Mental health services for adolescents and adults with intellectual disabilities in Norway: a descriptive study
| Published date | 02 July 2018 |
| Date | 02 July 2018 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/AMHID-03-2018-0012 |
| Pages | 121-134 |
| Author | Trine Lise Bakken,Olav Ose Evensen,Tale Gjertine Bjørgen,Inger Tove Nilsen,Nina Bang,Unni Pedersen,Kim Berge,Karl Elling Ellingsen,Terje Baasland,Sissel Berge Helverschou |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Learning & intellectual disabilities |
Mental health services for adolescents
and adults with intellectual disabilities in
Norway: a descriptive study
Trine Lise Bakken, Olav Ose Evensen, Tale Gjertine Bjørgen, Inger Tove Nilsen, Nina Bang,
Unni Pedersen, Kim Berge, Karl Elling Ellingsen, Terje Baasland and
Sissel Berge Helverschou
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to present and discuss mental health services for people with
intellectual disability (ID) in Norway.
Design/methodology/approach –A literature review and a survey were conducted to map services for
people with ID and mental health problems in Norway.
Findings –The results were sparse and confirmed what is already known among clinicians working with
these patients. The Norwegian services are fragmented and there are geographical differences.
Research limitations/implications –There are no special services for children with ID developing mental
illness. For offenders with ID, a national unit assesses and follows up, also when the person is sentenced to
compulsory care and services are provided in their home municipality.
Practical implications –More data about both the patients and the services are needed in order to improve
mental health services for people with ID in Norway.
Originality/value –This paper describes mental health services for people with ID in Norway.
Keywords Mental health, Adolescents, Services, Intellectual disabilities, Norway, Adults
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Norway has an area of about 385,000 square kilometres and about 5.3m inhabitants.
The Norwegian state has three administrative levels: municipalities, counties and state level.
The public health system is organised the same way. Norwegian health and social services are
predominantly public. There is a small number of private hospitals and other health and social
services; mostly owned by non-profit foundations like the Red Cross, etc. Norway has four health
regions: the south–east health region, the west region, the central region and the north region.
The health services are organised on three levels: services in the municipalities, specialist health
services (hospitals and outpatient clinics) and specialist services at regional or national level.
Additionally, there are advisory units at regional or national levels.
The Norwegian health care system is founded on the principles of universal access,
decentralisation and free choice of provider. It is financed by taxation, together with
income-related employee and employer contributions and out-of-pocket payments
(co-payments). While health care policy is controlled centrally, responsibility for the provision
of health care is decentralised. Local authorities at municipal level organise and finance primary
health care services according to local demand. Norway’s four regional health authorities control
the provision of specialized health services by 27 health enterprises.
Norwegian mental health services are organised the same way as physical health services.
The health authorities have a declared goal of providing the services at the lowest level, and that
Received 20 March 2018
Revised 16 May 2018
Accepted 2 August 2018
The authors affiliations can be
found at the end of this article.
DOI 10.1108/AMHID-03-2018-0012 VOL. 12 NO. 3/4 2018, pp.121-134, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2044-1282
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ADVANCESIN MENTAL HEALTH AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
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