CAMHS regulation
Deputy Ó Murchú pressed for urgent regulation of CAMHS and described gaps in services for children with mental health needs. The Ceann Comhairle curtailed him for being too broad, but he stressed failures in care pathways and transitions at age 18. The Minister said CAMHS has many staff and appointments and pointed to forthcoming legislation that will regulate community services, including CAMHS.
I want to bring up the issue of the regulation of child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS. This issue was brought to me by a constituent and a member of Families for Reform of CAMHS. They call for support for urgent regulation of CAMHS under the Mental Health Act. My colleague Deputy Mark Ward has legislation that is right to go in relation to this. We all know the issues that exist in relation to CAMHS. We know the ping-pong game that can happen around particular silos in the context of primary care, children's disability network teams and all the other issues.
I could read out the information one mother sent me in regard to her two children, an 18-year-old and a 14-year-old.
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We have heard the story before in regard to suicidal ideation and children not being able to get the services they need and, at age 18, being put to the kerb, for want of a better term.
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We are absolutely failing these citizens. We need to do the business for them.
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There are 75 CAMHS teams and 800 people working for the service, with 225,000 appointments allocated last year to children under its care. It is fair to acknowledge that a huge amount of really good work happens in CAMHS. As the Deputy knows, the new mental health Bill will provide for the regulation of all community residences and services, including CAMHS, which will be introduced on a phased basis following the commencement of the legislation. Priority drafting has been granted to the Bill for the current legislative session, which is only nine weeks' long. That is an important factor. The Bill will be ready for publication early in the next session. I look forward to bringing it to the House in the next session.