Caidreamh Edition 6 1

Caidreamh

Failte

“Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness” and so

it is once more a pleasure to introduce the sixth

issue of Caidreamh, our Mental Health Engage-

ment eNewsletter, as the leaves begin to fall.

However, firstly let me wish all a very happy

World Mental Health week. There are lots of

events around the country to celebrate it.

As usual in this edition, we hope we have a var-

ied mix on offer together with our regular features

such as our poetry slot. Of the three poems in-

cluded, one has been written by a member of our Sligo Local Forum and captures “darkness into

light”.

In this issue, Sarah Hennessy (no relation) who is a Mental Health Service Improvement Lead (SIL)

talks about her role and the role of her colleagues. We also include a graphic with Sarah’s piece

which gives and overview of the HSE’s Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

Catherine O’Grady of the National Office writes about the General Guidance on the Development

and Running of Local and Area Forums which “does exactly what it says on the tin” and is now be-

ing adopted by Mental Health Services Area Management Teams throughout the country, while Co-

lette Tuohy, Area Lead for Mental Health Engagement in Galway, Roscommon and Mayo, writes

about her role and the development of engagement structures in the West.

Another SIL, Conor Kennedy, gives us some thoughts on eMental Health which is likely to be an

important feature in the future in the delivery of our mental health services. As Mental Health Re-

form puts it: “eMental Health (is) the next big thing in Psychological Practice”. And Gina Delaney,

manager with Advancing Recovery in Ireland (ARI), tells us about her work.

Last but by no means least, we have a feature on the committed and successful work of the West-

meath Local Forum.

We hope you enjoy this edition and, as always, we would like to remind you that we welcome your

contributions.

Ar deireadh thiar, we thought these lines from one of our poets this month might be worth highlight-

ing as Winter comes into view.

“While you love what is kind,

What you can sing in

And love and forget in

All that's ahead and behind.”

Liam Hennessy,

Caidreamh

There is room for each one of us to make a difference

Caidreamh Edition 6 2

Caidreamh

Contents

Service Improvement

Written by Sarah Hennessy…….…………………...……………………….....3

General Guidance

Written by Catherine O’Grady……………………………...………..………....4

Into the West

Written by Colette Tuohy…………………………………………….….………5

eMental Health

Written by Dr Conor Kennedy…………………………………………………..7

ARI—Recovery in Action

Written by Gina Delaney………………………………………………………...8

Getting it done in Westmeath

Written by Liam Hennessy………………………………………………...…….9

Poetry Corner……...…………………………………………………………….11

Quotable Quote………………………………………………………………….12

Local Library...…...……………………………………………………………...12

Local Forum Details…………………………………………………………….13

Helpful Contacts…………………………………………………………………16

Caidreamh Edition 6 3

Caidreamh

Service improvement

Sarah Hennessy, Service Improvement Lead

I have been working as a Service Improvement Lead in Mental Health since 2016. I had spent the

previous 10 years working in frontline HSE Mental Health services in the community, hospital, fo-

rensic and prison settings.

I really enjoyed these roles and I was involved in service improvement initiatives at a local level, but

I am passionate about mental health and always wanted to make a bigger impact on services at a

national level. In 2014, I decided to go back and study Health Services Management and just as I

completed my studies this new role came up to work at a national level.

The role of a Service Improvement Lead is really varied and interesting. The ultimate aim of our

team is to improve the experience of services users and their families and we do this by bringing

about change in the system using a project management approach.

I am project manager for two national Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) Im-

provement Projects. (The graphic which follows this article sets out the state of play in the CMHS

services at present). One is the review of a national Standard Operating Procedure and the other is

the roll out and evaluation of the Choice and Partnership Approach (CAPA). CAPA is a recovery ori-

ented systems transformation model, focused on the service user and their family which is collabo-

rative and provides choices.

