Care in Mind (CiM) work with young people aged 16-25 with significant mental health difficulties who are often leaving the hospital or secure care and who require a higher level of support on discharge than other services can provide. Alongside their specialist residential placements they also offer step-down supported living packages with reducing levels of support, to support transition to fully independent living.
Care in Mind (CiM) work with young people aged 16-25 with significant mental health difficulties who are often leaving the hospital or secure care and who require a higher level of support on discharge than other services can provide. Alongside their specialist residential placements they also offer step-down supported living packages with reducing levels of support, to support transition to fully independent living.
They provide safe and clinically effective residential care. The model of care, underpinned by attachment theory, combines several evidence-based approaches which have been carefully adapted to the needs of their young people and the staff who support them.
CiM have a comprehensive team of specialist clinicians with all young people under the care of their Consultant Psychiatrists, who lead on the therapeutic risk management model. 24/7 support from the clinical team helps to manage crises effectively and avert unnecessary admissions.
Access
Care in Mind accept on average 1-2 new referrals a week, with a maximum of 4 weeks wait time from referral to initial assessment. The service currently has 24 young people in placement, and are due to open an additional 3 homes which will take the capacity of young people to 37.
Assessment
Referrals are responded to within 72 hours to assess suitability, and to arrange a face to face comprehensive assessment with a clinician and a residential manager. The information provided during the assessment is discussed with a multidisciplinary team for formulation and completion of a needs assessment. The service aims to send an initial response letter to referrers within 72 hours following the assessment.
Alternative to hospital admissions
As well as offering discharge placements from hospital and secure settings, Care in Mind is also able to provide an alternative to hospital admission for young people. The service has the capacity to support significant levels of complexity and risk in the community, avoiding the dependency and escalation that can be associated with inpatient admission, while taking into account the difficulty that can be experienced in finding inpatient beds that are close to young people’s homes.
Co-production
Care in Mind is committed to working together, with experts by experience, to co-produce care. Care in Mind have a full-time service user coordinator and expert by experience who is working as part of the organisation to embed and enliven the principles of involvement and co-production at every level of the organisation. The young people support the development of meaningful outcome measurement, service resources, service design, recruitment, service audits and are part of the corporate governance group. Care in Mind are working to ensure that communication, mutual respect and valuing the experience and perspectives of the young people remain core organisational principles.
What makes this service an example of positive practice?
The service came into being in response to the lack of suitable placements for young people leaving inpatient and secure care settings, who required a higher level of mental health support on discharge than their families or more generic placements could offer. Over the past six years they have developed an innovative service model and a reputation for high standards of care. They have built a solid record of success in supporting young people to manage risky behaviours in the community and avoid re-admission, engaging them in meaningful therapeutic programmes that lead to lasting change, and helping them to build independent lives for the future. Care in Mind have done this by providing an intensive 24/7 clinical service staffed by psychiatrists, psychologists and nurses who are experts in working with young people with high levels of complexity and risk, and who support the families and specialist mental health residential teams caring for them.
Further details
| Commissioning | Local authority, clinical commissioning group (CCG) or jointly. | ||||||||||
| Providers | Care in Mind | ||||||||||
| Workforce (whole-time equivalent) | 1.2 psychiatrist, 4 clinical psychologists, 0.1 family therapist, 0.3 arts therapist, 8 mental health nurses, 11 residential, financial, and HR managers, 3 clinical and training administrators, 2 risk and compliance department, 80 residential support workers | ||||||||||
| Caseload | Receive 1 to 2 referrals a week, not all of these will be assessed as appropriate or funded at panel. They currently have 24 placement beds. They are opening an additional 3 homes to increase capacity to 37 | ||||||||||
| Access and advice – consultation lines, triage and signposting | In-reach, inpatient and residential | ||||
| Biopsychosocial assessment | Intensive interventions |
