HEALTH MATTERS 97 mental HealtH


oriented mental health services, Ireland is bringing the service user voice to all levels, nationally, regionally and locally. Service users are active on interview boards selecting staff to work in supporting them in recovery. They are active participants on mental health services management teams across the country, and they work to plan and evaluate service delivery and to establish service user need. In doing all of this, service users are continuing to build the skills to be equal to the responsibilities which this brings.


Building capacity among service users is supported through innovations such as the Co-operative Learning Leadership Programme, delivered in partnership between the mental health services and DCU. This programme brings together a service user, a carer and a service provider to work as a team in developing the leadership and change management skills to deliver a change management project within their own service. Other innovations to support the service user voice are the Expert by Experience post in DCU and the activities of the Peer Advocates in acute inpatient units.


IIMHL INTERNATIONAL NETWORK MEETING, INEC, KILLARNEY MAY 19TH – 21ST


The Network Meeting acted as a forum where the learning from the 40 Exchange Meetings was discussed. Feedback on the Exchange Meetings centred on the theme of the Network Meeting – ‘Citizens in Partnership – Inclusion or Illusion’. Each Exchange, as part of its deliberations, considered how the theme of the Network Meeting related to the Exchange Topic, recommended how the theme could be advanced within their context and proposed how the IIMHL could assist in promoting and delivering on the recommendations. Ideas and proposals to give practical


effect to supporting individuals with mental health difficulties were identified on a range of topics including:


• Mental Health at a time of economic uncertainty; • A Focus on Recovery and Hope in mental health


+ Members of the Interrelate Service Exchange Group who met in Dublin Castle were Joan Edwards Karmazyn (Canada), Sonja Goldsack (New Zealand), Colette Nolan (Ireland), Jenny Speed (Australia) and Anne Beales (United Kingdom). This group has established mechanisms to enable participants to link together on a monthly basis to share ideas and to problem solve. The group is working to create national networks for service users. Anne Beales from London said the seven participating countries were all at different stages in the process of developing these networks. For example, in the US, service users were able to provide advice to President Obama’s administration and there was a state wide coalition of service user groups. In Scotland network members had a direct voice into the Scottish Parliament there is also a strong network in England.


+ Fran Silvenstri, Director, IIMHL; John Moloney, Minister of State with responsibility for Equality, Disability and Mental Health; Pam Hyde, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administrator (SAMHSA), USA (appointed by President Obama 2009); and Martin Rogan, Assistant National Director, Mental Health, Health Service Executive.


• Promoting genuine Service User engagement in mental health care; • Protecting the mental health of young people; • Transforming capacity into capability in modern mental health care; • Attaining full citizenship and inclusion


SPONSORING COUNTRIES LEADERS GROUP (SCLG)


Dublin Castle was the venue for a number of Exchange Meetings on 17th and 18th May. The Sponsoring Countries Leaders Group (SCLG) met to explore how national policy can support positive mental health


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