29 July 2020 A vision without substance, Social workers respond to ‘Sharing the Vision’

The Irish Association of Social Workers (IASW) Social Workers in Adult Mental Health Special Interest Group (SWAMH) have today released their statement on the recently launched mental health policy ‘Sharing the Vision’ to call for: 

• Inclusion of social workers on the National Implementation Monitoring Committee (NIMC).
• Tangible commitments to properly resourcing the welcomed statements within the policy on trauma-informed care; recovery orientated care, a prevention focus, addiction/mental health support, crisis cafes, crisis houses, short break facilities, intensive recovery support teams, tenancy related independent living supports in mental health outreach and access to talking therapies.
• Specific recommendations on funding and core level staffing across mental health services over the life-time of the policy.
• Accelerating human-rights focused legislative reform to:
• 
  
  • Ensure Ireland meets its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
  • Fully implement the Assisted-Decision-Making Act.
  • To seek a statutory right to social care and community supports as an alternative to Institutional Care.
  • To seek a statutory right to housing, as is provided for in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
  • To seek clear Liberty Protection Safeguards to prevent arbitrary detention.
  • To implement Advanced Care Directives for people with mental health difficulties.
  • To support the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2019. 

While a refreshed Mental Health Policy is to be welcomed, the fact that the Oversight Group who developed the policy did not include any core Health and Social Care Professional (HSCP) members of mental health multidisciplinary teams (social work, psychology, occupational therapy) is hugely disappointing. Due to the exclusion of so many relevant stakeholders the document is overly reliant on an out-dated approach which lacks dimension and substance. 

The document fails to outline a detailed plan of public service supports for a range of mental health distress. We need clear and detailed pathways of support that will include early onset up to illness that manifests in severe and complex episodes of distress. 

There has also been a missed opportunity to maximise social work expertise in mental health. The document places social work under the label of “other” profession and does not appear to place any value on the core skills, knowledge base and training of social work professionals. Social Workers are trained and experienced in delivering systemic psychosocial support, advocacy, recovery orientated practice, relationship and strength-based interventions and solution focused practice. Social Work interventions are based on a social model, utilising social determinants of health in assessing needs and outcomes, as well as a strong human rights approach. 

Overall, Sharing the Vision is an aspirational document that is short on specifics. It lacks tangible numbers or benchmarks to aim for. This will make it extremely difficult to argue for a core level of services, as a core level is not specified. A Vision for Change (2006) at least had specific targets, and while they may not have all been met, it will be impossible to meet unspecified targets. A lack of referral pathways leads to the absence of needs identification. This is particularly concerning given the weak commitments to diversify governance. 

For more information contact IASW Offices administrator@iasw.ie 

Notes to Editor

The Irish Association of Social Workers (IASW) is the professional body representing social workers in the Republic of Ireland. There are over 4,000 registered social workers in Ireland. This includes staff working in the Health & Social Care sector, in education and training, in the voluntary sector and a number of independent practitioners.

Click this link SWAMH Statement on Sharing the Vision_15.07.20 to read Social Workers in Adult Mental Health (SWAMH) Special Interest Group Statement on the Revised Mental Health Policy, ‘Sharing the Vision’. ‘A Mental Health Policy for Everyone’ for the period of 2020 to 2030, which was launched on 17th June 2020.