Psychology of Drugs & Alcohol Service Development

An Exciting Development

It is recognised that specialist mental health and substance use services for young people are required to be different to services developed and offered to the adult population (Scottish Government, 2017). CAMHS therefore hope to be able to offer:

• timely access for professionals to CAMHS consultation to ensure that the mental health needs of young people specifically are considered and addressed in parallel with substance use difficulties

• to support the continuing development of a well-trained and well-supported substance use workforce for Highland's young people

• to improve access to direct Specialist CAMHS assessment and evidence-based intervention for young people with complex co-morbid presentations (as recommended by: Lead Psychologists Addiction Services Scotland (LPASS) 2018 framework for the delivery of psychological interventions in substance use services in Scotland).

We recognise the need for earlier recognition of young people and their families who may be at risk of mental health difficulties being further complicated by the use of drugs and/or alcohol, when this behaviour is often a way for the young person to try to cope with overwhelming emotional distress. Also, the need for young people and families to access appropriate levels of professional support in a timely manner.

We hope to develop this part of our service with additional funding over time to ensure that CAMHS works in an integrated way with our partner agencies to ensure that young people have the opportunity to access parallel intervention for mental health and co-morbid substance use problems, as recommended in The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: NHS Scotland National Service Specification (February 2020).