Shine calls on the Government to make investment in community based mental health services a priority in Budget21 in line with Sharing the Vision national mental health policy.
We are asking the Government to prioritise these 4 key areas:
- Call for investment in / funding for the Community and Voluntary sector providing mental health services
- The Community and Voluntary sector plays an essential role in the delivery of mental health support services in the community, tailoring mental health recovery programmes to the needs, preferences and circumstances of the individual and the community which it serves.
- Covid-19 has seen a huge increase in the demand for mental health support services over the past number of months. Community and voluntary mental health services are under even more pressure than before to meet demand.
- To meet the targets outlined in the new national mental health policy, Sharing the Vision, and to deal with increased demand, the Community and Voluntary sector needs to be sufficiently funded to ensure the continuation and expansion of essential mental health recovery and support services.
2. Call for funding to allow families, carers and supporters timely access to recovery supports
- In line with Sharing the Vision, it is essential that mental health services are inclusive of family members and that the recovery support needs of families are a priority.
- We call on the Government to ensure appropriate investment in inclusiveness of family members in mental health service provision and family recovery orientated services
3. Call for investment in peer-led initiatives
- Peer-led and peer-run projects in the community are important ways to promote the social inclusion of people with a mental health difficulty. They are key to enhancing positive mental health by generating social capital and promoting an individual’s social inclusion and mental health recovery.
- Peer-led initiatives need access to reliable funding streams.
4. Call for investment in intensive recovery focused support services for people with severe and enduring mental health difficulties
- In line with the commitment in Sharing the Vision, we are calling on the Government to prioritise funding for intensive recovery focused support services for people with complex, severe and enduring mental health difficulties.
- Sufficient investment in Assertive Outreach Teams and community based supports can reduce hospital admissions and readmissions, prevent relapse, and improve a person’s chances of returning to employment, education or training, and, more generally, to enhance their quality of life.