The Evidence

The Youth Service Integration Resource Kit has been developed from the research findings of the Youth Integration Project, which analysed youth mental health services in Australia and overseas to identify the essential elements of service integration.
Page Hero Corner

The Youth Integration Project

Funded by the Commonwealth Government’s Department of Health and Aged Care, the Youth Integration Project is a research collaboration between Mindgardens Neuroscience Network, headspace National and other partners to explore how to fine-tune the youth mental health system. It is based on the belief that we can extract better value from the system if we integrate young people’s care across disparate services, provide information in forms young people and their families can readily use, and make services more approachable and logical to navigate.

Dr Michael Hodgins describes the how the Youth Integration Project was developed and what it seeks to achieve

In the first stage, researchers from UNSW Sydney reviewed academic and general-audience publications to build a picture of integrated youth mental health care.  In partnership with headspace National, they examined real-world examples of services for people aged 12 to 24 years, such as the Australian headspace services, and the Foundry, in British Columbia, Canada, to examine what promotes integration and what stands in the way.

In its next stage, the Mindgardens Youth Integration Project is piloting novel solutions to these issues that can be rapidly scaled up if effective. The Youth Service Integration Resource Kit is one of these solutions.

We think service integration can transform young people’s mental health care; now we are committed to finding practical evidence that it actually works.

Rate your Level of Service Integration

Take this 5-minute questionnaire to find out and get personalised resource recommendations. Please provide ample time to complete the survey in one sitting. Thank you!
Get Started

Explore the core components of integrated care

Leadership & Governance Learn more Service Delivery Learn more Workforce Learn more Communications Learn more Finance Learn more

Research papers and reports from the Youth Integration Project

Framework Development, Integrated Care, Youth Mental Health

Creation of the Youth Integration Project Framework: A Narrative Synthesis of the Youth Mental Health Integrated Care Literature

Michael Hodgins, Catherine McHugh, Valsamma Eapen, Gabrielle Georgiou ,Jackie Curtis, Raghu Lingam
Hodgins M, McHugh C, Eapen V, Georgiou G, Curtis J, Lingam R. Creation of the Youth Integration Project Framework: A Narrative Synthesis of the Youth Mental Health Integrated Care Literature. Int J Integr Care. 2024 Jul 5;24(3):5. doi: 10.5334/ijic.7730. PMID: 38974205; PMCID: PMC11225559.
View
Evaluation Framework, Implementation Science, Mental Health System

A framework for evaluating the implementation and maintenance of integration within the youth mental health system

Michael Hodgins, Catherine McHugh, Valsamma Eapen, Nan Hu, Mariyam Cadiri, Jackie Curtis, Raghu Lingam
Hodgins M et al, 2023 A framework for evaluating the implementation and maintenance of integration within the youth mental health system. International Journal of Integrated Care 23(S1):537 DOI: doi.org/10.5335/ijic.ICIC23537
View
Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, Integrated Care Models

Integrated care models for youth mental health: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Catherine McHugh, Nan Hu, Gabrielle Georgiou, Michael Hodgins, Sarah Leung, Mariyam Cadiri, Nicola Paul, Vikki Ryall, Debra Rickwood, Valsamma Eapen, Jackie Curtis, Raghu Lingam
McHugh C, Hu N, Georgiou G, Hodgins M, Leung S, Cadiri M, Paul N, Ryall V, Rickwood D, Eapen V, Curtis J, Lingam R. Integrated care models for youth mental health: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2024 Sep;58(9):747-759. doi: 10.1177/00048674241256759. Epub 2024 Jun 7. PMID: 38847297; PMCID: PMC11370150.
View
Framework Application, Service Evaluation, Australian Context

Evaluating youth mental health service integration in Australia using the Youth Integration Project (YIP) framework

Sawrikar V, Hodgins M, Leung S, Ardill-Young O, Curtis J, Lingam R
Sawrikar, V., Hodgins, M., Leung, S., Ardill-Young, O., Curtis, J., & Lingam, R. (2024, November 22). Evaluating youth mental health service integration in Australia using the Youth Integration Project (YIP) framework. https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/27bn9
View
Commissioned Review, Integrated Care Overview, Youth Mental Health

Review of Integrated Care in Youth Mental Health

Hodgins M, McHugh C, Hu N, Georgiou G, Paul N, Eapen V, Lingam R*, Curtis J* (*Joint Senior Authors)
Hodgins, M., McHugh, C., Hu, N., Georgiou, G., Paul, N., Eapen, V., Lingam, R*. & Curtis, J*. (2022). Review of Integrated Care in Youth Mental Health. Commissioned by headspace Youth National Mental Health Foundation Ltd. Sydney: Australia. *Joint Senior Authors © 2022 headspace Youth National Mental Health Foundation Ltd
View