Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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1508.To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality for an update on the roll-out of the mental health crisis de-escalation team in Limerick; the reasons for the delays; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31713/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Final Report and Recommendations of the High Level Task Force to consider the mental health and addiction challenges of those who come into contact with the criminal justice sector was published by the Minister for Health and myself in September 2022.

The recommendations aim to ensure better support for people at the earliest point at which they encounter the criminal justice system and to divert them away from it where possible, while supporting them in their rehabilitation from addiction and/or in the recovery and management of their illness.

One of the recommendations that came from the work of the subgroup of the High Level Task Force that looked at diversion, was the development of a Community Access Support Team (CAST).

The development of the CAST approach should enhance diversionary practices for those experiencing crisis and situational trauma that leads to mental health difficulties. This approach moves towards the shared goal of providing a compassionate and effective response to people in distress and improving the experience and outcomes for those experiencing distress and those providing support.

Before nationwide roll-out, the pilot project CAST will be trialled in the Limerick Garda Division. It is a partnership pilot between An Garda Síochána and the Mental Health Services HSE, Mid-West Community Healthcare. The pilot project is not a mental health de-escalation unit, but will endeavour to establish an appropriate co-response approach to calls relating to mental health and situational trauma. Contact is ongoing between officials from my Department and the Department of Health, An Garda Síochána and the Health Service Executive on the delivery of this initiative, which is now expected in Q4 2024.