More than 1,000 young people across Cork and Kerry are awaiting appointments with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs), with a third of those waiting for more than a year.
The figures have prompted a call for renewed and urgent action to address growing pressures on youth mental health services across the region.
At the latest Regional Health Forum a HSE spokesperson confirmed there are 1,054 children waiting to receive care under Camhs across the southern region.
Of these 351 have been waiting for longer than a year, 152 between nine and 12 months, 155 between six and nine months, 196 between three and six months, and 200 waiting up to three months.
Long waits
The spokesperson said across all mental health services within the region, the most significant pressure is within Camhs “where both the absolute numbers and the proportion of long waits — over 12 months — are highest”.
“HSE South West continues to implement a range of measures to improve access to mental health services, including ongoing recruitment initiatives, enhanced triage, and prioritisation processes, targeted waiting list initiatives and service redesign programmes across both Camhs and adult services.”
Significant gaps
The chair of the health forum, Labour Party councillor Peter Horgan, said despite these measures, “significant gaps remain in service accessibility, early intervention, and targeted outreach for younger cohorts”.
“We need an urgent conversation, especially in the area of young males, who continue to be disproportionately affected by mental health challenges and suicide risk” Mr Horgan said.
“There is a need to engage with all people, but young men in particular, who we know are less likely to seek help and more likely to present in emergency situations. When you look at the gaps in genuine support models for young men, the numbers presented are stark.”
He said service deficits in Cork and Kerry reflect broader national challenges, showcasing the need for “regionally responsive solutions”, such as strengthened school-based mental health supports, expanded outreach programmes, and improved integration between primary care, community organisations, and specialist HSE mental health services.