Recommendations for the organization of mental health services for children and adolescents in Belgium: Use of the soft systems methodology

Philippe Vandenbroeck, Rachel Dechenne, Kim Becher, Marijke Eyssen and Koen Van den Heede

Health Policy, 2014, vol. 114, issue 2, 263-268

Abstract: The prevalence of mental health problems among children and adolescents in Western countries is high. Belgium, like many other Western countries, struggles with the set-up of a coherent and effective strategy for dealing with this complex societal problem. This paper describes the development of a policy scenario for the organization of child and adolescent mental health care services (CAMHS) in Belgium. The development process relied on Soft Systems Methodology including a participatory process with 66 stakeholders and a review of the existing (inter-)national evidence. A diagnostic analysis illustrated that the Belgian CAMHS is a system in serious trouble characterized by fragmentation and compartmentalization. A set of 10 strategic recommendations was formulated to lay down the contours of a future, more effective CAMHS system. They focus on mastering the demands made on scarce and expensive specialized mental health services; strengthening the range of services – in particular for those with serious, complex and multiple mental health problems – and strengthening the adaptive capacity of and the ethical guidance within the future CAMHS system.

Keywords: Adolescent; Child; Health Services Research; Mental health services; Organizational policy; Belgium (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:hepoli:v:114:y:2014:i:2:p:263-268

DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2013.07.009

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