New €9.6 million cross-border mental health and well-being project launched

A €9.6 million cross-border initiative designed to enable people with mild and/or emerging mental health difficulties, to access early intervention programmes and support, has been officially launched.

The project is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).

The Community Connections and Well-being Project has received €9,589,178 in funding and will bring together statutory, voluntary and community sectors to work collaboratively to provide support and episodes of health and social care to 10,000 individuals with mild and/or emerging mental health difficulties.

This will be achieved by enabling access to early intervention programmes and support in the Western and Southern Health and Social Care Trust areas and in the HSE border counties.

The overall aim of the project is to improve the mental health and well-being of people by focusing on responding to early signs of distress to prevent escalation, and provide access to support closer to home through community hubs, and delivery of interventions that will lead to better health and well-being.

Supports and interventions provided by the project will include low intensity psychological support, such as counselling, and also a range of psychosocial mental health and well-being programmes, activities and community supports to be delivered within communities.

There will be an emphasis on improving the mental health and well-being of people from more marginalised and disadvantaged communities, where there is a greater prevalence of mental health difficulties, thus contributing to healthier communities overall and enhancing community cohesion and wellbeing.

Ultimately, the Community Connections and Well-being Project will contribute positively to building peace and prosperity, a key objective of the PEACEPLUS Programme.