Guide to advice services for people with mental health problems published

18th January 2005

National charity Citizens Advice has published Advice for People with Mental Health Needs, a directory of mental health projects in the Citizens Advice service.

Copies of the directory Advice for People with Mental Health Needs can be obtained by contacting Ian Thomas

The directory illustrates the scope and variety of Citizens Advice Bureau services targeted at people with mental health problems. It is intended to enable people working in other organisations concerned with mental health to identify areas where Citizens Advice Bureaux can provide complementary services for users. It is also hoped that it will provide ideas for developing co-operation and new joint initiatives.

Around 200 copies of the directory are being sent to organisations in the statutory and voluntary sectors with a mental health role, targetting individuals with a service development role.

Citizens Advice Policy Director Teresa Perchard said:

"Citizens Advice Bureaux see many clients who are mentally or emotionally distressed, but we know the traditional high street advice doesn't always suit their needs. For some people with mental health problems, having to sit in what may be a crowded waiting room can be an insuperable barrier to seeking advice.

"In order to meet people's mental health needs more effectively, many bureaux have set up projects offering advice within mental health settings. These include psychiatric hospitals, community mental health team day centres, drop-ins and other user venues.

"Some projects have been set up following an approach to us by other service providers, such as social services or NHS trusts, or by users. Some are run in partnership with other organisations providing complementary services such as advocacy."

Advice is sought most commonly on welfare benefits and debt. Bureaux also provide advice on a wide range of other issues, including housing, consumer problems, employment, relationships and access to services such as education and leisure. In some cases bureaux have responded to user needs by developing advice on mental health issues, in a few places up to the level of Mental Health Act tribunal representation.

Bureaux work closely with staff in mental health services, including social workers, community psychiatric nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists and general practitioners, as well as with other voluntary and community organisations.

Examples of bureaux providing services for people with mental health problems include:

Sheffield Mental Health CAB, which started an advice service for people with mental health problems in 1976. Since 1998 the bureau has been dedicated to mental health service users, both in hospital and living in the community, providing specialist advice on welfare rights and mental health issues, including representation at Mental Health Act tribunals and a separate advocacy project.
Ynys Môn CAB in Anglesey, which runs advice sessions at the local Mind clinic and GP surgeries and also make home visits. Problems raised by clients are primarily on welfare benefits, debt and housing. The service, supported by the Welsh Assembly Government through the Better Advice, Better Health scheme, is integrated with the local social care and well-being strategy.
Leytonstone CAB in the London borough of Waltham Forest, which has been providing advice since 1997 on a range of issues for clients with long term mental health conditions. Advice sessions are run at two locality mental health centres, a black people's mental health day centre, a drug and alcohol drop-in centre and another day centre for mental health service users. The project has achieved a high success rate with benefit claims and appeals, but its future is now threatened by a reduction in funding.

Teresa Perchard added:

"Our aim is to develop existing and new projects so that generalist advice is available to all users of mental health services. We are also keen to enhance the role of users in planning, running and evaluating services. Some bureaux have made considerable progress in recruiting more staff from user groups, but we know more work needs to be done in this area. We hope this directory will help achieve these aims."

Earlier this year Citizens Advice published Out of the Picture: CAB evidence on mental health and social exclusion, a report calling for major changes in the benefits system and in consumer protection, saying discrimination in these sectors is undermining people's ability to cope, often making their mental health problems worse.

Last updated: February 23, 2007