Piloting the Implementation of Intake Assessment Tools and Caregiver Symptom Rating Tools in a Child and Adolescent Outpatient Psychiatry

Background: The rising rate of referrals to outpatient psychiatry is difficult to manage. To explore intake and pre-assessment strategies to reduce strain related to the high volume of referrals, two intake tools and two caregiver symptom rating tools were trialled in a child and adolescent outpatient mental health clinic in Ontario, Canada. Methods: Intake personnel completed two tools in addition to the routine intake procedure in a feasibility study. Caregivers completed two symptom-rating tools, and feedback on the use of the tools was sought with a survey. Results: There were statistically significant differences between priority groups (i.e., determination as usual with high, medium, or low priority) on both intake tools, but no statistically significant differences between either caregiver rating tool were found. Conclusions: Standardizing the assessment process may facilitate care. Caregiver ratings did not align with triage priorities; however, these ratings may inform clinical assessments.