A PILOT scheme set up in Limerick last year to divert people with mental health issues away from the criminal system has already prevented 40 arrests and helped more than 150 people.
Launched seven months ago, the Community Access Support Team (CAST) has seen 40 diversions from arrest and subsequent detentions under Section 12 of the Mental Health Act 2001, according to a Garda statement to the Mental Health committee.
CAST recorded over 1,700 operational hours of service in its first four months of operation and has seen more than 150 individuals interact with the project, with expectations that the last three months will show results equally if not more effective.
The CAST team is based at Henry Street Garda Station in Limerick City and will aim to reduce future presentations and interactions with emergency services through community follow-ups and the management of complex cases.
Limerick Sinn Féin TD Maurice Quinlivan has shown his support for CAST in the in the Dáil, calling for additional resources for the project to ensure it is retained full time. He also demanded the Mental Health Bill 2024 be enacted without further delay.
Addressing the Dáil, Deputy Quinlivan said “the Mental Health Bill 2024 is an extremely important piece of legislation and one that I am very keen to see enacted. It has been a long time coming, and still some way from enactment, but I welcome that we are finally seeing progress.”
Addressing the issue of mental health in Limerick, Deputy Quinlivan praised the CAST and the positive impact the newly launched team has played.
“The launch of the Community Access Support Team, like most things pertaining to mental health, was two and a half years later than we were advised it would commence. However, in its short time in operation the project has been successful. It is a Garda/HSE support group that assists those facing a mental health challenge, particularly during out of hours periods,” he told the Dáil.
“This pilot project has been working well but I am concerned that the project has not received its own funding and instead works out of existing budgets. I would hope that as we advance this bill consideration will be given to additional funding to ensure this CAST pilot project becomes permanent and having spoken to senior HSE staff and Limerick Gardaí the project has already saved lives and one senior Garda told me it is ‘a godsend’.”
