WEST Belfast MLA Órlaithí Flynn has welcomed plans to fund Stormont's Mental Health Strategy for its first three years.
Finance Minister Conor Murphy has proposed a health budget of £21 billion over the next three years with the partial aim of providing additional resources for mental health.
The budget, which is currently out for public consultation, could partly fund the North's 10-year mental health strategy.
Coverage on BBC of last night’s vigil for families bereaved by #addiction & #mentalhealth
These families deserve better.
I and #SinnFéin will continue to work for accessible support & crisis services.
🎥Jack Brennan’s mother, Lorraine, and myself speaking at the vigil pic.twitter.com/WP9e0enXhn— Órlaithí Flynn (@OrlaithiF_MLA) December 14, 2021
Stormont's three-year Mental Health Strategy Funding Plan is estimated to cost between £112 and £158m.
Ms Flynn said: "Mental Health services have historically been severely underfunded by the Department of Health, with many families and communities struggling to access an overstretched, overworked service.
"I welcome confirmation that the Finance Minister has proposed to fund the first three years for health, including funding for the mental health strategy within the draft budget.
The funding covering the first three years of the mental health budget will cover investment into CAMHS (Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service), addiction and crisis services.
"It is vital that the Minister of Health champions investing in mental health services and projects within his Department, especially as Conor Murphy has followed through with his promise to prioritise health in the multiyear budget.
"I will be raising the issue of full funding for the substance use and suicide prevention strategies with the Health Minister and Department officials in the New Year."
According to the North's Mental Health Champion, Professor Siobhan O'Neill, the 10-year mental health strategy will cost an estimated £1.2 billion during its lifetime.
