Table 1 Description of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) four-tier system of organisation
Tier | Description |
|---|---|
Tier 1 | Staff in Tier 1 are not mental health specialists (they are GPs, school nurses, etc.). They offer general advice and treatment for less severe mental health problems, mental health promotion and identification of problems early in their development that require more specialist services |
Tier 2 | Tier 2 are CAMHS specialists working in community and primary care settings who provide assessment and treatment to patients experiencing mental health difficulties, training to practitioners in Tier 1 and outreach to identify severe or complex needs requiring more specialist interventions |
Tier 3 | Tier 3 are multidisciplinary teams working in the community, providing a specialised service for patients with more severe, complex and/or persistent disorders |
Tier 4 | Tier 4 provides services for patients with the most serious difficulties and includes highly specialised outpatient teams, day or inpatient units |