Ceist:
82 Mr. Coveney asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to concerns regarding undiagnosed mental health difficulties among children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25535/01]
Written Answers. - Mental Health Services.
The development of child and adolescent psychiatric services has been a priority in recent years. A working group was established by my Department in June 2000 to review child and adolescent psychiatry and to finalise a plan for its future development. The first report of the working group issued in March 2001 contains recommendations for the expansion and enhancement of services for the management and treatment of children and adolescents with mental illness.
This year additional revenue funding of £3.225 million, 4.095, has been allocated to provide for the appointment of additional consultants in child and adolescent psychiatry and for the enhancement of existing multi-disciplinary teams. Capital funding is being provided under the national development plan for the development of the specialist in-patient units for children and adolescents.
The working group's report also recommended that formal liaison arrangements be developed at local level in each health board area to address linkages with the education system, and the community health services and to utilise where possible shared care with general practitioner services, developmental paediatrics, paediatric neurologists and the adult psychiatric services. These developments, together with the planned expansion of the National Educational Psychological Service Agency, NEPS, are likely to identify children with mental illness who were previously undiagnosed and to increase referrals to the child and adolescent psychiatric services over the coming years.
Additional resources were provided to the Mental Health Association of Ireland in recent years. The resources have enabled the association to continue the very successful national public speaking project in schools and to develop the mental health resource pack, Mental Health Matters. These initiatives play a significant role in addressing the issue of mental health in a manner appropriate to children and make young people aware of the services and facilities that are available should they or a friend require them. It is hoped that it will encourage people to access professional help sooner and to further de-stigmatise young peoples attitude towards mental illness.
Dan Neville
Ceist:83 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on whether discharging homeless persons who have been treated for mental illness back onto the streets is correct; and the plans he has to overcome this. [25384/01]
I am aware that the homeless are a high risk group in relation to a number of health conditions, including mental illness.
The Guidelines on Good Practice and Quality Assurance in Mental Health Services produced by the Inspector of Mental Hospitals in 1998 set out the discharge policies and procedures which should be in place in each hospital and acute psychiatric unit. A clear discharge plan should be designed for each patient, to ensure that all appropriate information is given and all appropriate services arranged prior to the patient's actual discharge. This includes checking to ensure that the patient has suitable accommodation.
While it is acknowledged that those leaving residential care may be at risk of becoming homeless, research undertaken on former long-stay patients of St. Brendan's Hospital shows that virtually no former long-stay patients have become homeless. New patients presenting to smaller psychiatric units based in general hospitals for psychiatric disorders, often complicated further by alcohol and drug abuse, are deemed to be at much higher risk of becoming homeless.
In the Eastern Regional Health Authority area, a specific mental health programme for the homeless is in place with residential and day facilities together with an outreach programme. Resources have been made available by my Department to the authority in recent years to enable the provision of an additional consultant psychiatrist and the expansion of a multi-disciplinary team which deals specifically with the needs of homeless people who are mentally ill. The Southern Health Board has also been provided with funding to commence the provision of a service to the homeless in Cork. The board has recently advertised for a consultant psychiatrist for the homeless and will recruit other appropriate staff to the service.
My Department has completed the drafting of a strategy aimed at preventing homelessness among those leaving institutional care. This is due to be published shortly as part of an overall strategy by the Department of the Environment and Local Government. The objective of the strategy is to provide guidance to health boards to ensure procedures and policy are in place to reduce the risk of people becoming homeless on leaving institutional care, including arrangements for people leaving psychiatric facilities.