen by CAMHS professionals.

There are acknowledged difficulties in recruiting and retaining specialist CAMHS staff, particularly Consultant Psychiatrists.  Intensive recruitment efforts are ongoing but there is currently a serious shortage of suitably qualified CAMHS Consultants both at national and European level.  Steady progressing is being made by the Executive in filling approved posts for mental health. Despite increasing demands  on CAMHS overall, the HSE Service Plan 2018 has a target of 72% for referrals offered or first appointment and to be seen within twelve weeks.

Individual cases professionally assessed as requiring urgent access to services receive priority.

Reducing CAMHS Waiting Lists is a priority for the HSE. The HSE Service Plan 2018 will further develop CAMHS, including delivering a major improvement initiative to increase the numbers of CAMHS referrals to be seen in 2018 by 27%, compared to 2017 (i.e. over 3,000 additional service users year on year). Improvements are also planned for Out-of- Hours liaison, seven-day response services, and progressing the CAMHS Day Hospital service.

A key initiative to improve counselling services at Primary Care level has been the recent approval by Government for the appointment of 114 Assistant Psychologists and 20 Psychologists to assist young people. These are currently being put in place by the HSE.

In addition, I have requested the HSE to examine as a matter of priority the feasibility of providing counselling support services remotely via a Tele-Psych type service at primary care centres.