OVER 12,000 mental health-related calls and 2,682 overdose-related calls were made to the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service over a one-year period, latest figures reveal.
The figures from the Ambulance Service equates to more than 1,000 mental health incidents every month, demonstrating the immense pressure being placed on emergency services and the growing number of people in crisis.
Councillor Paul McCusker said the figures highlight the scale of the mental health and addiction crisis facing the north and the urgent need for action.
"These figures represent only a fraction of the wider problem," he said.
"Beyond ambulance callouts, increasing numbers of people are presenting to GP surgeries, emergency departments, Trust services, and community and voluntary organisations seeking support for mental health difficulties and addiction.
"Waiting lists continue to grow, while frontline services struggle to meet rising demand.
"Behind every statistic is a person, a family, and a community affected by poor mental health or addiction. Tragically, lives are being lost and families are being left to cope with unimaginable circumstances.
"Many individuals are forced to leave Northern Ireland to access charity-funded rehabilitation services, while parents and loved ones do everything possible to keep their family members safe.
"Everyone deserves access to mental health and addiction services that are timely, responsive, and capable of meeting their needs. Yet too many people continue to face delays in receiving the support they desperately require.
"We must continue to raise awareness, provide hope, and ensure that those who are struggling know help is available. At the same time, the Northern Ireland Executive must urgently prioritise mental health and addiction services. Failure to invest in and reform these services will inevitably place more lives at risk.
"The time for action is now. We cannot afford to wait for more families to suffer loss before mental health and addiction receive the attention they deserve."
