Rehabilitation guidance for people with mental health problems
Department of Health (National), 2 March 2003
New guidance will help re-integration and provide a safe environment for rehabilitation
A new drive to help people with mental health problems get back on their feet and back into work was launched today by Health Minister Rosie Winterton.
She published four sets of new guidance for commissioners of services designed to better re-integrate people that have suffered with mental health problems into society.
The guidance covers:
- vocational services - providing commissioners of mental health services with a framework to provide services enabling people with mental health problems to gain employment;
- day services - to refocus day services for adults with mental health problems from traditional day centre-based activities to community resources that promote social inclusion;
- direct payments - about one third of local authorities in England are not making make direct payments in lieu of mental health services; the guidance aims to ensure that such payments become the norm where appropriate; and
- women's only day services - providing a safe space to help women engage in mainstream opportunities and offering women an opportunity to talk about issues that they may find difficult to discuss in a mixed environment.
The guidance has been drawn up following the report of the Social Exclusion Unit (SEU) Social Exclusion and Mental Health, published in June 2004. The report sought to reduce the barriers to employment and community participation experienced by people with mental health problems. It identified further development of vocational services, day service modernisation and improved provision of direct payments for as key to reducing such barriers.
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