Background

The multidisciplinary Consultation Task Force was established to promote the use of the mental health consultation model and the multiplier effect. Its first activity was to conduct a survey of existing mental health consultation services in six key service sectors: child welfare services, children's mental health centres, schools, day care centres, probation and aftercare services, services to First Nations.

The extent to which mental health consultation was being used, the extent to which it was seen as being helpful, and barriers to the more extensive use of the multiplier effect were determined. As a result of that experience, a handbook on mental health consultation was developed to train and orientate future consultants, and to help potential consultees identify the benefits of becoming users of the consultation process. (A Guide to Effective Mental Health Consultation, 1994.)

The Intervention Task Force was concerned with evaluating the effectiveness of intervention and treatment: what works. The Task Force developed two papers on topics of interest to clinical and front-line staff ("inserts"): Prevention of Child Maltreatment, by Dr. Harriet MacMillan, Spring 1994; and Parent Training Programs for Families of Children with Disruptive Behaviour Disorders, by Charles E. Cunningham, Ph.D. Spring 1994.

These two Task Forces joined together to explore the complexities of the assessment of the child and family and whether a generic assessment is possible or advisable. The goal was to prevent multiple assessments and to more expeditiously match treatment to the particular needs of the child and family.

Before adjourning for the sabbatical, The Intervention and Consultation Task Force developed a document entitled Assessment in Children's Mental Health: Trends, Challenges and Conceptual Framework, Toronto, October 1999. This paper was prepared by Zel Fellegi and Dermot Hurley on behalf of the Intervention and Consultation Task Force of the Sparrow Lake Alliance. The Alliance thanks The Toba Korenblum Fund for Children which provided generous support for the printing of this publication.