Government needs to tackle mental health crisis urgently, says TD Ward

A Dublin Mid-West TD has urged cross-party support for Sinn Fein’s motion calling for an accelerated response to the mental health crisis.

Sinn Fein spokesperson on mental health Mark Ward says that waiting lists for mental health appointments were already at crisis point before the Covid-19 pandemic.

“As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, access to mental health services has gone from a crisis to an emergency.

“Pre-pandemic, mental health care waiting lists within the public system were at crisis levels but are now at unprecedented emergency levels,” says Deputy Ward.

“Now more than ever we need to ensure that mental health services are accessible for all those who need them. Nobody should be left behind.

“There are extraordinary pressures on mental health services across the state.

“These services have suffered years of under-investment and, as a result, are wholly unprepared and under-resourced to deal with this emergency.”

Ward says that there is now 2,551 children and young people waiting for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), 8,893 children waiting for primary care psychology, and 1,553 adults waiting on primary care psychology treatment with the HSE.

“We now have 2,551 children and young people waiting for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), 8,893 children waiting for primary care psychology, and 1,553 adults waiting on primary care psychology treatment with the HSE.

Deputy Ward says Sinn Fein is calling on the Government to establish an emergency talk therapy fund for people in need of immediate support.

This would provide an extra 128,000 sessions with accredited counselors in the private system.

The party is also calling for the removal of medical card accessibility barriers, the recruitment of additional psychologists and additional assists for community organisations that provide mental health supports.

Funding streams to support trainee counselling psychologists during the pandemic and the establishment a 24/7 care public crisis de-escalation service has also been proposed.

“Sinn Féin is calling on all parties and none to support our motion. The government urgently needs to step up the plate.

“Failure to deliver an emergency response to this crisis will set back services, and those in need of them, for a generation,” Deputy Ward says.