I was also on the project team for a CAMHS communications project which partnered with Spun Out

to produce 16 videos to explain everything there is to know about CAMHS. These videos are for

young people accessing the services, their families and other professionals working with young

people. These are available on www.yourmentalhealth.ie

The best part of my role is meeting service users and their families who are using mental health ser-

vices and listening to their experiences of the services and suggestions for how it can be improved.

I also love meeting with staff who are delivering services and who can tell us what is working and

what is not on the front line.

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The General Guidance for the Development and Running of the Local and Area Forums

Catherine O’Grady, Business Manager Mental Health Engagement

The General Guidance for the Development and Running of

the Local and Area Forums was coproduced over the last while

with key stakeholders.

Importantly, it began its development through the work of the

Mental Health Reference Group. This group consisted of nine

service users and four carers, working in partnership with HSE

service providers. The group set out how those using the men-

tal health services, and those who support them, could be ac-

tively involved in the design, planning, delivery and evaluation

of the mental health services.

The group identified a number of ways in which this could be achieved. One of the five recommen-

dations outlined in the Partnership for Change Report was the Local and Area Forums as a way to

involve people. These forums allow service users, family members, carers and supporters to attend

a monthly local forum meeting. The meeting provides a space where they can speak about experi-

ences, present views and raise matters with local mental health management teams which are im-

portant to them. This allows services to work in partnership with service users, family members, car-

ers and supporters, to improve the mental health services.

The Reference Group were clear that good governance and documentation to support the forums

was essential. The Guidance developed now, sets out how these forums will operate and work in

partnership with local and area services. It includes Terms of Reference for the Local and Area Fo-

rums and how matters raised by the forums will be communicated effectively to and from local ser-

vices. It was widely recognised by the reference group that matters can arise from time to time

where there are differing views or opinions. It was felt that how to work with these differences

should also be included. Members of the Limerick Local Forum have set out the ways this could be

dealt with.

The General Guidance document is available on request from the local Area Lead for Mental health

Engagement.

The Guidance helps to set out how all of this engagement with mental health services and service

users, family members, carers and supporters might work. It is important to note that General Guid-

ance is just that, general. Over time, and to take account of particular local circumstances, it can be

subject to adjustment.

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Into the West

Colette Tuohy, Area Lead for Mental Health Engagement in Galway and

Roscommon and Mayo (CHO2)

In my role as Area Lead for Community Healthcare Organisation 2 (CHO2),

I am actively involved in the development of local forums, which are made

up of people who have their own lived experience of mental health difficul-

ties or are a supporter of a person with mental health difficulties. I am also

in the process of setting up an Area Forum, which is the next step in this

community development process. The Area Forum will comprise of representatives from each local

forum, from mental health representational groups as well as statutory, voluntary and community-

based service providers/groups and HSE service providers. Two democratically elected reps from

each local forum will serve on the Area Forum and bring forward the views from grassroots level.

I cover a lot of ground – metaphorically and physically across Galway, Mayo and Roscommon.

My car is my office, wardrobe and canteen. Community Development is what I love and I meet ser-

vice users, family members and carers every day who tell of good and bad experiences of mental

health services. I’m learning through talking to people in Galway, Mayo and Roscommon – although

Galway, Mayo and Roscommon are neighbouring counties that are similar in ways, they can also

be very different and can throw up different issues. Distance is proving to be a barrier for service

users, family members and carers who would like to attend local forum meetings but cannot due to

lack of transport. I am working on alternative ways to reach hard to reach communities especially

those living in rural isolation.

I also meet with all grades of mental health service staff regularly. This contact fosters relationships

of trust and helps me navigate the staff structures in each county - because they are all different. I

am working towards setting up an Area Forum which will be finalised in the coming months. In the

Area Forum partnership approaches between the community and voluntary sector and other agen-

cies will be the bedrock.

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The Local Forum and Area Forum are community structures based on community development

principles and we are striving towards social justice, equality and human rights. The Local Forum,

an open forum where everyone is welcome, provides a space where people can voice their experi-

ences of mental health services, good or bad, and bring these issues to management for action.

