2020/09/11 by D. MacEvilly, G. Brosnan
Medicine · Psychology · #COVID-19 and Mental Health #Digital Mental Health Interventions #Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation
paper · pdf · doi:10.1017/ipm.2020.109
openalex publication_date 2020/09/11 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented situation, whereby essential services within child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) were suspended. This created a need to modify regular methods of treatment at a rapid pace, to avoid cessation of clinical intervention and prevent potential regression in mental health. Eighteen children with moderate-to-severe mental health disorders and their parents were attending weekly group cognitive behaviour therapy-based sessions ('The Secret Agent Society' programme) when the Irish Department of Health suspended face-to-face intervention. This report describes how the group sessions were adapted to individualised, online therapeutic triads between each child, his/her parent and their clinician. Whilst internet technology has emerged as a promising solution to shortfalls in therapy services, in-depth exploration is needed to confirm the efficacy of telehealth for children attending CAMHS.