Help for Galway teens with mental health issues

Galway teenagers with mental health problems, including depression, will benefit from a new therapy service to be rolled out in the West.

It has been confirmed to the Galway City Tribune that a new programme to provide support and therapy to teenagers in Galway and Roscommon is about to open in the city.

The Health Service Executive West (HSE) confirmed that a new day programme for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) is currently in the final stages of development and expected to open shortly.

“The new day programme will provide support and therapy for teenagers who attend CAMHS Services in Galway and Roscommon. This is an innovative and imaginative project which started in October 2013.

“A group of teenagers attending South Galway Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service have created a space specifically designed for young people,” the HSE West said in a statement.

It added: “The group have fully renovated an allocated HSE space on the grounds of Merlin Park Hospital.”

The HSE West said an official opening for the service will take place “in due course”.

The new day programme will be based at the CAMHS building in Merlin Park, which was officially opened in 2010.

The existing 20-bed unit has an overall floor area of approximately 2,500m2 on a site of 2.7 acres and was constructed at a cost of €8.8m. The unit includes a children’s inpatient unit, an adolescent inpatient unit and overnight accommodation for parents.

The therapy space includes a sensory room, play and arts therapy areas, a wood work room, a games room and a sports/indoor activity hall. Outdoors, the landscaped gardens include carefully designed therapeutic areas.

Depression is a common condition that affects up to 10% of teenagers at any one time. It affects how they feel about themselves and others, makes them feel tired all the time, causes them to lose interest in hobbies, school and friendships, and it makes them want to hide away from the world.