Young Fine Gael is calling for a much-needed increase in funding for the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) within the upcoming Budget.
In April 2020, well over 2,000 young people were on a CAHMS waiting list. Given that we are currently experiencing one of the most anxious periods in our lifetime, there is every reason to believe that this number could be much higher by the end of the year. Young people make up a large share of those who are unemployed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. We are calling on the Government to put the protection of young people’s wellbeing as a matter of priority during this incredibly difficult time.
Mental Health Reform has strongly recommended additional funding of at least €100M in 2020 for mental health services and towards achieving a target of at least 10% of the total health budget being allocated for mental health by 2023. The proposal is included in Young Fine Gael’s Pre-Budget Submission: Striving for Progress, which was unveiled at the end of August.