We all have a common goal, to bring about positive change while empowering people.

Community development is also about maximising the participation of service users and communi-

ties and to empower from the ground up. The Local Forums in Ballina, Castlebar, and also in Ros-

common Town have established from the get-go that members will play to each other’s strengths

which alleviates anxiety around public speaking, minute-taking, research – if you’re not up to it - an-

other member will step up to the plate.

The publication of the Roscommon Report on Mental Health Services 2017 highlighted issues on

behalf of both service users and staff in Roscommon that required 27 recommendations for im-

provement to be implemented. A steering group was set up to implement the recommendations and

Members of the Roscommon Local Forum sit on this group. Service User Involvement is new in

Roscommon and has been well received thus far. Service Users and family member perspectives

are a powerful means of changing the mind-set of those who do not usually hear personal testimo-

nies. I can attest that conversations around tables have been positively changed as a result.

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eMental Health: Harnessing the power of technology to improve mental health

Dr Conor Kennedy, Service Improvement Lead

Increasingly attention is focused on preventing mental

health problems from developing and escalating, and on

promoting good health through empowering people to

manage their wellbeing on an on-going basis. As in

physical health where a myriad of devices, apps, and

wearable technologies are now widely used to manage

aspects including weight loss and blood pressure, signifi-

cant investment and interest exists within the area of

eMental Health wherein the power of information and

communication technologies is being harnessed to assist

in improving the mental wellbeing of the population.

Existing digital mental health supports come in a wide

range of forms including apps that assist the user in tracking and understanding the variations of

daily moods over time, web-based programs that offer access to psychoeducational interventions,

and the growing use of online video, voice and text based counselling. Other areas gaining trac-

tion include the use of gaming technology as a tool to assist in the treatment of mental health

challenges, the employment of artificial intelligence based systems to provide text-based active

listening supports, and the use of virtual reality programs to assist in the management of anxiety

and stress based conditions.

The benefits of adopting eMental Health innovations are numerous and include improved accessi-

bility as a number of these tools can be accessed at the time and place of choosing of the user,

consistency in terms of the quality of service offering, the ability for real-time customisation of the

service, and significant reduction in service provision costs due to, for example, cloud based host-

ing reducing the requirement for physical clinic settings and travel etc. Crucially, such technolo-

gies can also facilitate the empowerment of the user and potentially the removal barriers to ac-

cessing tools of self-care including attitudinal, financial, and those associated with the stigmatisa-

tion that may be attached to seeking help.

In Ireland, recent research conducted online found that 94% of an Irish adult sample expressed a

willingness to use connected mental health technologies (McGovern and Rooney, 2018), while the

implementation of eMental Health programmes have been suggested for inclusion within the pa-

rameters of a refresh of ‘A Vision for Change’ being described as “a potential game-

changer” (Cullen and McDaid, 2017).

The HSE is currently rolling out a Digital Mental Health Supports project including the redevelop-

ment of online resources available through yourmentalhealth.ie, the development of a sophisticat-

ed search tool to allow for the generation of personalised support options from the website, the

establishment of a text-based instant messaging active listening service, and the piloting of online

therapy initiatives.

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ARI – Recovery in Action

Gina Delaney, Manager, ARI

Advancing Recovery in Ireland (ARI) is a National Mental Health Service initiative that brings to-

gether people who provide our services, those who use them and their families and community

supports, to work on how we make our mental health services more recovery focused.

We do this nationally with a team of four, and locally with a network of staff, service users, family

members, voluntary and community groups who work together to develop more recovery oriented

services. One way to support development is through Recovery Conferences (Learning Sets). An

impressive 285 service users, staff, family members, voluntary and community groups and stu-

dents attended the most recent conference for Cork and Kerry on the 20th September.

