Update: Support Services for Children or Teenagers at risk of Self-Harm – Health 19th November, 2014

 
  *  To ask the Minister for Health the degree to which he expects to be in a position to offer assistance to voluntary bodies or agencies providing counselling or other support services for children or teenagers with particular reference to those deemed to be at risk or in danger of self-harm; if he is satisfied regarding the adequacy of the quality and scale of back up services available in such circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

                                                                                         Bernard J. Durkan T.D.

 
REPLY.
The National Office for Suicide Prevention supports a range of services for teenagers and young people including Childline, SpunOut.ie and ReachOut.com/Inspire Ireland.  The 24 hour call services provided by the Samaritans and Childline are available to any young person in distress. These services are also funded by the NOSP.

The NOSP helps to support a wide array of work in communities, in partnership with the voluntary sector, across the country that focus on promoting positive mental health and reducing suicide and self-harm by providing significant grant funding each year – almost €5 million  in 2013 €“ as well as by assisting in coordinating and giving strategic direction to the work undertaken.

The HSE Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services are benefitting significantly from the funding provided by the Government for mental health services, which amounts to €766 million in 2014, including additional funding of €20 million this year, as part of total additional funding of €90 million over the period 2012 to 2014 inclusive. By the end of 2014, upwards of 1,100 new posts will be put in place, to strengthen Community Mental Health Teams for both adults and children, and develop other specialist mental health services.

A Vision for Change recommended  the establishment of 99 multi-disciplinary Child and Adolescent Mental Health teams to provide acute secondary mental health care in the community. There are now 61 CAMHS teams in place, compared to 54 in 2008.  The additional funding in 2012-14 is being used, in part to expand and enhance the skill mix of these teams.  Around 230 new posts were allocated to CAMHS over 2012-13 and recruitment is well advanced.  All Community Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) teams screen referrals received and those deemed to be urgent are seen as a priority, while those deemed routine are placed on a waiting list.