# A Case for a Multi‐Professional Approved Clinician Role in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Inpatient Units, Crisis, and Liaison

## TL;DR

This paper argues for adding a multi-professional approved clinician role to improve mental health care for neurodivergent children and adolescents.

## Contribution

The MPAC role is proposed as a new model to complement psychiatrists in CAMHS, focusing on neurodivergent individuals.

## Key findings

- The MPAC role can enhance care quality and efficiency in CAMHS.
- MPACs can address gaps in treatment for neurodivergent individuals up to age 25.
- The role supports training, consultation, and specialized discharge models.

## Abstract

This case supports the rationale for implementing a multi‐professional approved clinician (MPAC) role for neurodivergent individuals within child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). An MPAC's core discipline is commonly social work, mental health nursing, and occupational therapy, with additional training, experience, and skills in mental health law, policy, and practice. The MPAC role would complement the existing approved clinician role, usually fulfilled by a psychiatrist. Adding the MPAC role would provide a holistic multidisciplinary approach to mental health provision for children and adolescents up to age 25. Furthermore, the introduction of this role will enhance quality of care, improve service efficiency, and generate financial benefits by optimizing resource utilization within CAMHS.

What Is Known?
∘The multi‐professional approved clinician (MPAC) is usually a qualified social worker, mental health nurse, or occupational therapist with specialized skills, experience, and training in the Mental Health Act and evidence‐based mental health care.∘Neurodivergent individuals up to age 25 have a high likelihood of needing crisis‐focused treatment.∘Clinicians lack the knowledge, confidence, and skills to deliver psychotherapy to neurodivergent individuals.
What Is New?
∘The MPAC model can be implemented into existing structures across CAMHS inpatient, crisis, and liaison to complement the role of the current psychiatrist AC.∘The MPAC role specializes in the mental health and neuroscience of neurodivergent individuals.
What Is Significant for Clinical Practice?
∘The MPAC can reduce the gaps in provision for neurodivergent individuals up to age 25, by conducting training, consultation, and specialized treatment and discharge models.∘The MPAC can spearhead pioneering research and influence policy, practice, and mental health service provision.

What Is Known?
∘The multi‐professional approved clinician (MPAC) is usually a qualified social worker, mental health nurse, or occupational therapist with specialized skills, experience, and training in the Mental Health Act and evidence‐based mental health care.∘Neurodivergent individuals up to age 25 have a high likelihood of needing crisis‐focused treatment.∘Clinicians lack the knowledge, confidence, and skills to deliver psychotherapy to neurodivergent individuals.

The multi‐professional approved clinician (MPAC) is usually a qualified social worker, mental health nurse, or occupational therapist with specialized skills, experience, and training in the Mental Health Act and evidence‐based mental health care.

Neurodivergent individuals up to age 25 have a high likelihood of needing crisis‐focused treatment.

Clinicians lack the knowledge, confidence, and skills to deliver psychotherapy to neurodivergent individuals.

What Is New?
∘The MPAC model can be implemented into existing structures across CAMHS inpatient, crisis, and liaison to complement the role of the current psychiatrist AC.∘The MPAC role specializes in the mental health and neuroscience of neurodivergent individuals.

The MPAC model can be implemented into existing structures across CAMHS inpatient, crisis, and liaison to complement the role of the current psychiatrist AC.

The MPAC role specializes in the mental health and neuroscience of neurodivergent individuals.

What Is Significant for Clinical Practice?
∘The MPAC can reduce the gaps in provision for neurodivergent individuals up to age 25, by conducting training, consultation, and specialized treatment and discharge models.∘The MPAC can spearhead pioneering research and influence policy, practice, and mental health service provision.

The MPAC can reduce the gaps in provision for neurodivergent individuals up to age 25, by conducting training, consultation, and specialized treatment and discharge models.

The MPAC can spearhead pioneering research and influence policy, practice, and mental health service provision.