Two in three young people who present to early intervention mental health services, like headspace, remain functionally impaired or deteriorate over the next two years of care, a study suggests. 

The research has prompted calls from psychiatrists for more comprehensive and multidisciplinary approaches to youth mental health, as the current low-intensity models only meet the needs of a minority.  

The team, from University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre, analysed data from 1510 young people aged 12-25 who visited the centre’s headspace and other linked services between June 2008 and July 2018. 

Participants (mean age 18, 62% female) were included in the study if they remained in contact with the service for at least two years, allowing researchers to longitudinally track their social and occupational functioning.