€1.6m Announced For New Mental Health Services In Wexford

More than €1.6 million in funding has been announced for new mental health services in County Wexford, including a Crisis Resolution Team, a Solace Café and a specialist mental health nursing team at Wexford General Hospital.

The package includes:

• €1 million for a Crisis Resolution Team

• €330,000 for a Solace Café

• €300,000 for a specialist mental health nursing team at Wexford General Hospital

The new services are aimed at providing more options for people experiencing mental health distress or an acute crisis, particularly outside normal service hours.

The €1 million Crisis Resolution Team will provide rapid assessment and intensive, short-term support to people experiencing an acute mental health crisis.

The specialist multidisciplinary team will operate out of hours and will be able to support people in their own homes or in community settings where appropriate.

The aim is to provide an alternative to hospital admission in some cases, while ensuring people in crisis can receive immediate specialist support.

Wexford will also receive €330,000 for a Solace Café.

Solace Cafés are free, out-of-hours and community-based services for people experiencing mental health distress.

They offer a welcoming, non-clinical environment where people can access crisis support, peer and community support and information on other available services.

They are designed in part to provide an alternative to presenting at an Emergency Department, particularly during evenings and weekends.

A further €300,000 is being provided for a specialist mental health nursing team at Wexford General Hospital.

The service is intended to strengthen the response available to people arriving at the Emergency Department in severe mental distress, including people presenting following self-harm or with suicidal thoughts.

The specialist nurses will also support frontline Emergency Department staff in responding to patients experiencing a mental health crisis.

Budget 2027 is expanding this model across six of the country's busiest Model 3 hospitals

Wexford Labour Deputy George Lawlor has welcomed the news this morning

Welcoming the announcement, Minister James Browne said mental health services need to be available in different settings so that people can access the type of support they need at the time they need it.

He said mental health difficulties affect people throughout County Wexford and acknowledged that many people continue to struggle in silence.

“Mental health challenges impact so many people right around the county and there has to be services and supports of all kinds to meet you where you are at.”