Catch22 celebrated 8 years of providing substance misuse support and treatment to young people through the Hampshire 24/7 service with an event held at Hampshire County Council in February.
Attended by Councillor Patricia Stallard, Elected Member for Health and Public Health in Hampshire and Ileana Cahill, the county’s Public Health Principal, the event brought together organisations and agencies from across Hampshire to share best practice and experience. These included adult substance misuse services, Hampshire’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) team, the police and former service users.
To date, Hampshire 24/7 has provided community-based substance misuse support and treatment to over 2,500 young people, their families and the wider community. Targeted interventions also take place in educational settings for 11 to 16-year-olds. The service is delivered in partnership with Sussex Partnership NHS Trust, and is closely aligned to CAMHS provision, meaning young people who do not meet the threshold to access mental health services, or are reluctant to, can be supported by a specialist team.
Partnership and multi-agency working is central to Hampshire 24/7’s delivery model as it provides Catch22 staff with a broad understanding of support available across the county.
The model is service user-led and ensures that support is provided in the young person’s own environment, where they want to be seen, meaning the young person has ownership of their personalised treatment plan.
Sarah Green, Service Manager for Hampshire 24/7 said:
“This event is not only a celebration of Hampshire 24/7, but also of the resilience of the young people we work with. They have always been, and will continue to be, at the heart of our delivery. Our experience demonstrates that substance misuse rarely happens in isolation; young people often have multiple, complex needs with mental health concerns a regular feature. Service responses need to treat young people as a whole and not prioritise particular problems over other needs. By working so closely with the CAMHS team, we are going some way in offering a joined up approach to supporting young people in need.”