Establishing adolescent and young adult therapy programs

Perth Clinic is a 35-bed private psychiatric clinic. In February 1999 an adolescent and young adult therapy service was introduced in response to an increasing number of enquiries regarding the treatment of adolescent and young adults with psychiatric disorders. This program was developed by a working party of mental health professionals including psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, nurses and occupational therapists. The program design described the type of program to be delivered, its content and structure, and the method of evaluation. In consultation with similar services around the world, Perth Clinic developed two therapy streams for this population. The first is an inpatient program based on an open group format of 4 1/2 hours of therapy daily. The second is a closed group program conducted for two 3 hour sessions per week. Groups are held in the late afternoon (16.00-19.00 h) for an 8 week period. Both streams have a maximum of eight participants and all participants are referred by a psychiatrist. Outcomes are measured by a battery of clinical questionnaires which provide objective measurement of mood changes. Patient and parent satisfaction with the program is also measured. Indicators at this early stage are that this is an effective intervention program with high rates of attendance and good prognostic data. This study describes the first 6 months of this program's operation.