MEDIA RELEASE
7 March2017
New North Yorkshire school mental health and wellbeing service to launch in April
A new mental health and wellbeing service is launching in North Yorkshire, thanks to a partnership between the local NHS and North Yorkshire County Council.
The North Yorkshire School Mental Health and Wellbeing service will support schools to develop a whole school approach to positive mental health by delivering training to school staff and key partners, followed up by expert professional consultation, coaching and mentoring to education staff on the use of brief interventions and targeted group work.
The service will also work with individual children and young people who are experiencing low level anxiety/depression and/or are at risk of experiencing mental illness by providing evidenced based brief interventions on a one-to-one and group work basis. This aims to build their resilience, learn new ways of coping and support referrals to specialist services where necessary.
This new service is a collaborative project between NHS Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby CCG, Harrogate and Rural District CCG, Scarborough and Ryedale CCG and Vale of York CCG delivered in partnership with North Yorkshire County Council from April 2017.
On behalf of the North Yorkshire CCGs, Janet Probert, Chief Officer of NHS Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby Clinical Commissioning Group said:
“We’re very aware ofrecent media coverage about the emerging mental health and wellbeing needs of children and young people. In 2015 a government document called 'Future in Mind' was published which described a commitment to transform services that work with children and young people by 2020.
“We’re now at the very forefront of these plans which are being implemented in North Yorkshire and very much look forward to working with Compass and our partners.”
Compass will deliver this new service which aims to benefit all children and young people and their families in North Yorkshire from April 2017.
Lisa Gale, Compass Service Manager said: “Compass have been delivering services to young people and their families for over four years across North Yorkshire through our highly performing Compass REACH service. In addition to our existing service we are now extremely proud to be launching the new school mental health and wellbeing project in partnership with local CCGs.
“We are very much looking forward to developing close and positive relationships with all stakeholders in the months and years ahead in order to improve and strengthen the support offered to children and young people in relation to emotional and mental health issues and to achieve improved outcomes for children in North Yorkshire.”
Compass provides vital support for children, young people and their families and is one of the UK’s largest providers of substance misuse services, as well as a delivery of essential health and wellbeing programmes for school-aged children through school nursing services.
“This new service from Compass will support schools to be even more confident in responding to emotional wellbeing issues by delivering training to school staff and key partners, followed up by expert professional consultation, coaching and mentoring for teachers on the use of one-to-one sessions and targeted group work.” said County Councillor Janet Sanderson, North Yorkshire’s Executive Member for Children’s Services.
“The service will also work with individual children and young people who are experiencing low level anxiety or depression, or are at risk of experiencing mental illness by providing support on a one-to-one and group work basis to build their resilience, learn new ways of coping and support referrals to specialist services where absolutely necessary”.
The service will be employing a new team of experienced, passionate and highly skilled wellbeing workers to deliver this service in close collaboration with key partners from the Prevention Service, Healthy Child Team, specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and a team of Young People's Nurses from the Compass REACH service.
Any questions, feedback or suggestions can be directed to the Compass Service Manager, Lisa Gale
ENDS
For enquiries contact HRW CCG Communications and Engagement on 01609 767621
Notes
Future In Mind:
Compass:
Compass REACH - North Yorkshire Service for Young People:
Young people aged from 9 to 19 (and up to 25 for those with special educational needs or disabilities) across North Yorkshire affected by substance misuse, poor sexual health and issues relating to emotional wellbeing and mental health, can access free help, advice and practical support at Compass REACH.