An investment of approximately €700,000 per year will see Jigsaw provide a new mental health service for young people in the Mid West.
News of the investment was announced by Kathleen Lynch, Minister for Mental Health, Social Care and Primary Care and recruitment of a Project Manager for the Limerick project will commence in February.
Jigsaw will provide early intervention and prevention services and also help to integrate existing resources to better support youth mental health.
Minister for Education and Skills and Labour TD for Limerick City, Jan O’Sullivan, warmly welcomed the establishment of the new youth mental service for Limerick.
“Jigsaw is a fantastic service, provided by the organisation Headstrong. It is already making a very positive impact on youth mental health in ten communities across the country and I am delighted that my colleague Minister Kathleen Lynch has provided the funding to extend the service to Limerick this year.”
“Jigsaw is based on the principle of “somewhere to turn to, someone to talk to”. I’ve seen the services that Jigsaw provides at first hand and I know Jigsaw will make a really positive impact in Limerick.”
It is anticipated that Jigsaw Limerick will have approximately 1,500 face to face contacts with young people in a year.
Commenting on the development HSE Mid West Chief Officer Bernard Gloster said, “this is a major boost to the health and wellbeing of teenagers and young adults in Limerick. Far too often we encounter people when they are in crisis, none more so than those who experience mental health pressures. Jigsaw is about ensuring young people have access to youth friendly health services.
We cannot underestimate the importance of proactively supporting positive mental health for young people.”
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.