Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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584. To ask the Minister for Health if there is a dedicated person within her Department to liaise with other relevant Departments to facilitate and help persons (details supplied) who suffer from mental illness, who have difficulty accessing services such as benefits, getting on the social housing list and dealing with the rent allowance office. [18282/13]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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There are a range of services available to individuals who have mental health problems. One of the core values of A Vision for Change is social inclusion in the context of recovery, supporting individuals to reclaim their valued role in their community by engaging with their community in accessing services and benefits with support. Mental health social workers carry out a range of functions as members of multidisciplinary Community Mental Health Teams. Case management involves the integration of health services with a range of other services including, housing, social welfare, job training and employment, liaison with statutory and voluntary agencies etc. The National Service User Executive also has a role in assisting service users along with other agencies such as Citizens Information services which provides an Advocacy service to persons with a disability, to support those people in accessing their entitlements such as rent allowances etc. In addition, individuals, while in-patients in acute mental health units, have access to a Peer Advocate who will provide information and support.

The Department of Health's statutory role is to support the Minister for Health in the formulation and evaluation of policies for the health services. It also has a role in the strategic planning of health services. This is carried out in conjunction with the Health Service Executive, voluntary service providers, Government Departments and other interested parties. There is no dedicated person within the Department of Health to liaise with other Government Departments and, or, Agencies on behalf of individuals who have mental health problems and who have difficulty accessing services such as those described by the Deputy.