“Mental Health Crisis Resolution in Ireland: Challenges and Solutions to Implementation of new Models of Care in practice”
Format: 90 minutes workshop
Authors
This workshop is jointly organised by the Health Services Executive (HSE) and IFIC.
Introduction
The Republic of Ireland’s national mental health policy Sharing the Vision – A Mental Health Policy for Everyone has prioritised early interventions and improved access to person-centred Mental Health services for everyone, in particular when experiencing acute crisis. The vision is ’to provide integrated Crisis Resolution Services (CRS) to people referred with the right response at the right time for the right amount of time to enable and empower people on their recovery journey’.
The CRS model devised by HSE includes the development of two service components, which are interconnected and should be integrated in service delivery. The first key component is the Crisis Resolution Teams (CRTs) and the second is the Crisis Café, which has been branded as “Solace Café”. CRTs are community-based multidisciplinary teams that provide rapid assessment and intensive support to individuals who are in a mental health crisis. Crisis Cafés provide an out-of-hours friendly and supportive community crisis prevention and crisis response service often in the evenings and at weekends in a café style/non-clinical safe environment.
Context
The HSE has launched a Pilot Implementation Project and Five Sites in 5 Community Healthcare Organisations (CHOs) have been selected to pilot the services (Sligo; Limerick City; Cork City; Waterford City; Dublin City). These sites commenced operations in 2023 and the degree and status of implementation of CRS teams and Crisis Cafés as well as their governance structures across pilot sites varies.
In the first half, the workshop will present the Mental Health CRS Programme as well as developments across 4 learning sites with a focus on implementation successes and challenges across the different pilots. In the second half of the workshop, the audience will be invited to reflect collectively on the challenges and solutions to the implementation of new Models of Care in practice in line with Implementation Science Frameworks.
Who is it for?
Health Service providers (practitioners, clinicians and administrative staff engaged in design and delivery of innovative approaches and service improvement) and community services providers.

What are you going to do?
• Introduction: Presentation of the MH Crisis Resolution Services Programme and evaluation programme by the HSE
• Presentations
o Pilot site CHO 4: CRTs & Solace Café
o Pilot site CHO 6: CRTs & Solace Café
o Pilot site CHO 1: CRTs
o Pilot site CHO 5: CRTs
• Open discussion: Challenges and Solutions to Implementation of new Models of Care in practice
• Closing by HSE Change and Innovation

How are you going to engage with the audience?
Guided Workshop session aligned to Implementation Science Frameworks addressing the challenges/barriers outlined in presentation and identification of solutions with speakers and audience.

How are you going to summarize the take home messages?
• Chairperson will capture key take home messages and summary report shared with participants following workshop