From Department of Health
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The Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler, announces the development of the first National Population Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research and Evaluation Strategy and funding for 5 mental health research projects. The development of the Research and Evaluation Strategy will support a growing portfolio of research and evaluation activities, addressing both short-medium term policy recommendations as well as longer-term and emergent needs.
The new Strategy is a Health Research Board (HRB)-led deliverable under the national mental health policy Sharing the Vision – A Mental Health Policy for Everyone 2020 – 2030. Overall, Sharing the Vision aims to enhance the provision of mental health services and supports across a broad continuum, from mental health promotion, prevention, and early intervention to acute and specialist mental health service delivery.
Minister Butler said:
"Today’s announcement is really important as it is the first time that Ireland will have a National Population Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research and Evaluation Strategy, aligned directly with mental health policy. Such a Strategy is key to making sure we provide best practice mental health services to an international standard. The Strategy is also important to ensuring service improvements and reform are based on the most up-to-date evidence and evolving research. Ultimately, this will ensure better experiences and outcomes for patients."
Funding has also been announced for 5 research projects which will look at:
The Health Research Board (HRB) are at an advanced stage of establishing an Expert Advisory Group to develop a National Population Mental Health and Mental Health Research and Evaluation Strategy and an associated Implementation Plan. The Group will be made up of key stakeholders from the Department of Health, the HRB and relevant expert organisations and institutions, and will begin their work in early 2023. As part of developing this, the Expert Advisory Group will align with the research and evaluation priorities outlined in Sharing the Vision and work in collaboration with the National Implementation and Monitoring Committee (NIMC) of Sharing the Vision.
Minister Butler added:
"The development of this Strategy allows us to set out a research agenda and build a portfolio of research projects across all areas of mental health services. It will be a key enabler in ensuring that we provide high quality services and allow us to advance targeted interventions to meet need. I would like to thank the HRB for showing strong leadership to develop this."
This development is supported by multi-annual funding through the Department of Health. Already, a total of €1.8 million has been allocated for research and evaluation under Sharing the Vision over 2022 and 2023. Following competitive and peer review processes in 2022, the Health Research Board (HRB) is supporting 5 research projects aligned with Sharing the Vision and further awards will be made in 2023.
Dr Mairéad O’Driscoll, Chief Executive at the Health Research Board said:
"The Health Research Board are experts in developing strategic research programmes that improve health and care. We are delighted to bring that experience to the area of mental health, because we recognise the burden it places on those affected by mental health difficulties, as well as their loved ones.
"Next year, we will work with the Department of Health and other stakeholders to develop Ireland’s first National Population Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research and Evaluation Strategy, aligned with Sharing the Vision. It will be designed with people at its heart, and will seek to improve promotion, prevention and early intervention; coordination and continuity of care; and social inclusion, among other key policy areas in mental health."
The 5 research projects are as follows.
The evidence uncovered in this project will be particularly timely in the context of Sharing the Vision related initiatives such as the increased emphasis on wellbeing in schools, and the renewed international policy focus on mental health in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The results of this project will inform policy and preventive programmes for cannabis use among young people.
This study will produce new knowledge in three phases:
This study will inform how services and programmes can be strengthened to best support older carers. The study findings will also provide information that will inform the development of training and advocacy programmes for carers.
This project will provide data that justifies and informs services and supports to improve the mental health of people with CP.
Sharing the Vision – A Mental Health Policy for Everyone 2020 – 2030 is Ireland’s mental health policy, working to enhance the provision of mental health services and supports across a broad continuum from promotion of positive mental health to specialist mental health service delivery.
Within this, the Health Research Board (HRB) is responsible for Action 93: ‘Develop a National Population Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research and Evaluation Strategy resourced to support a portfolio of research and evaluation activity in accordance with priorities identified in the research strategy’.
In 2022, 5 projects have been funded under this commitment, at a total cost €1.67 million.