title: Youth engagement with an emerging Irish mental health early intervention programme (Jigsaw): participant characteristics and implications for service delivery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The transition to adulthood represents a critical period which influences mental health problems, but access to and utilisation of mental health services by young people is poor. Jigsaw is a response to the challenge of transforming how young people access mental health support and attain positive outcomes. This article presents an overview of the characteristics of young people engaging with this service.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data about young people who engage with Jigsaw are captured through an online system designed to record salient clinical, case management, service delivery, and outcome information. Participant characteristics are summarised to portray the young people who engaged with the service for the first time during 2013 (N = 2420).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of young people engaging with Jigsaw were female, aged 15-17 years, and were referred by their parents. Over half were in full-time education, although many 21-25-year-olds were unemployed. Young people presented with a range of difficulties which varied by age and gender. They reported high levels of distress, with age and gender having a significant impact on their well-being.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides emerging evidence to support the need for an early intervention component within the system of mental health care.
authors.affiliation: a Headstrong - The National Centre for Youth Mental Health , Dublin , Ireland .
authors.forename: Aileen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: O'Reilly
authors.affiliation: a Headstrong - The National Centre for Youth Mental Health , Dublin , Ireland .|b REACH of Louisville , Louisville , KT , USA , and.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Illback
authors.affiliation: b REACH of Louisville , Louisville , KT , USA , and.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Peiper
authors.affiliation: a Headstrong - The National Centre for Youth Mental Health , Dublin , Ireland .
authors.forename: Lynsey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: O'Keeffe
authors.affiliation: c Health Behaviour, University of Kentucky , Lexington , KT , USA.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Clayton
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Community services; early intervention; prevention; youth mental health