Text Size

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Welcome to Mental Health Ireland Mental Health Ireland is a national voluntary organisation with 104 local Mental Health Associations (MHAs) and branches throughout the country. The membership includes mental health professionals and lay people who provide care, support and friendship for the mentally ill. MHI aims to promote positive mental health and to actively support persons with a mental illness, their families and carers by identifying their needs and advocating their rights.

People who are mentally healthy:

feel good about themselves
feel comfortable with other people
are able to meet the demands of life

Why should the average young person be concerned about mental illness and know about mental health? Here are just two facts:

one person in every three attending the family doctor has a mental health aspect to the medical problem

of those who live to 65 – one in nine will spend some time in mental health care

As a member of the general public it is highly desirable that you should learn as much as you can about the importance of mental health and recognise and deal with causes of stress and other factors leading to mental breakdown. Remember that sometime in your life, you, a member of your family or a friend could become mentally ill and your understanding and help could be of tremendous support.

Who we are

Mental Health Ireland has at present staffing level of 8 employees at central office as well as 11 Development Officers based in Health Board regions around the country who support the work of local Associations.

Chief Executive Officer: Brian Howard

MHI Services Deputy Chief Executive Officer: Ted Tierney

Secretary to the Board: Barbara Davis

Executive Officer: Therese Coveney

Administrative Officer: Elaine Corcoran

Administrative Officer: Lisa Manley

Administrative Officer: Anna Ogarek

Accounts Officer: Paula Moore

What we do

stones flower

Mental Health Ireland is a national voluntary organisation which was established in 1966 as the Mental Health Association of Ireland. It is a company limited by guarantee with a voluntary Board of Directors representative of local Mental Health Associations and people with expertise in relevant areas.

There are 105 local Mental Health Associations currently affiliated to Mental Health Ireland. While they are autonomous, they share the mission of MHI and participate in projects organised at national level. Local MHAs are active in assisting to meet the mental health needs of the population of their own areas. MHI is affiliated to the World Federation for Mental Health and to Mental Health Europe.

The activities of Mental Health Ireland include:

Supporting local Mental Health Associations in their work by providing information and training and through a network of Development Officers working around the country.

Actively Campaigning and Advocating to improve national mental health policy and service provision.

Providing an Information Service on issues relating to mental health and mental illness through information fact-sheets, this website and directly by telephone, post and email.

Undertaking Research on mental health topics, such as the national survey on stress and the national survey on public attitudes to mental illness.

Organising Conferences, Courses, Workshops and Seminars on a wide variety of issues relating to mental health. MHI also promotes and co-ordinates activities to celebrate World Mental Health Day on the 10th October each year.

Developing Mental Health Promotion Programmes, including:

The National Public Speaking Project for senior students in post-primary schools and colleges which promotes an awareness of the importance of positive mental health, while developing public speaking skills.

Mental Health Matters, a mental health resource pack for 14-18 year olds which addresses the issue of mental health in a realistic, relevant and age appropriate manner.

Mission Statement

Mental Health Ireland aims to promote positive mental health and to actively support persons with a mental illness, their families and carers by identifying their needs and advocating their rights.

The MHI Strategic Plan 2009-2013 guides us in our operational and corporate function. This four-year plan proposes to focus with greater clarity on how to succeed in our mission to improve the wellbeing of persons at an individual and group level.

Other areas to receive priority attention include:

Volunteer recruitment and retention
Continued development of social housing throughout the country
Increase awareness / information programmes on mental health issues
Active engagement with research and other mental health research agencies
Greater service user involvement at both local and national level
Pursue appropriate funding for Training and Development programme for volunteers and carers and also to facilitate operation of the Volunteer, Advocacy and Support programme in other parts of the country following the successful piloting in Waterford Institute of Technology
Increased partnerships with HSE and other service providers