By Dan Walsh
The Wexford Mental Health Working Group has welcomed the €1.6 million investment in services. Group chair Cllr Aoife Rose O’Brien said the funding reflects the work completed so far.
“This funding will deliver three important new services, a €1 million Crisis Resolution Team, a Solace Café and a specialist mental health nursing team at Wexford General Hospital.
“This is a significant investment in the mental health and wellbeing of people across our county and, importantly, it will provide additional support for people when they need it most,” stated Cllr O’Brien.
The new Crisis Resolution Team will provide rapid assessment and intensive short-term support to people experiencing an acute mental health crisis, including support in the community and, where appropriate, in people’s own homes.
This has the potential to provide an important alternative to hospital admission in some circumstances. The Solace Café will provide a welcoming, community-based, and non-clinical environment where people experiencing mental health distress can access support.
“Mental health is not a 9-to-5 issue, and this café will provide support particularly during evenings and weekends. Having an accessible alternative to attending an emergency department can make a real difference to someone experiencing a crisis.
“While we welcome this news, we must remember that this is not the finish line for what our county needs,” said Rosslare District Cllr O’Brien, who concluded: “We need our dedicated crisis unit to be delivered, to care for all ages and not just over 18s. We need further investment into staffing, ensuring there are no vacant posts and ultimately, no person in crisis unable to receive lifesaving treatment.”
