Project

Project for national implementation competence to support the growth of children and young people

The aim of the project for national implementation competence to support the growth of children and young people (Early Intervention KI) is to nationally promote the adoption and establishing of evidence-based, effective psychosocial methods for children, young people and families. The Early Intervention KI project continues and complements the assessment of psychosocial methods that has been carried out in Itla’s Early Intervention work for years, as well as implementation support for effective evidence-based methods. The solutions developed in the project will be integrated as a permanent part of this whole. The project's development work also complements the implementation of effective methods in accordance with the national mental health strategy. The Early Intervention KI project started in Itla in the spring of 2023 and the project period will continue until the end of 2025. The project is being funded by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.

Year: 2023-2025

Development work is focused on three levels

The mission of Early Intervention KI is to promote the adoption of effective psychosocial methods for children, young people and families at three different levels within the service system: nationally, regionally and locally.

At the national level, the aim is to promote the selection of evidence-based effective methods for national dissemination. We increase understanding of the methods’ effectiveness, adaptation and monitoring to support decision-making.

At the regional level, the aim is to strengthen the implementation competence of psychosocial methods in wellbeing services counties by providing necessary and useful support for systematic implementation based on research data.

Locally, tools are created to promote mental health by modelling psychosocial support and mental health support policies for both schools and families with serious illnesses. The aim is to strengthen cooperation between organisations in the field of social and health care and the education administration.

Starting points of the project

The starting point for the project is existing legislation and support for the division of work enabled by legislation. The national method evaluation and implementation must be seen as a whole, where the division of work and processes are jointly agreed and clear.

In the Early Intervention KI project, it is essential that permanent activities are created to support national implementation and, in particular, the tasks defined in the centralisation decree for special health care. In addition to social and health care, the development work focuses on the education administration and related student welfare.

Effective methods and availability of services

The psychosocial method chosen for national dissemination must:

be evidence-based
respond to an identified need for support
be suitable for the target group

The project promotes equal access to effective mental health services for children and young people, regardless of region. By increasing cooperation between different professional groups, we aim to improve basic services and ensure equal access to effective mental health services for children and young people in the services of wellbeing services counties and in connection with the municipal educational administration.