Frequently Asked Questions
CAMHS is not an emergency service. In case of emergency where someone’s life or health is in danger, please attend your nearest A&E or phone emergency services on 112.
Referrals
Lucena Clinic CAMHS accepts referrals for children and adolescents with moderate-to-severe mental health disorders and/or ADHD. If there is no evidence of a moderate-to-severe mental health disorder and/or ADHD present, referrals for the following presentations
will not be accepted:
- Those with an intellectual disability. Their diagnostic and support needs are best met in HSE Social Care/HSE Disability Services. However, young people with a mild intellectual disability and a moderate-to severe mental health disorder are appropriate for CAMHS.
- Those with a moderate-to-severe intellectual disability and a moderate-to-severe mental health disorder. Their needs are best met by CAMHS Mental Health Intellectual Disability (MHID) teams. In the absence of CAMHS MHID teams, multi-disciplinary assessment, intervention and support is provided by the Children’s Disability Network Teams in HSE Disability Services.
- Those whose presentation is a developmental difference. Examples of these could include Dyslexia, DLD (Developmental Language Disorder) or DCD (Developmental Co-ordination Disorder)/Dyspraxia. Their needs are best met in HSE Primary Care services and/or Children’s Disability Network Teams.
- Those who require assessments or interventions that relate to educational needs. Their needs are best met in services such as Children’s Disability Network Teams or the National Educational Psychology Service (NEPS).
- Those who present with child protection or welfare issues. Their needs are best met by Tusla – The Child and Family Agency.
- Those who are Autistic and do not have a moderate to severe mental health difficulty. Their needs are best met in services such as HSE Primary Care and/or Children’s Disability Network Teams.
Where the child or adolescent is Autistic and presents with a moderate-to-severe mental health disorder, it is the role of CAMHS to provide appropriate multi-disciplinary mental health assessment and treatment for the mental health disorder. This may involve joint
working or shared care with other agencies including HSE Primary Care, Children’s Disability Network Teams, and other agencies supporting children and adolescents.
Mental Health Pathway
When a mental health referral is received, it is discussed by a multi-disciplinary team to determine if it meets criteria for assessment by CAMHS. The team may contact you requesting further information to support decision making.
Should the referral be deemed unsuitable for CAMHS, the team will write to you and to your GP / referrer. We may suggest alternative, more appropriate services or assessment pathways.
If the referral is deemed suitable for CAMHS, the young person will be added to our waitlist for initial assessment. The team will write to advise that you have been placed on the waitlist. Click the image below to see our Mental Health Pathway.
More information is available on our Mental Health Pathway page.
ADHD Pathway
When an ADHD referral is received, it is discussed by a multi-disciplinary team to determine suitability for the ADHD screening process.
The screening process comprises a set of questionnaires and forms to gather relevant information. Your child has not been added to the waitlist until forms are returned and suitability for assessment determined.
Following the screening process, if there is insufficient clinical evidence to suggest a young person should undergo a full ADHD assessment at that time, the team will write to you and to your GP. We may suggest alternative, more appropriate services or assessment pathways.
If there is sufficient evidence to suggest a full ADHD assessment is warranted, the young person will be added to the waitlist for initial assessment. The team will write to advise that you have been placed on the waitlist. We may also suggest additional appropriate services or assessment pathways. Click the image below to see our ADHD Pathway.
More information is available on our ADHD Pathway page.
What Can I Expect at CAMHS?
It is not possible to provide exact waiting times. This will depend on screening for suitability, level of urgency, and current demand and capacity in the service.
At our service we talk openly with families about the role of CAMHS, reasons for referral, assessments, and diagnoses. Everyone over 16 is required to provide assent for the service. Please contact your clinical team if you have concerns in this regard.
Following assessment, if a young person is deemed appropriate for CAMHS, evidence-based intervention is considered on a case-by-case basis.
Interventions might include group or individual therapies, taking medication in consultation with a specialist doctor or clinician, or a combination of both.
Intervention may take place directly with the young person, and/or with their family members.
When your young person turns 18 they will be discharged back to the care of their GP, or referred to Adult Mental Health Services and/or ADHD services where applicable.
I Need to Get in Contact with You
Please phone your clinic to request a repeat prescription. Where appropriate, this will be sent either to you by post or directly to your GP/pharmacy by secure electronic mail.
It is not currently possible to email your team.
You are welcome to make a complaint or leave a compliment by clicking this link / filling out this form.
Guardianship
Consent is required from all legal guardians to attend our service. In case of emergency, this can be discussed with your clinic on a case-by-case basis.
If the young person is under a full care order, we require consent from TUSLA, the Child and Family Agency, as they are the appointed guardian.
If the young person is under a temporary care order, this will be discussed with the relevant social worker to see if parent/guardian consent can be obtained. If not, this can be discussed with the social worker.
ADHD
It is our policy that all young people referred with an existing ADHD diagnosis are re-assessed. It is a requirement that young people who are prescribed medication for ADHD do not take medication whilst being re-assessed by CAMHS.
The screening and assessment pathway is the same for those who have been assessed previously and those who have never been assessed. Please see ADHD section of the website for further information.
In cases like this we assess mental health problems first and ADHD after.
Autism
If your young person is Autistic and also presents with a moderate to severe mental health difficulty and/or moderate to severe ADHD, they are very welcome to be referred to our service.
If you think that your young person may be Autistic, it is recommended that they undergo an autism assessment.
Autistic people often experience mental health difficulties. Knowing that you are Autistic, learning about autism in a neurodiversity affirmative (strengths based) way, understanding your strengths and needs, and building a positive Autistic identity can contribute to mental wellbeing.
In CAMHS it is important for us to know if a young person is Autistic in order to best understand their needs and support them.
Autism identification processes are carried out by the Child Disability Network Team (CDNT). Young people may be referred under the Assessment of Need (AON) process. Further information and an application form for AON are available at the webpage HERE.