[The FACT youth populations in the Netherlands: similarities and differences]

Regular mental health care does not sufficiently meet the needs of a specific group of children and adolescents with a combination of mental health problems and severe problems in different life domains. To better reach this vulnerable population, flexible assertive community treatment FACT Youth teams are established. However, to date, little is known about the characteristics of the FACT Youth population and potential regional differences herein.
AIM: To determine if the populations of the FACT Youth teams in the Netherlands have more similarities or differences.
METHOD: First, we assessed the characteristics of the FACT Youth populations of three Dutch regions (Foodvalley, Nijmegen, and Rivierenland). Subsequently, we conducted a literature study to identify characteristics of other regional FACT Youth populations in the Netherlands. After that, we made a comparison between the FACT Youth populations of the different regions in the Netherlands.
RESULTS: There were more differences than similarities in the FACT Youth populations.
CONCLUSION: There is no overarching FACT Youth population, but there are location-specific FACT Youth populations. On the one hand, it is important to ensure uniformity by following the FACT Youth Model Description. On the other hand, there must be space for location-specific variation in the organization of the FACT Youth teams, in order to offer the best help to the entire patient population.