To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following the Home Office summit on policing and mental health held on 23 October (1) what engagement with Black Mental Health UK (BMH UK) is proposed in developing plans for the allocation of resources for community-based places of safety, (2) what resources will be allocated to community-based organisations serving the African Caribbean communities, and (3) how BMH UK will be involved in shaping the measures to be taken, as announced at the 23 October summit.
Answered on
1 December 2014
Discussions have previously taken place with Black Mental Health UK regarding the shortage of health-based places of safety for people in need of immediate crisis care. Both the Home Office and Black Mental Health UK were keen to identify innovative solutions and practice to address this, including exploring the possibility of community-based places of safety. Following consideration of possible options the Home Office is working with Sussex to fund a three month pilot of a community-based place of safety model, using a local care home, as a test of the practicality of such an approach and with a view to sharing the results with other local areas.
More generally however, the allocation of resources to provide places of safety, or direct to community based organisations supplying services, is a local matter for relevant service commissioners.
The Government will continue to engage and consult with a wide range of stakeholders, including Black Mental Health UK, in taking forward and monitoring the results of its programme of work to address mental ill health issues, including those measures announced at the summit on 23 October.