2015-02 Evidence submitted to the Home Affairs Select Committee’s inquiry into policing and mental health
In this submission, we focus predominantly on two key overlapping areas:
- Providing pathways into effective support for vulnerable people who face multiple and complex needs (including substance misuse issues, homelessness, and repeat offending), whose problems are exacerbated by mental health issues which are undiagnosed or considered ‘sub-threshold’ for secondary mental health services.
- Improving responses for suspects and offenders with mental health problems.
Our submission has been shaped in consultation with members of our National Service User Forum, and considers positive developments and good practice around crisis responses, diversion, police custody healthcare, and police training, while making recommendations around continuing gaps in the system.
