Sir, – The Mental Health Commission’s Independent Review of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs) shows that many children in Ireland are not receiving appropriate and timely mental health treatment, while clinicians are frustrated by the lack of resources.
While the failures in Camhs are extremely concerning, we fear that the importance of prevention and early intervention is getting lost in the conversation. Specialised services alone are not enough to support young people with mental health difficulties. Early intervention and prevention are key to preventing the development of more complex and costly mental health issues.
The voluntary and community sector plays a crucial role in the delivery of these services, including education, talk therapies, helplines and peer support.
Over the past year, many of Mental Health Reform’s member organisations have seen an unprecedented demand for support from children and young people. In 2022, Jigsaw’s community-based services offered over 36,000 appointments to young people, their highest-ever number. The charity Pieta increased therapy hours by almost 7 per cent last year to meet growing needs.
Despite the important role of the sector, the funding provided by the State is often unsustainable and insufficient to meet demand. Many organisations must operate with limited, precarious or no public funding, relying on donations and fundraising to generate income. This funding model poses significant challenges for service provision, recruitment and retention.
If we are to improve mental health outcomes for future generations, the Government must take a strategic approach to ensure young people get the support they need when they need it. Part of this includes increasing investment in the voluntary and community sector.
The upcoming budget will be a critical litmus test for the Government. Time will tell if our leaders are truly committed to addressing the crisis in youth mental health. – Yours, etc,
FIONA COYLE,
CEO,
Mental Health Reform,
Dublin 7.