Improving access to mental health care for people with low incomes: lessons from Ireland

Overview

A key factor affecting Ireland’s ability to address its high burden of mental health conditions is limited entitlement to publicly financed community based mental health care, especially for people with low incomes. To improve access to mental health care, the Government introduced the Counselling in Primary Care (‎CiPC)‎ programme in 2013 – a national programme providing community-based counselling for people with mild to moderate mental health conditions who have low incomes and are eligible for publicly financed access to primary health care (‎people with a medical card)‎. Evaluation has found that the CiPC programme has been highly effective in reducing the risk of self-harm and suicide, but challenges remain; the share of the population eligible to benefit is limited (‎only 25% of the population are eligible)‎ and programme funding has been constrained, leading to staff shortages and long waiting times for treatment. This brief shows how the CiPC programme has contributed to better mental health in people with low incomes and offers lessons for Ireland and for other countries looking to improve affordable access to mental health care.