title: Jigsaw: engaging communities in the development and implementation of youth mental health services and supports in the Republic of Ireland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Irish young people exhibit high levels of psychological distress, but community-based services and supports are often unavailable or inaccessible.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe efforts to engage communities in systematic and data-based processes of planning, programme design, implementation, and evaluation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Details system-building initiatives in five communities (four counties and a distressed urban site) that will serve as a springboard for full national deployment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Extensive community engagement and planning has occurred in all sites, systems change efforts grounded in detailed business plans have begun, and process and outcome evaluation is underway.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Needs and resource assessment processes confirmed the magnitude of need, but also suggested the creative re-allocation of local resources. Young people provided invaluable guidance for system design. Creating and sustaining a culture of innovation at each site was challenging, requiring leadership and continuous dialogue.
authors.affiliation: Headstrong - The National Centre for Youth Mental Health, Dublin, Ireland. bob@headstrong.ie
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Illback
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bates
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hodges
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Galligan
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dooley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006284:Health Plan Implementation / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D006285:Health Planning / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D017146:Models, Organizational; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration; D016730:Program Development / Q000379:methods; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D000092864:Suicide Prevention