Transitions in Mental Health Care for Young Adults

Adolescence and young adulthood represent critical periods for the onset and continuation of mental health disorders. During this time, young people often move from child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) to adult mental health services (AMHS), a change that can coincide with wider developmental challenges such as leaving education, entering the workforce and establishing independent living. Effective transitions are characterised by continuity of care, clear communication between services and involvement of service users in planning. When poorly managed, transitions may result in treatment gaps, loss of engagement, worsening of symptoms and higher rates of emergency presentations. Research has identified factors that promote successful handovers—flexible timing, individualised transition plans, preparatory interventions and joint working between CAMHS and AMHS teams. Global initiatives now emphasise co-production of transition pathways with young people and the use of validated measures to assess readiness and experience, reflecting a shift towards youth-centred and developmentally informed service models.

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Transitions in Mental Health Care for Young Adults publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in transitions in mental health care for young adults across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS): Specialist services providing assessment and treatment for mental health disorders in individuals up to 17 or 18 years of age.

Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS): Services offering psychiatric assessment, therapy and support for people aged 18 and over.

Transition readiness: The degree to which a young person possesses the knowledge, skills and self-management abilities required for successful transfer to adult care.

Relational continuity: The sustained therapeutic relationship between a clinician and service user across different stages of care.

Transition Experiences Scale: A validated instrument designed to capture young people’s and carers’ satisfaction and perceptions regarding the transition process.

References

1. Adaptation and validation of the On Your Own Feet – Transition Experiences Scale evaluating transitions to adult services among adolescent mental health service users in Europe. Psychiatry Research (2024).
2. Youth experiences of transition from child mental health services to adult mental health services: a qualitative thematic synthesis. BMC Psychiatry (2017).
3. “Objectively terrifying”: a qualitative study of youth’s experiences of transitions out of child and adolescent mental health services at age 18. BMC Psychiatry (2020).