Coming to CAMHS
The first steps to getting support from CAMHS is normally through seeing your Doctor or General Practitioner (GP) or asking the Named Person in School to make a “Referral”. A referral describes the current difficulties that you would like some support for. The referral may also include information about supports that have already been accessed, e.g. the Health and Wellbeing Hub in school.
When the referral is received by CAMHS, our clinicians read and review the information provided and decide what will be the best possible way to help support you at this time. NHS Forth Valley CAMHS work within the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). NHS Scotland National Service Specification
Advice and signposting to supports other than CAMHS may be recommended or you may be invited to an appointment to meet with a member of the CAMHS team. This first appointment is called a “Choice” appointment.
- Current difficulties (what is happening for your right now)
- Your strengths (what is going well)
- Your motivation and wish to change
- Who might be best to help
By the end of the Choice appointment, you will have discussed:
- A joint formulation – you and the clinician will have identified and agreed what the current problem is
- Clear intervention goals – what you want to work on and how you want to work on this
- Who is best to help with this – is it CAMHS or is it other services.