Concern that Waterford children and young people being failed by mental health system

Concern has been expressed in Waterford that Ireland's mental health system is failing children and young people throughout the county and across the country.

Sinn Féin TD for Waterford, Deputy David Cullinane, said the findings of a Journal Investigates report, which revealed that hundreds of people died by suspected suicide after recent contact with HSE services, exposed deep and dangerous failures in Ireland’s mental health system, particularly for children and young people.

Deputy Cullinane is his party's spokesperson on Health and he said the findings highlighted the need to get the Jigsaw centre in Waterford up and running quickly.

He also said there is an urgent need to implement significant reforms for mental health crisis centres, which Deputy Cullinane said his party recently proposed in the Dáil.

Commenting on the matter on Tuesday, February 10, in the wake of the findings, he said: "Today’s investigation confirms what families, clinicians and advocacy groups have been warning for years, people are reaching out for help and the system is not responding in time or in the right way."

“Young people and children in Waterford are being failed by the lack of a Jigsaw centre in Waterford, which must be delivered this year," he said.

"Similarly, mental health emergency services need to be resourced and reformed so that the full complement of community and hospital mental health nurses are employed, and that safe spaces are provided in UHW which are protected 24/7, supervised, and separated from the emergency department," he added.

Deputy Cullinane went on to comment: “The fact that hundreds of people died by suspected suicide after recent contact with HSE services is deeply distressing. It raises serious questions about follow-up, continuity of care and the capacity of our mental health services to keep people safe when they are most vulnerable."

“At a recent meeting of the Oireachtas Health Committee, we heard stark testimony about how children and young people are being failed at the very first point of access," he said.

"Families described inconsistent referral pathways, unclear thresholds for CAMHS and children being turned away without ever being seen," he added.

Deputy Cullinane said demand is rising sharply and referred to Jigsaw reporting over 11,000 referrals last year which was a significant increase on the previous year.

"Families for Reform of CAMHS, highlighted that many families are forced into multiple referrals, and that a worrying number of children end up in Emergency Departments while waiting for care. SpunOut’s work with young people points to major gaps in information, access and ongoing support," said Deputy Cullinane.

“This is the result of decades of policy failure that undervalued prevention and primary care mental health services and failed to train and recruit enough mental health professionals. The consequence is an over-burdened acute system and children deteriorating while they wait for help," he added.

He also commented that Emergency Departments are not the appropriate place for any person, not least a child, who is in mental health distress.

However, children are ending up there because community services failed to intervene early or because CAMHS could not provide a timely appointment.

"Too many hospitals still lack appropriate crisis spaces and round-the-clock specialist staff," he said.

“We need a properly funded, integrated youth mental health service with clear and defined pathways, as set out in Sinn Féin’s proposals developed with Orygen, the Australian centre of excellence in youth mental health," said Deputy Cullinane.

“Children and families cannot wait. The Minister must set maximum waiting times, implement a strategic workforce plan and ensure services are properly funded to deliver urgent reform. The consequences of inaction are now painfully clear.”