THE NATIONAL AUTISM Protocol, which promises to ensure children and young people with autism have access to assessment and early intervention, will be rolled out as part of the Government’s new mental health implementation plan.

The government has today published Sharing the Vision: A Mental Health Policy for Everyone Implementation Plan 2025 – 2027, which details 30 key priorities across seven areas that will be delivered over the next three years.

One of the seven areas is the need for better integration and transitions between services, and the National Autism Protocol is included under this heading.

Also included under this is the expansion of Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse services (SCAN) and appropriate environments will be provided in all emergency departments for people who require a mental health assessment.

Meanwhile, under the heading of “enhanced provision of accessible community mental health services”, the government has committed to putting in place 16 specialised eating disorders teams and increasing investment in perinatal mental health.

There is also a pledge to provide additional funding for early intervention in psychosis and dual diagnosis services as “guided by population needs”.

A person with a dual diagnosis is someone who presents with a concurrent mental health disorder and substance abuse disorder.

Elsewhere, under the heading of providing “meaningful involvement of service users”, mental health services for the migrant community will be enhanced – including for those living in Direct Provision – while services for the Deaf population will be “evaluated”.

And under the heading of “continued improvement and innovation”, a register of people who die by probable suicide while under the care of HSE mental health services will be designed and rolled out.

There will also be a phased roll-out of Electronic Health Records (EHR) across mental health services.

An EHR system will move away from storing key patient records in a paper format across multiple healthcare providers, to an environment where electronic patient records are shared securely across care settings.

A ten-year mental health capital plan will also be developed to ensure a fit for purpose physical infrastructure.

Minister for Mental Health Mary Butler described the mental health policy for the next three years as “comprehensive and ambitious”.

Meanwhile, HSE CEO Bernard Gloster, said he is “committed to this new implementation plan”.

“I am very conscious that for many people. they still experience challenges and navigating services isn’t always easy, said Gloster.

“We are committed to working with and including patients and service users as we work through this plan.”