The Framework for Recovery in Mental Health 2018-2020 provides a strategy for recovery orient-

ed services. There are 16 actions under four recovery principles of the central role of lived experi-

ence, coproduction, organisational commitment and recovery education. ARI’s role is to support

services to develop their implementation plans to show how they will progress each of the actions

together with service users, family members and community partners.

For more information contact Advancing Recovery in Ireland https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/4/

mental-health-services/advancingrecoveryireland

Twitter @Recovery_Ire #MHRecovery

Tel: 01 620 7303

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Getting it done in Westmeath

Liam Hennessy, Head of Mental

Health Engagement

It was a real pleasure and privi-

lege for me to attend the Local

Mental Health Engagement Fo-

rum in Mullingar last week. And

they are really rockin’ with com-

mitted involvement by all mem-

bers.

As a result, I thought it might be

worth describing the successes

they have had with the engage-

ment process already.

They have produced the simple

self-help credit card style leaflet

a copy of which you can see

below.

They have worked with the facilities management in the new Primary Care Centre in Mullingar to

ensure that the seating in the Mental Health Reception area is better laid out for those attending

with appropriate artwork and notice boards in the right places on the walls.

And they are getting local publicity too as can be seen from this cutting from The Westmeath Topic

in early September!

As you can see, this article which gives relevant contact details is about how the Westmeath Forum

has been set up to allow mental health service users as well as carers to give their input into how

the mental services operate and should operate.

All we can say is ar aghaidh leis an obair.

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Rhyme and reason

Voice of Hope

Locked into the depths of despair Seeing inside myself the fragments of the broken child,

the lost women, the crying soul Sleep comes easy more and more each day, lost, dying a little more with each

breath. The darkness is taking me, it’s winning, I cannot go on.

Then I feel it, the shadow of my crying soul, the voice of hope trying to be heard.

She tells me “Lift yourself from your despair, reach for the day, breath in the air,

take the first step”

I stay a while in the grasp of darkness, I wait for it to leave me. Maybe I hold on to the darkness.

Is it time I stopped waiting for the darkness to leave me Instead do I thank her for her lessons and move away knowing it’s time to step into

the light. What do I fear?

Does the sea fear the night, or does she lie peacefully knowing the dawn will surely

come?

I walk awhile along the midnight shore, stop, stand, look upon the sea and say This night, this hour, this moment, this breath

Look upon the sea, hear her waves roar The dark sky does not stop her from living.

The moon shines intensely behind a cloud of silver, hiding in the hopes to be seen

I watch the night fade away, the sun rising and then I feel it, the shadow of my once

crying soul. She is now a fire of hope

she says to me “Reach for the day, breath in the air, take the first step”

I feel the sand under my feet the breeze on my cheek The waves on my toes

I say to myself this day, this hour, this moment, this breath.

I am here

Teresa Conway

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The Thrush

When Winter's ahead,

What can you read in November

That you read in April

When Winter's dead?

I hear the thrush, and I see

Him alone at the end of the lane

Near the bare poplar's tip,

Singing continuously.

Is it more that you know

Than that, even as in April,

So in November,

Winter is gone that must go?

Or is all your lore

Not to call November November,

And April April,

And Winter Winter—no more?

But I know the months all,

And their sweet names, April,

May and June and October,

As you call and call

I must remember

What died into April

And consider what will be born

Of a fair November;

And April I love for what

It was born of, and November

For what it will die in,

What they are and what they are

not,

While you love what is kind,

What you can sing in

And love and forget in

All that's ahead and behind.

Edward Thomas

Autumn

Once again that

Beautiful death

Of colour.

Ash and oak

Shed their leaves to

Carpet ground

Amongst the breeze,

Dancing.

All shades of brown

Must tumble down to

Give expression to

Nature’s discretion.

The cruel breeze,

Nature’s striptease

Revealing

Tired branches, limply hanging

From weathered bodies

Amid the dying sun

An orange haze of contentment.

