From a Short-Life Project to a Mainstream Service: Convincing Commissioners to Fund a Community Adolescent Mental Health Team

The authors present an evaluation of a community-based mental health service for adolescents & their families, Service for Adolescents & Families in Enfield (SAFE), in order to demonstrate utilisation, efficiency, acceptability, relevance, effectiveness, & consumer satisfaction. Results on all these criteria were positive. Emphasis was place on reaching target adolescents with high levels of morbidity, intervening relatively quickly, & over time reducing rates of self-harm & para-suicide. (5 refs)