Mental health guide launched to improve young people's mental health services

The Mental Health Foundation and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation have launched a new guide on ‘How to commission better mental health and wellbeing services for young people.'

The guide is part of a series of ‘How to’ guides created by the Right Here programme and supported by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and the Mental Health Foundation.

The Paul Hamlyn Foundation generates funding and organises programmes designed to support education, learning, arts and social justice with in the UK. Furthermore, the Mental Health Foundation works as the UK’s top mental health charity to improve research and policies for mental health.

Head of the Children and Young People’s programme for the Mental Health Foundation, David Goodban said: “It is now more important than ever to ensure that the wishes of young people are respected and the services that are commissioned are designed with these at their core.

The initiative has been trialled across four areas across the UK including Newham, Sheffield, Fermanagh and Brighton and Hove. Each Right Here project has been designed to be delivered by youth workers, mental health professionals and young people. The aim of each project is to replicate the success in each area by helping young people across the country.

Mr Goodban added: “The Mental Health Foundation supports the involvement of young people and working with them as leaders in co-production of services fit for the 21st century.”

The Right Here initiative was established in 2009 with a five year plan and a £6m pound budget, focusing on supporting the mental health and wellbeing of young people between the ages 16 to 25 within the UK.

The manager of the Right Here programme, Susan Blishen said: “This guide brings together the learning and experience from four years of youth-led, innovations in early mental health and wellbeing support for young people, aged 16 – 25.

“We urge commissioners to draw on the lessons we have learned about how to involve young people well, and the benefits of doing so, so that young people can at last get the support they need.”

The Right Here programme places youth interest and involvement at the heart of its values and aims to encourage early intervention and prevent young people being at risk of mental health problems.

When recognising the importance of involving young people in the project, Jack Falkingham, Right Here consultant, said: “It is so important that young people are engaged in every stage of the commissioning process. I wouldn’t be where I am today, speaking on national platforms and lobbying for better services, had Right Here not given me the chance to have my say, again and again.“

Early adulthood is recognised as the main risk time for early onset mental health problems and there are currently multiple obstacles when trying to access effective and early mental health care, such as, the difference in age specific care suitable for adults and children.

The guide is aimed at commissioners and gives new and realistic recommendations for creating new mental health services for young people.

To view the guide, visit www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/how-to-guide-three