Denmark is facing a significant crisis in child and adolescent psychiatric care, with waiting lists stretching dangerously long and growing numbers of children suffering from severe mental health issues.
Severe Waiting Times in Child Psychiatry
Many children and adolescents across Denmark are facing alarming delays in receiving psychiatric assessments and treatments. According to Danske Regioner, the regional governments are struggling to reduce these extensive waiting lists due to multiple factors that need to be aligned before progress can be made. In northern Jutland, children are waiting up to 3.5 years for evaluations related to conditions such as ADHD, autism, or anxiety. Furthermore, regions like Southern and Central Jutland are experiencing waits of over one year.
The situation is described as “hopeless and incredibly urgent” by Marianne Skjold, director of the Danish Mental Health Foundation. Once children are referred to child and adolescent psychiatry, their issues often extend beyond minor difficulties, as they may be facing serious psychological conditions.
In 2023, a private company, Carelink Psykiatri, was enlisted as a potential solution to alleviate the wait times by providing evaluations and treatments. However, the partnership was abruptly discontinued in the fall when Carelink terminated its agreement with Danske Regioner, citing unworkable cooperation conditions. Consequently, many patients were sent back to the regional systems, which are already strained due to staffing shortages and recruitment challenges.
Consequences of Staffing Shortages
Skjold emphasized that children are becoming more unwell than necessary because of the delays in receiving mental health support, resulting in significant strain on public child and adolescent psychiatric services. The situation is expected to worsen, as Danske Regioner anticipates that wait times could extend further. Even after Carelink withdrew from the partnership, they continued to support many ongoing treatment cases, but now about 400 vulnerable patients will return to the public system, exacerbating the existing pressure.
Jacob Klærke, the chairman of Danske Regioner’s psychiatry and social committee, noted the challenge of reintegrating these patients back into the public system, stating the immediate focus is to manage this influx and obtain a clearer understanding of the needs of these 400 individuals. While regions are planning to collaborate with another private provider to assist this group, details remain undisclosed.
Despite the potential intervention of a private partner, the issue of long waiting lists persists. Klærke acknowledged that fulfilling the needs of all patients on the waiting list will require collective efforts from child and adolescent psychiatric facilities across all regions of Denmark. He pointed out that current wait times are “too long” and asserts that initiatives are being developed to reverse the trend. However, the challenges of recruiting qualified personnel remain significant hurdles.
Investment in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Danske Regioner is in the process of hiring more staff within child and adolescent psychiatry and re-evaluating treatment and assessment frameworks. Additionally, a more accessible support program is being created in local municipalities to provide preventive care for children and adolescents. Yet, Klærke could not specify when waiting lists might begin to shrink. It will largely depend on the speed of rolling out preventive measures in communities and efficiently recruiting new employees.
Discussions in the Folketing, the Danish Parliament, are ongoing about a comprehensive psychiatric plan that may influence progress. While measures are being taken to reduce wait times, Klærke emphasized the dual obligation to deliver quality care, stressing that changes would not happen overnight but would unfold “over several years,” given the significant increase in referrals.
Health Minister Sophie Løhde (V) has not participated in interviews, yet she acknowledges in a written response that the child and adolescent psychiatric sector is under immense pressure. The government’s proposals aim to ensure “better and quicker evaluations and treatments for children and adolescents.” Løhde admits that “too many must wait too long” for help.
Danske Regioner expresses cautious optimism regarding the government’s initiatives, but leaders at the Danish Mental Health Foundation urge immediate action over further negotiations. Skjold insists that children need to be directed to where the child and adolescent psychiatrists are, advocating for the government and Danske Regioner to establish agreements with additional private providers to fully utilize available capacity.
Challenges in Collaboration with Private Entities
However, Jacob Klærke from Danske Regioner points out that securing new private providers to assist children and adolescents in psychiatric care is easier said than done. He highlights that there are only a few major players in the private sector capable of stepping in meaningfully.
As Denmark grapples with this crisis in child and adolescent psychiatry, the focus remains on balancing the immediate needs of vulnerable children with the imperative to deliver high-quality care. The combined efforts of regional governments, healthcare providers, and policymakers will be critical in navigating the challenges ahead and ensuring that timely support is accessible to all who need it.
The demand for psychiatric services continues to exceed available resources, and it is clear that comprehensive strategies must be implemented to address the alarming situation facing Denmark’s youth—and quickly.
