A new report has found that at least 40% of adults under supervision by the Probation Service have symptoms that indicate at least one mental-health problem.

The figure is higher for women, according to the report, which was written by the service’s Senior Clinical Psychologist Dr Christina Power.

The study finds “significant and unmet psychological and psychiatric needs” among people supervised by the Probation Service.

“These findings show that we need improved access and engagement routes to mental-health services; there is a need for cross-agency working and a focused Government approach to ensure this can happen,” Dr Power writes.

Alcohol and drug misuse

The report — Moving Forward Together: Mental Health Among Persons Supervised by the Probation Service — also finds that, of those supervised by the service in the community with mental-health problems, half are also dealing with other issues such as alcohol and drug misuse, difficult family relationships, and accommodation instability.

It finds that 43% of those covered by the study experience active symptoms of mental-health problems, with anxiety and depression the most common issues.

56% have had some form of mental-health assessment or intervention in the past, while one in ten of those supervised in the community experience “active suicide plans”.

Dr Power’s study finds that there is a need to strengthen knowledge and develop skills-based training in mental health for Probation Service staff, in order to help recognise such problems, and to ensure that the appropriate services are involved where an issue is identified.

The report also calls for improved and strengthened Probation Service engagement with mainstream primary care, forensic and community mental-health service providers, as well as the development of joined-up strategies and interventions.

Evidence

Director of the Probation Service, Mark Wilson (small picture), said that while the service knew that mental health was an important area in its work, it did not have research to detail the frequency or severity of the problem.

“Dr Power’s report now provides that evidence and will inform how we can improve outcomes, both through the work of probation staff, our funded community projects and through collaborative work with our colleagues in the health services,” he said.

Launching the report, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said the Justice Plan 2021 had committed to the establishment of a new cross-departmental task force on mental health this spring.

She said this group would look at how best to provide for the mental health and addiction challenges of those imprisoned, and their primary-care support on release.