Maurice Fines

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Your local library

Our book suggestions in this edition are a departure from our usual practice of recom-

mending “self-help” books of one kind or another. On this occasion, we have two novels

in mind. These are

Paradise News by David Lodge

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and An-

nie Barrows.

Both novels are quite funny and poignant at times but are ultimately uplifting. You will

be able to get them in your local library and the Shaffer/Barrow novel - which is widely

available in bookshops and was recently made in to a film - is one you won’t want to

come to an end.

Quotable quote

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch,

a smile, a kind word, a listening ear,

an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring,

all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

Leo Buscaglia

Our quotable quote this month is from the now sadly deceased, Leo Buscaglia, who was also known as "Dr. Love”! He was an American author and motivational speak-er, and a professor at the Department of Special Education at the University of Southern California (USC).

While teaching at USC, Buscaglia was moved by a student's suicide to think about human disconnectedness and the meaning of life, and began a class he called Love 1A. This became the basis for his first book, titled simply Love. His dynamic speak-ing style was discovered by the US Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and his ap-pearances on the media, together with the heartfelt storytelling style of his books, helped make all of his titles national Best Sellers; five were once on the Best Sellers List at the same time. Curiously in the context of this Autumn edition of Caidreamh, he wrote a book in 1982 called The Fall of Freddie the Leaf : A Story of Life for all ages.

The Fall of Freddie the Leaf is a warm, wise and strikingly simple story about a leaf

named Freddie. How Freddie and his companion leaves change with the passing

seasons, finally falling to the ground with winter's snow, is an inspiring allegory illus-

trating the delicate balance between life and death.

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CHO 3 Date Venue Time

North Tipperary Local

Forum

November 6th Nenagh Library, O’Rahilly St,

Nenagh North, Nenagh

18:00-20:00

Clare Local Forum October 23rd

November 20th

Sonas Centre 19:00-21:00

Limerick Local Forum October 30th

November 27th

St Joseph’s Health Campus,

Mulgrave St, Limerick

18:00-20:00

For further information please contact Aoife.boland@hse.ie, Area Lead for Mental Health Engagement for CHO

3

CHO 4 Date Venue Time

Cork and Kerry TBC TBC TBC

CHO 1 Date Venue Time

Donegal Forum October 23rd

November 20th

Motley Crow, Anti-Café, Railway

House, Ramelton Road

Letterkenny

17:00-19:00

Sligo/Leitrim Forum October 24th

November 22nd

Bush Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon,

Leitrim

Branching Out, The Nest, Custom

Quay House, Rathquarter, Sligo

19:00-21:00

Cavan/Monaghan Forum October 18th

November 13th

Tullacmongan Resource Centre,

Kilmooney Drive, Cavan

YWCA Hall, Monaghan Town

19:00-21:00

19:00-21:00

For further information please contact Patrick.nwaokorie@hse.ie, Area Lead for Mental Health Engagement

for CHO 1

Local Fora Dates and Locations

CHO 2 Date Venue Time

Castlebar Local Forum Every second Thursday

in the month.

Mayo Mental Health Association,

New Antrim Street, Garyduff,

Castlebar

18:30-20:30

Roscommon Local Forum Every second Monday

in the month.

REGARI Recovery College,

The Lodge,

Athlone Road, Roscommon

18:30-20:30

Ballina Local Forum Every third Tuesday in

the month.

