Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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863. To ask the Minister for Health if her Department has considered combining existing community-based and State supports in a more accessible and joined-up way to reduce pressure on crisis mental health services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38719/25]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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It is a priority of Government to promote mental health and reduce the burden of mental health difficulties for all, supported by substantial investment in mental health services each year. This includes significant investment in Mental Health voluntary and community organisations, which receive substantial funding from the mental health budget on a yearly basis. The issue raised by the Deputy is also a key objective of the Mental Health component of the HSE Service Plan 2025.

I, and the Government, place significant value on the role of voluntary and community organisations in providing mental health care in Ireland. Over €110 million annually is provided to over 165 national or local organisations that advocate for or provide valuable mental health services or supports. This includes organisations such as Mental Health Reform, Jigsaw, Pieta, Mental Health Ireland, SHINE and many other smaller local organisations doing vital work in their communities.

Funding to voluntary and community organisations is arranged through the Section 39 process via local HSE Mental Health Services and, as part of this process, local HSE Mental Health Services will make a determination as to whether a service need exists in a particular area. Local operational and clinical considerations are central, and local HSE MHS have detailed knowledge of services available in areas under their remit.

It is of course desirable that all mental health supports should operate in a coordinated way so that the experience for service users is as seamless as possible. This is being pursued in a variety of ways and is a key focus of Sharing the Vision, our national mental health policy.

Under recommendation 13 of Sharing the Vision, for example, there is a commitment to map available voluntary and community sector (VCS) services and supports and produce directories for use by staff in primary care and Community Mental Health Teams. Work under this recommendation has resulted in the development of two directories; one for staff working in general practice, primary care centres and health centres; and a second for staff working in community mental health teams.

The first directory, the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Supports and Services Directory was developed as an information resource for general practitioners and for other staff working in general practice, primary care centres and health centres. It lists community and voluntary sector partners providing supports for people who may be experiencing mental health difficulties, suicidal ideation, engaging in deliberate self-harm, are bereaved by suicide or for family members, carers or supporters.

It was developed in collaboration with the community and voluntary sector organisations listed within it to assist general practitioners, practice nurses and other staff to easily and effectively recommend mental health supports and services to people in need.

A second version of the directory has been developed, specifically for staff working in community mental health teams, and this includes information on supports provided by the HSE, including peer support, recovery education, clinical programmes and intercultural health supports. This directory is also available to staff online.

These directories provide useful and up to date information to staff, service users, and others, facilitating greater involvement of the voluntary and community sector in the overall mental health support system. They will be reviewed regularly to ensure they remain up to date and useful to staff and service users.

Recommendation 14 commits to the development of secure and sustainable operational governance and funding models for voluntary and community sector organisations providing services aligned to the outcomes in Sharing the Vision.

Significant progress to more integrated approaches to care has been made under our Suicide Reduction policy Connecting for Life, and a successor to this policy is now well underway. HSE Mental Health and the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP) work with many VCS partners who provide mental health information, support, advocacy and services. A service level or grant aid agreement is in place to govern and guide funding allocation to each partner. These agreements are reviewed and renewed each year and it is ensured that work funded under such agreements aligns with national policy. Work under Recommendation 14 will strengthen this alignment and cooperation between HSE and VCS partners in the implementation of policy.

In addition, there is other work taking place in the mental health sector which is fostering alignment, cooperation and partnership with VCS agencies.

One such project is the development of a single point of access (SPoA) for mental health referrals in partnership with disabilities, primary care, and voluntary and statutory agencies is a key theme of the HSE Child and Youth Mental Health Office Action Plan that I launched in February last.

The SPoA will improve accessibility and integration of health services through resourcing and collaboration by the development of a single integrated pathway to mental health services. This will improve access for children and young people to integrated and appropriate mental health services through streamlined referrals and simplified care pathways which will reduce waiting lists.

The SPoA will to eliminate siloed approaches to care delivery and is a long-term objective of the 3-year plan. The HSE hope to complete Final Design for the SPoA in Q1 2026 and implement rollout of this new initiative over 2026 and 2027.

A further priority for me is to provide people in suicidal distress with alternatives to Emergency Departments, recognising that this is often not the best environment for supporting people.

Such alternatives are in development, helping to shift supports for those in crisis into their communities. One key part of the HSE Crisis Resolution Model of Care are Crisis Cafés, which are partnerships between the HSE and VCS agencies. They provide a welcoming, safe environment in the style of a café where people can go at evenings and weekends. These are known as Solace cafés, and a number are now open in different locations: Sligo/Leitrim, Cork (2 teams), Waterford, South Dublin/Wicklow, and Limerick.

I fully appreciate the valuable role played by VCS organisations in mental health services and will continue to pursue ways of ensuring service users experience of all mental health services is as seamless as possible, in tandem with enhancing access to these services.