A SINGLE agency to meet the multiple needs of homeless people is essential if their mental health issues are to be properly addressed, one of the foremost campaigners on the issue will say today.
Fr Peter McVerry is to address the second National Mental Healthcare Conference in Dublin, hosted by events company Investnet Ltd, on the issue of The Improvement of Mental Healthcare Services.
Fr McVerry said yesterday he had extensive experience with homeless people and their most prevalent mental health issues were depression, suicidal ideation, and low self esteem.
“Many homeless people then also have addiction issues with drugs and alcoholism.
“And the problem is they are sent chasing a number of different services, like psychiatrists, drugs counsellors, abuse counsellors and also they are dealing with a homelessness service trying to access emergency or longer-term accommodation,” he said.
Fr McVerry said the services may well be doing an excellent job within their own sphere but they are working in isolation and in the end are not very effective in meeting the full needs of the individual. This led to frustration not only on the part of the service users but for the service providers.
