Mental Health de-escalation team to be established in Limerick

A MULTI-AGENCY Mental Health De-Escalation Team is to be established in Limerick next year.

The proposed pilot scheme will be made up of mental health professionals, paramedics, and specially trained members of the gardaí.

The 24-hour team will be tasked with responding to out of hours calls and will contact the concerned party, triage them and either treat them or refer them to an appropriate service provider.

Welcoming the development, Sinn Féin TD Maurice Quinlivan referred to the increase in mental health issues in Limerick throughout the pandemic, exposing how under resourced these services are in the county.

“In Limerick we have seen the CAMHS service be overwhelmed with referrals. On many occasions voluntary organizations have stepped up and done an incredible job supporting those in need.”

Conscious of the efforts of many groups, he commended the work of the volunteers at the Haven Hub, Limerick Suicide Watch and Limerick Treaty Suicide Prevention.

At Friday's quarterly meeting of the Limerick Joint Policing Committee, Chief Superintendent Gerard Roche confirmed the pilot initiative will be rolled out early in 2022.