Child Mental Health: Home Treatment Beats Hospital Trauma

A groundbreaking intensive home treatment service in Sussex has successfully diverted dozens of young people from hospital admissions during acute mental health crises. This community-based approach, known as the Crisis Outreach Acute Support Team (Coast), offers an alternative to inpatient care. For young individuals like Dulcie, 20, past experiences in children's mental health units led to trauma and PTSD, underscoring the need for less restrictive options.

The Coast service, operated by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT), provides crisis intervention and intensive support within a familiar environment. This model acknowledges that problems often originate at home and that recovery can be more effective when supported within that context. Hospitalization is now viewed as a last resort by SPFT, with a focus on getting patients discharged back into their home settings as quickly as possible.

This initiative is particularly significant as young people under 18 in Sussex requiring inpatient mental health care were previously sent out of county due to the temporary closure of local beds. The decision to close these beds followed a CQC report citing safety concerns, including high harm incident levels, inadequate staff training, and low staffing numbers. The home treatment model aims to mitigate these risks by offering continuous support without the restrictions and disruptions of inpatient stays.