The Minister for Defence and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, T.D., today launched the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy for the Defence Forces 2020–2023 at McKee Barracks, Dublin.
The aim of this strategy is to provide a coordinated and effective mental health and wellbeing support system for the personnel of the Defence Forces through the adoption of a series of measures between 2020 and 2023. It builds upon the wide range of medical services and supports currently in place for members of the Defence Forces.
A Defence Forces Mental Health and Wellbeing Standing Committee will be established to bring together professional mental health and wellbeing perspectives within the Defence Forces to implement the strategy over the next three years. It is intended that at the end of 2023, mental health and wellbeing support within the Defence Forces will be delivered in a coordinated, multi-disciplinary and directed manner that is designed to produce the best outcomes for the organisation and for military personnel and their families.
The Minister welcomed the publication of the strategy, noting: “The existing mental health and wellbeing supports in place have served the members of the Defence Forces well. The ongoing development of such supports and the delivery of an enhanced ‘joined-up’ approach, are key elements of this strategy”.
He went on to say: “The implementation of this strategy, via the Defence Forces Mental Health and Wellbeing Standing Committee, will bring together professional mental and wellbeing health perspectives from throughout the Defence Forces. This approach will ensure that the strategy, which has differing but complementary components, is progressed as a whole”.