President, Dr Lorcan Martin and Manager of Communications, External Affairs & Policy, Andrea Ryder, met with Minister of State for Mental Health, Mary Butler, in Leinster House.
During an engaging and productive meeting, the Minister provided valuable updates on several Department of Health Mental Health Unit initiatives, developments, and funding allocations across the mental health landscape. Some of the areas covered were funding secured for service developments; emerging work with NGOs; plans to provide improved signposting for services and supports for mental illness and mental health difficulties for and to the public; and providing useful apps aimed at supporting people’s mental health.
Areas of mutual interest and concern discussed included older age groups, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), and men’s mental health. There was also a discussion about the review of the current Mental Health Act and the awaited bill for same being included on the priority legislation list after Easter, for the last Dáil session, and before the summer recess. We welcomed this priority and the progress to date to draft a new revised act which is long overdue. We outlined our concerns again re potential changes that may impact negatively on urgent patient care.