Local Fianna Fáil TD for Galway West, John Connolly, welcomes the announcement by the Minister for Mental Health that Galway will benefit from an additional CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services ) eating disorder team to increase supports for children and adults.
There are now 16 teams funded with 11 of those currently in operation, alongside over 110 specialist eating disorder clinicians now working in eating disorder services across the country.
Welcoming the announcement, Deputy Connolly, said he was delighted to receive information from his Fianna Fáil colleague Minister Mary Butler that Galway will receive an eating disorder team to help support and provide vital services to children and adults.
“The team will serve the people of Galway and Roscommon and will help encourage early intervention. Locating the adult team in Galway now provides the opportunity to co-locate the service with the existing CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services ) eating disorder team,” he said. “Having a local specialist team will help support families and let them know they don’t need to face this alone.”
Co-locating CAMHS and adult teams allows for smooth transitions between the two services when required, and this is being factored into the forthcoming 10-year Capital Plan for Mental Health.
These new teams come as part of the nationwide rollout of the HSE’s National Clinical Programme on Eating Disorders and also supported by an additional €3 million this year — bringing the total annual investment in eating disorders care to €14 million each year.
Concluding, Deputy Connolly said that the additional specialist team will serve the people across Galway and Roscommon.
“Getting people the right support at the right time is vital. I would like to thank Minister Mary Butler for her important work in this area, and I will continue to advocate for more services for the county of Galway,” he concluded.