Ardnaree Family Resource Centre 19:00-21:00

For further information please contact Colette.tuohy1@hse.ie, Area Lead for Mental Health Engagement for

CHO 2

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CHO 5 Date Venue Time

South Tipperary November 5th

December 3rd

Clonmel Community Resource Centre

18:00-20:00

Kilkenny October 9th

November 13th

December 11th

Recovery College South East,

Greenshill, Kilkenny

18:00-20:00

Carlow November 7th

December 5th

Activation Centre on Kelvin Court,

Carlow

19:30-21:30

Waterford October 11th

November 8th

December 13th

Waterford Health Park. 18:00-20:00

South Wexford October 15th

November 19th

December 17th

Wexford Mental Health Services,

Henrietta Street, Wexford

18:00-20:00

North Wexford October 17th

November 21st

December 19th

Gorey Health Centre 18:00-20:00

For further information please contact paulk.fallon@hse.ie, Area Lead for Mental Health Engagement for CHO

5

CHO 7 Date Venue Time

Ballyfermot/Lucan Local

Forum

Last Tuesday of every

month

Ballyfermot Primary Care Centre 18:30-20:30

Kildare West Wicklow

Local Forum

Last Thursday of every

month

Naas Library,

Basin Street, Naas

19:00 - 20:30

St. James Hospital Men-

tal Health Services Local

Forum

Second Monday of every

month

St Martha’s Day Service,

730 South Circular Road,

Kilmainham

19:00 - 20:30

Tallaght Local Forum Third Tuesday of every

month

St Maelruain’s,

Main Street Tallaght

19:00 - 20:30

For further information please contact Margareta.duggan@hse.ie, Area Lead for Mental Health Engagement

for CHO 7

CHO 6 Date Venue Time

Dublin South East Forum TBC The Junction, Pearse & Macken

Streets

19:30-21:30

Wicklow Forum Meeting TBC Knockrobin Health Centre 19:30-21:30

Cluain Mhuire Forum

Open Evening

TBC Avila House, Blackrock 19:30-21:30

Lucena Supporters Fo-

rum

TBC Avila House, Blackrock 19:30-21:30

South Dublin Local Fo-

rum

TBc The Junction Pearse and Macken

Sts

19:30-21:30

For further information please contact charles.searson@hse.ie, Area Lead for Mental Health Engagement for

CHO 6

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CHO 8 Date Venue Time

Longford Local Forum October 30th

November 27th

Longford Library (Beside Tesco /

Longford Shopping Centre)

11:00 – 13:00

Westmeath Local Forum November 6th

December 4th

Mullingar Library, County Buildings,

Mullingar Town Centre

18:00 – 19:45

Laois Local Forum October 25th

November 22nd

December 20th

Triogue Centre, Bridge Street,

Portlaoise

18:00 – 19:45

Louth / Meath Contact your local Louth / Meath Consumer Panel at consumerpanellouth-

meath@gmail.com

For further information please contact mhengage.mlm@hse.ie

CHO 9 Date Venue Time

Balbriggan Local Forum

Meeting

November 5th Balbriggan Library TBC

City Centre Forum October 23rd Wynn’s Hotel, City Centre TBC

Blanchardstown Local

Forum Meeting

October 24th Draíocht Theatre, Blanchardstown 11:00-13:00

Raheny Local Forum

Meeting

October 12th St Francis Raheny 09:00-13:00

For further information please contact Mental Health Engagement CHO 9 at: mhengage.dncc@hse.ie

Caidreamh Edition 6 16

Caidreamh

Free phone 116 123 (24/7)

Email: jo@samaritans.ie

Text: 0872609090 (charges apply)

Website: www.samaritans.org

Shine

Website: www.shine.ie

Support Email: phil@shine.ie

Support Contact Details

Aware

Website: www.aware.ie

Email: wecanhelp@aware.ie

Freephone: 1800 80 48 48

Available Monday - Sunday

10am to 10pm

Pieta House

Website: www.pieta.ie

Email: mary@pieta.ie

Freephone: 1800 247 247.

Available 24/7

Useful Links

Services and Supports

www.hse.ie/mentalhealth www.yourmentalhealth.ie

Useful Documents

Family, Carer and Supporter Guide - https://www.healthpromotion.ie/hp-files/docs/HMT01164.pdf

Family, Carer and Supporter Guide Leaflet - https://www.healthpromotion.ie/hp-files/docs/HMT01165.pdf