Centre for Mental Health Criminal Justice

How the police can improve services for people with a mental illness

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:00:00 GMT

Newly appointed as lead on mental health and disability at the Assocation of Chief Police Officers, Simon Cole, Chief Constable of Leicestershire Constabulary, has written a blog on the challenges faced by police to improve services for those with mental health issues or disabilities.

Centre for Mental Health welcomes further investment in criminal justice liaison and diversion services

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:00:00 GMT

Centre for Mental Health today welcomed the Government’s announcement of further funding for liaison and diversion services in police stations and courts in England.

Troops charity Forces in Mind launched to help veterans with mental illness

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 09:00:00 GMT

Forces in Mind Trust (FIMT) has been given £35m from the lottery and partnership support from the Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry.

Forces in Mind Trust (FIMT) is a grouping of charities and mental health organisations, led by the Confederation of Service Charities. The FIMT aims to provide UK-wide long-term support and advice - over the next 20 years - to ex-service personnel adjusting back into everyday life after experiencing action on the front line. The trust will help soliders suffering from poor mental health, family breakdown and alcohol-related problems.

Read Across the Wire, a report from the Centre on veterans and mental health here

Housing instability is linked to poor mental health and offending, says Centre for Mental Health

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:00:00 GMT

A place to live: Securing stable accommodation for offenders with mental health problems finds that timely access to appropriate housing support is one of the most important factors in breaking the cycle of offending. However, getting and keeping a home is only part of the picture. Many, if not most, offenders have multiple needs and require comprehensive support to make the transition from chaos to stability.

Centre for Mental Health supports Howard League call to end overnight police custody for children under 14

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 09:00:00 GMT

“Children should not be kept in police custody overnight without their health and welfare needs being dealt with as a matter of urgency,” Centre for Mental Health chief executive Sean Duggan said today.

New Centre for Health and Justice launched in partnership with Centre for Mental Health

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 09:00:00 GMT

The Institute of Mental Health has launched a new Centre for Health and Justice which will carry out research on a range of health issues in the criminal justice system as well as providing training and education.

Centre welcomes the government's decision to abandon plans to scrap the Youth Justice Board

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 09:00:00 GMT

The Centre welcomes the government's decision to abandon plans to scrap the Youth Justice Board, minister Lord McNally announced yesterday. The plan, detailed in the Public Bodies Bill, had met with considerable opposition. The Centre had urged for a separate body independent from the adult system to ensure that young people in the youth justice system are seen as children first and offenders second. The House of Commons Justice Committee published the Tenth report of session 2010–12, The Proposed Abolition of the Youth Justice Board yesterday.

Centre for Mental Health report on Secure Services discussed at APPG for Complex Needs and Dual Diagnosis: minutes now available for download

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 09:00:00 GMT

November's APPG meeting for Complex Needs and Dual Diagnosis was held in partnership with the Centre for Mental Health on the issue of blockages within forensic mental health services.

Secure and High Dependency services remain the largest single area of spend accounting for 19% of expenditure on direct services, DOH report finds

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 09:00:00 GMT

The National Survey of Investment in Adult Mental Health Services, published annually by the Department of Health, has revealed Secure and High Dependency services remain the largest single area of spend accounting for 19% of expenditure on direct services.

The survey, which reports on the level of investment in mental health services, found that total investment increased from £6.323 billion in 2009/10 to £6.550 billion; a 3.6% cash increase and a real increase of 0.7%.

Read the breakdown on the Mental Elf blog

Download the report from the DOH website here

Public Health England (PHE) must be visibly and operationally independent, say MP's in Health Committee report

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 09:00:00 GMT

The 12th report HC 1048-I & II from the Health Select Committee was was released today with a number of recommendations for a new public health framework.

The report recommends that the Health and Social Care Bill be amended to include a statutory duty on local authorities to address health inequalities:

It highlights the crucial role of public health expertise in the commissioning of NHS services – the Government has said that Directors of Public Health (DsPH) will provide public health expertise, advice and analysis to Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), Health and Wellbeing Boards (HWBs) and the NHS Commissioning Board – but the report says this is not enough. It recommends that the local DPH should be a member of the Board of each CCG. There should also be a qualified public health professional on the NHS Commissioning Board, and the Board should routinely take advice from qualified public health professionals when commissioning decisions are being taken.

The Committee are concerned that the involvement of local authorities, Public Health England and the NHS Commissioning Board in various facets of public health commissioning will produce a lack of coordination and cohesion in public health services.

The report also recommends a single, integrated Outcomes Framework for public health, the NHS and adult social care – and is therefore concerned that the NHS and social care Outcomes Framework have been finalised before the framework for public health. http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/committees/recent-reports/