NEW HORIZONS
With You has been working with Cornwall Council to deliver drug and alcohol treatment requirements within the judicial system for more than nine years . In 2020 a unique opportunity to combine mental health treatment requirements ( MHTRs ) with drug rehabilitation requirements and alcohol treatment requirements was identified by NHS England , the mental health commissioner in NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly , and Kim Hager , joint commissioning manager for the
Delivering mental health treatment requirements through drug and alcohol services can be transformational , says Eve Potts
Cornwall Drugs Partnership . Kim commissioned With You to deliver this combined service - a first for a drug and alcohol treatment provider .
An MHTR aims to provide an alternative to short-term prison sentences for those directly affected by mental health issues which could contribute towards their offending behaviour . This new combined approach of commissioning one service gives those in the criminal justice system access to dual diagnosis . So for the first time , those struggling with poor mental health as well as drug and alcohol issues could receive personalised , blended support .
DUAL DIAGNOSIS ‘ Before we introduced MHTRs in Cornwall to support people in the judicial system with clear mental health needs , no one had been successfully able to implement a dual diagnosis approach ,’ explains Kim Hager . ‘ Not only might a
IN CORNWALL , more than 250 people have been assessed for an MHTR in the last two years . With You ’ s 2021 data highlighted that of the 54 people who completed MHTR orders this past year , 50 have shown mental health improvements following pre- and post-clinical assessment .
person be at risk of short-term prison sentences , but they would also have to go to two separate services for mental health and drug and alcohol issues . The system was not dealing with the whole person or their true situation , which naturally had a ripple effect .
‘ In Cornwall specifically , rurality can also have an impact on mental health and the ability to access help ,’ she continues . ‘ While on the outside it might seem to be all jam and clotted cream , blue sky and sandy beaches , the reality is sadly , starker . Cornwall has some of the most deprived areas wildpixel / iStock
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