title: Transforming youth mental health services and supports in Ireland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Young people in the Republic of Ireland do not have access to appropriate mental health services and supports, necessitating transformational change in delivery systems.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Describe ongoing development and change efforts facilitated by Headstrong--The National Centre for Youth Mental Health.
  
  
  METHODS
  Discusses findings from a national needs assessment, core strategies within the change initiative, progress in system-building, and preliminary descriptive and outcome data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five demonstration sites comprised of four counties and a city neighbourhood are operational and preliminary data are promising with respect to implementation and outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Effective change initiatives require vision and leadership, competence- and capacity-building, participative planning and engagement, adequate and thoughtfully deployed resources, and a comprehensive change management approach.
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
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000639:trends*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000639:trends*; D020380:Needs Assessment; D015397:Program Evaluation; D055815:Young Adult