Building a Novel Tiered Care Model for Mental Health
Care Continuum
National Healthcare Innovation and Productivity Medals
SingHealth
29 January 2026
The main goals of PAWS are to reduce wait time for mental health services by expanding mental health physician capacity. PAWS is a complex intervention with three main components: triage, outpatient service, and community integration, and has demonstrated.
Year Submitted: 2025
Published Date: 29 January 2026
Tags: Care Continuum, Population Health, Mental Health
About this Content
Aims
The main goals of PAWS are to reduce wait time for mental health services by expanding mental health physician capacity, improve access to mental health services and right siting to community resources when appropriate, and deliver effective mental health care.
Background
The number of children and adolescents experiencing mental health distress is on the rise, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Globally, 1 in 5 children and young persons are affected by pediatric mental health disorders. In Singapore, a recent study found that 1 in 3 adolescents reported internalizing mental health symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and loneliness.
Methods
PAWS is described as a complex intervention using the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) checklist. The three main components are the triage system, outpatient service, and community integration.
Results
From January to December 2023, 188 referrals were triaged to PAWS, representing 25% of total referrals. PAWS saw a total of 155 patients in 2023. Improvements in global function scores and psychopathology scores with equivocal change in distress scores indicate delivery of effective mental health care.
Conclusion
PAWS is a complex intervention with three main components: triage, outpatient service, and community integration, and has demonstrated improvements in waiting times for mental health services leading to increased access to mental health care for children and young persons.
Lessons Learnt
The implementation of a collaborative care model in mental health is potentially scalable and possibly can be replicated in other settings in primary care.
Additional Information
The National Mental Health and Well-being Strategy in 2023 uses a tiered care model as a framework to guide mental health service delivery.
Keywords
Mental Health, Paediatrics, Community Integration
Innovators' Details
Innovators' Details
Healthcare Cluster(s) | SingHealth |
Organization(s) Involved | KK Womens & Childrens Hospital |
Platform(s) | National Healthcare Innovation and Productivity Medals |
Healthcare Professional Group(s) | Medical |
Applicable Specialty or Discipline | Paediatrics |
Project Lead(s) | Wu Song Lian Ryan |
Project Member(s) | Samuel Lim Zhi Rui |
Connect with this contributor!
Wu Song Lian Ryan - Ryan.wu.s.l@singhealth.com.sg