Accessing and re-accessing mental health walk-in clinics for children and families.

Abstract

Many child and youth mental health (CYMH) agencies across Canada and in Ontario are using mental health walk-in clinics (MHWCs). (1) Explore how MHWCs are used by families (e.g. mean, mode, and median number of visits), and (2) document how often and how soon families returned for a second MHWC visit and identify correlates of time to a second MHWC visit. Administrative data from two CYMH agencies in Ontario were extracted, including demographics, visit data, and presenting concerns. In this exploratory, descriptive study, analyses of administrative data were conducted to identify patterns and correlates of MHWC use before other agency services, compared to MHWC use exclusively. About a third of children and families using MHWCs had two or more visits. Child age, guardianship, and disposition at discharge emerged as correlates of time to a second MHWC visit. MHWCs can save families' time, and both agencies' time and money by eliminating the need to complete a detailed assessment prior to treatment for cases that would go on to have a single visit within this service.