Transition Navigation Model Improves Mental Health Care Transitions for Youth

Current study results suggest that many youth do not receive a coordinated and planned transition out of child and youth mental health services, leading to a gap in mental health care. To address this issue, researchers have developed the transition navigation model, a research-informed intervention designed to assess and improve youth's transition readiness, identify their transition needs and goals, and support the transfer of care to adult or community mental health services.

Key Takeaways:

• The transition navigation model aims to improve mental health care transitions for youth by assessing and improving their transition readiness, identifying their transition needs and goals, and supporting the transfer of care to adult or community mental health services.
• The model was evaluated in a pre-post mixed-methods study involving 43 youth participants accessing transition navigation services at two hospitals.
• Participants showed a significant increase in mean transition readiness score and a decrease in the number of emergency department visits from baseline to the 6-month follow-up.
• However, there were no significant changes in mean functioning scores or self-reported mental health symptoms.
• Qualitative interviews with 20 participants indicated high satisfaction with the navigation service, with the primary gap being the lack of communication maintained with youth while in the program.
• The study highlights the importance of coordinated and planned transitions out of child and youth mental health services to improve mental health outcomes.
• The transition navigation model has the potential to improve mental health care transitions for youth and reduce discontinuity in care.

Statistics:

• 43 youth participants completed self-report measures on transition readiness, daily functioning, and mental health service use at baseline and 6-month follow-up.
• 20 participants completed qualitative interviews focused on understanding their experiences and satisfaction with the navigation service.
• The number of emergency department visits decreased from baseline to the 6-month follow-up (exact number not specified in the source material).
• Mean functioning scores and self-reported mental health symptoms showed no significant changes from baseline to the 6-month follow-up.

Sources:

• Evaluation of the mental health transition navigation model in child and adolescent mental health settings: findings from a pre-post, mixed-methods study. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2025.
• Kristin Cleverley et al. (2025). Evaluation of the mental health transition navigation model in child and adolescent mental health settings: findings from a pre-post, mixed-methods study. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. (DOI: [not specified in source])