Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 September 2020
631. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health the supports that will be implemented to support those whose mental health has suffered as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23289/20]
View answerThe outbreak of Covid-19 throughout the world is a source of significant stress, anxiety, worry and fear for many people. This arises from the disease itself, as well as from impacts such as increased social isolation, disruption to daily life and uncertainty about employment and financial security.
Acute inpatient and community residential facilities have remained open and services provided throughout the pandemic, although numbers have been reduced in some settings.
The advent of Covid-19 has led to a rapid acceleration in the delivery of online mental health services, with the Department of Health launching various initiatives to promote mental health and wellbeing.
€2.2m has been provided for a mental health promotion and well-being campaign, through enhanced online supports, and to support the HSE psychosocial strategy. This will enable the Irish healthcare system to implement integrated telehealth solutions and to augment existing online interventions funded to date.
The HSE supports a wide array of mental health services nationwide, including support services for children, young people and their families, all of which are listed on YourMentalHealth.ie and Gov.ie. Working with the HSE, numerous state funded agencies have innovated, and adapted services to continue engaging with people during Covid-19, through online counselling, additional 24/7 telephone support, online training and tele-peer support.
Digital initiatives that have been recently introduced include:
- Free access to counselling online or by telephone for those affected by COVID-19.
- a national 24/7 Crisis Text-Line, a voluntary, clinically supported texting service targeting teenagers and young adults; and
- the new CAMHS Connect telepsychiatry service for HSE West which expected to be rolled out nationally and which will pave the way for enhanced care provision for children and young people, ranging from presentations in Emergency Departments to more regular monitoring after crisis episodes. CAMHS Connect will improve access, reduce waiting times and address some staff recruitment and retention issues.
To plan for the ongoing and increasing need for mental health services, and the demand for more holistic person-centred responses across the whole community, the refreshed national mental health policy, Sharing the Vision – A Mental Health Policy for Everyone, was published in June 2020.
This policy sets out a 10-year plan for our services that that addresses the needs of population though a focus on the requirements of the individual.
The key outcomes identified are:
- promotion, prevention and early intervention;
- service access, coordination and continuity of care;
- social inclusion; and
- accountability and continuous improvement.
Sharing the Vision will further promote the significant recent developments in online mental health service provision expedited by the advent of Covid-19.
There will be a national implementation monitoring committee (NIMC) to ensure the policy is driven nationally over the next ten years.
Planning for the establishment of the NIMC and associated implementation structures is underway and will be subject to ministerial approval in due course. It is anticipated that it will be established by October 2020.
