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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation

Seán’s dual diagnosis care

Summary

Deputy Cronin described a 19-year-old constituent with ADHD, ASD, depression and anxiety who has fallen between CAMHS, mental health and autism services after a suicide attempt. The Taoiseach said dual diagnosis needs major progress and invited direct correspondence so he could try to help.

I want to raise the case of my 19-year-old constituent Seán, who has ADHD, ASD, depression and an anxiety disorder. He has aged out of CAMHS and his family is cut adrift.

After a recent suicide attempt and a 999 call, he spent a night in the Lakeview unit attached to Naas General Hospital, in a padded room in the dark. Seán is terrified of the dark. He left Naas General Hospital with no follow-up. In this unbelievable but common enough situation, mental health services say they cannot treat him because of his ASD diagnosis, and autism services say they cannot treat him because of his mental health diagnosis. Seán is not a diagnosis or a list of symptoms; he is a citizen of this State. There is no rest and no sleep for his family. His mother is out driving the back roads of Kildare, trying not to hit another deer and trying to keep Seán calm. I have been in contact with the HSE since last October about Seán to no avail. Is there anything the Taoiseach can do for him and all the others who are also falling between these stools that are holding up our health service?

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Simon Harris The Taoiseach Fine Gael

First, and more broadly, this whole issue of dual diagnosis is an area where there is a need for real progress. The Deputy is right that people are not just a diagnosis or a number of diagnoses; they are people. We had a brief discussion about this at the Cabinet committee on disability last week and I will be following up on that. More specifically with regard to Seán, I am, of course, eager to use my offices to assist. If the Deputy could correspond with me directly, I will talk to her about this and come back to her.

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