Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 December 2023
531. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health what plans are in place to implement a national action plan for Traveller mental health; the details of work carried out to date in the area of Traveller mental health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53378/23]
View answerThe Traveller Health Action Plan was launched in November 2022. The Department of Health and the HSE are committed to developing priorities, strategies and actions on Traveller mental health within the framework of the National Traveller Health Action Plan. These will respond to acknowledged needs in Traveller mental health and address the social determinants of Traveller mental health through targeted and mainstreaming measures. The Action Plan is a landmark document that recognises the right of Travellers to the highest attainable standard of health as is the norm in Irish society. It includes mental and physical health, which are intricately linked.
As a first step, the Traveller Health Action Plan contains of six actions on Traveller mental health. These are being delivered through the HSE national service plan for 2023, supported by an additional ring-fenced budget of €300,000. This will enable the employment of 7 community support workers within the Traveller projects to focus on engaging the community with existing mental health supports, identifying gaps and consulting on future service developments. The actions reflect the priority status of Travellers in the Government mental health policies - Sharing the Vision and Connecting for Life, and will be reported upon as part of the Sharing the Vision Implementation Plan 2022 - 2024. Progress will also be monitored under the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy.
The Department and the HSE are engaging with the Traveller community to further develop and expand the actions as part of a mental health priority plan, within the framework of the Traveller health action plan. The newly-established HSE steering group on Traveller mental health will consult with Traveller organisations and representatives on this task. Traveller representatives have also been invited to be part of the group.
I welcome the increased focus in the area of Traveller mental health and I look forward to the progression of this workstream. Budget 2024 provided new funding to enhance Suicide Prevention and Postvention Services through the expansion of Suicide Bereavement Liaison Service; and for the Traveller Counselling Service, which will have national coverage for the first time. The details of this are the subject of on-going discussions in the context of agreeing the the HSE Service Plan overall for next year, including for Mental Health.
In addition to this, Travellers are identified as a Priority Group in Connecting for Life, our national suicide reduction strategy. The vision of Connecting for Life is “an Ireland where fewer lives are lost through suicide, and where communities and individuals are empowered to improve their mental health and wellbeing.” This vision is embedded in all supports and interventions developed with, by, and for, the Traveller community.
The Traveller community are a key focus for a number of specific actions across Connecting for Life, including actions on suicide prevention training within the community and amongst front line staff, awareness raising, protocols to assist organisations to work collaboratively on suicide prevention and managing critical incidents, and support for targeted services at primary care level.
The HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention co-ordinates the implementation of Connecting for Life, and funds partner NGOs to deliver essential training and services including bereavement services and therapeutic interventions. The HSE NOSP allocate over €7m in funding each year to partner NGOs.
One such agency is Exchange House National Travellers Service. With the support of the HSE NOSP, Exchange House provides a range of Traveller-specific mental health and suicide prevention services to the community. Their aim is to improve the overall wellbeing of Travellers and reduce the likelihood of suicide or self-harm within the community.
Exchange House do this by working with Traveller groups and Traveller organisations and services (including Primary Healthcare Projects and Traveller Action Groups). They also provide direct mental health support to Travellers experiencing mental health issues including psychotherapy and CBT. Exchange House were allocated €325,000 in funding by HSE NOSP last year, with a similar amount allocated this year. Further information on NOSP funding to organisations is available in its annual reports.
In addition to that noted above, the HSE fund a number of Traveller organisations to ensure culturally appropriate supports are available. This includes Pavee Point, a national NGO working for the realisation of human rights for Irish Travellers and Roma living in Ireland. The organisation is a partnership of Travellers, Roma and members of the majority population working together to address the needs of Travellers and Roma as minority ethnic groups who experience exclusion, marginalisation and discrimination.
Pavee Point works across national, regional and local levels to help coordinate engagement between the Traveller Community and State structures, including health. Pavee Point is funded by the HSE as a Section 39 organisation to provide healthcare services for Travellers. In 2022, it received funding of €1,283,000 from CHO 7 and CHO 9. Services include Primary Care for Travellers, drug and alcohol services, maternal health and mental health services.
