The role of youth mental health services in the treatment of young people with serious mental illness: 2-year outcomes and economic implications

Aim: This study aims to evaluate the outcomes and economic case for a UK innovative youth-specific mental health service for 16-25 year olds. Methods: A pre-, during-and post-treatment comparative design for 20 young people at high risk of developing psychosis who received 2 years' treatment with the service, using outcomes that concurred with the service aims: changes in mental health, employment rates and service use. Results: Forty-five percent of those at risk and with symptoms of serious mental illness commencing treatment were not receiving mental health services at baseline. Compared with service use prior to treatment at the youth-specific service, hospital admissions, Accident and Emergency, and criminal justice system use appear to decrease over the 2 years of treatment and the year after treatment, with potential cost differences of 473 pound 000. Mental health improved or stayed the same, compared with baseline. Employment rates improved, although the sample size for this is very small. Potential cost differences associated with service users moving into employment over the 2 years are 148 pound 000. The estimated cost over 2 years of providing the youth-specific mental health service to these young people was 106 pound 000. Conclusions: Given the extensive long-term negative consequences and high costs of untreated mental illness in the 16-25 age group and the documented problems young people have in receiving appropriate services, this youth-specific, age-appropriate service model appears to be successful, with improved outcomes and cost differences in the short-term, and with encouraging implications for the longer term.