EMERGE Leeds: Complex Emotional Needs Service

Care coordination in EMERGE Leeds is a collaboration between you and a ‘care coordinator’ or ‘keyworker’. The aim is to build a therapeutic working relationship that feels safe and supportive. This will help to identify the challenges and problems that are having a negative impact relating to mental health needs. A care coordinator will help develop a safety plan for times of distress or crisis, as well as a care plan that explains the support available which may include:

• Youth Workers, based at The Market Place, can offer support to focus on anything you are struggling to cope with.
• The Duty Worker is available via the main EMERGE phone line. It is open Mon-Fri, 1-5pm if you need additional support over the phone.
• Occupational Therapists can help you to take part in purposeful activity and give you a chance to learn about yourself and others in a different way.
• Psychological Therapists can support you to better understand and/or develop strategies to manage difficulties using a range of approaches suited to your needs.
• Creative Therapists offer a creative way to explore and make sense of your experiences.
• Housing & Resettlement Case Workers, through Community Links can support with early intervention to prevent homelessness
• Peer support
  • Peer Support Workers, based at Touchstone, provide the opportunity to meet regularly with someone who has relevant lived experience of mental health difficulties.
  • Peer Support Group, facilitated by Touchstone, is an opportunity to come together socially with other service users and peer support workers

The service is for young adults who as a result of complex trauma and adverse life experiences may have developed ways of coping and surviving that cause them harm and distress.

We work with young adults whose needs cannot be met by Primary Care, Leeds Mental Wellbeing Service or other community services.

These are typically young adults for whom:

• there is a significant pattern of difficulties and/or instability in relationships. These difficulties are long standing and present in a range of relationships and different circumstances/contexts, and may be enduring without intervention at this stage
• there is a significant pattern of difficulties coping with distress and managing emotions. As above, these are long standing and present in a range of contexts and may be enduring without intervention at this stage
• ways of coping and surviving tend to result in risk, typically to themselves.

To access this service, a young person must meet the above criteria and be willing to engage in therapeutic support.

Referrals for Care Coordination for 18-25 year olds should be made via the Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Single Point of Access (SPA). Referrals will be reviewed by the relevant Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) in the first instance and forwarded on to Emerge Leeds if the above criteria is met and it is felt we would be best placed to offer an initial assessment. Where appropriate, an assessment will be offered to establish suitability for our young adults pathway, alongside a wider assessment of their needs and options for support and intervention.

Internal Referrals from other LYPFT Services can be made via Care Director and should be discussed with the Emerge Leeds Clinical Team Manager. To contact the Clinical Team Manager, please email the Emerge Referrals inbox.

Referrals for young people currently with Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (CYPMHS) who meet the above criteria and require mental health support post 18 will be discussed with CYPMHS staff and the young person themselves to determine the best pathway. Where it is agreed, the young person’s care will transfer directly to EMERGE Leeds. To discuss a young person you may wish to refer please contact the Emerge Leeds Clinical Team Manager by emailing the Emerge Referrals inbox.