Timelines needed for action on Mental Health and Addiction – Neville

A timeline needs to be put in place to ensure that action is taken to properly treat addiction and mental health issues, a Fine Gael TD has said.

Limerick Deputy Tom Neville said: “Addiction and substance abuse are often so intertwined with other mental health issues it can be difficult for people to get the treatment they need.

“These are issues that were comprehensibly outlined in the 2015 Report “No Wrong Door” which proposed to develop a fully integrated and recovery focused community service for adults with

co-occurring disorders and complex needs in the  Mid-West.

“Good outcomes were identified in areas such as motivation to change, alcohol and drug use or both, overall well-being, self-esteem and confidence, social isolation and anxiety, sense of purpose and managing difficult emotions.

“The Minister of State in the Department of Health, Finian McGrath confirmed to me that work has begun on a clinical programme for dual diagnosis to respond to people with concurrent mental illness and substance misuse issues.

“This includes the appointment of a programme manager and national clinical lead, the commencement of a literature review and clinical service mapping exercise and the establishment of a national working group.

“I recognise that funding for mental health has been increased dramatically in recent times, however timelines must now be put in place for the delivery of the services in question.

“We need the timelines to hold these service providers to account. I will continue to petition the Department of Health on this very important issue,” the Fine Gael TD said.