Youth Transition after Discharge from Residential Mental Health Treatment Centers: Multiple Perspectives over One Year

Abstract

ABSTRACTYouth with complex mental health disorders access residential mental health treatment (RT), which is offered as part of a continuum of care in community mental health agencies. There is scant information available on how youth manage life after discharge. The purpose for this study was to explore the life experiences in the year following discharge from RT from the youth, caregiver, and mental health provider perspectives using a case study design. With a case study design, in-depth interviews with 25 youth (12 female, 12 male, and 1 transgender) and their caregiver and mental health care provider were included in this analysis. While some youth fared well after discharge, some youth continued to struggle with these disorders and their impacts on life domains. Specific difficulties included managing: on-going mental health symptoms, interpersonal relationships, completion of educational or vocational activities, and development of life skills. Implications include the need for home-based transition supports following discharge to foster healthy relationships and interactions, engagement in positive activities and the development of life skills to support future independence, and to manage on-going symptoms of the youths’ mental health disorders.