Background: The problems of long waiting time and non-attendance prompted the implementation of a triage procedure in a child and adolescent psychiatry clinic in Hong Kong. Method: A two-stage triage procedure was set up, incorporating an initial screening by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, followed by a semi-structured telephone triage interview scored according to pre-set criteria. Results from the triage interview were compared with clinicians’ rating of urgency. Results: The procedure was successful in identifying cases that were in need of urgent assessment, whose waiting time was shortened substantially. The non-attendance rate also improved. Conclusions: The triage procedure helped to streamline the service in a grossly under-resourced clinic, but further refinement is still needed.