Extra money to go toward improving mental well-being among Warwickshire residents

Extra money is to to go towards improving mental well-being among Warwickshire residents with some of the cash being spent on putting signs up in suicide blackspots.

A figure of £1m has already been approved from the government’s Covid-19 grant but an extra £250,000 was allocated from Warwickshire County Council’s capital investment fund last Thursday (December 10).

Speaking at the latest cabinet meeting, Cllr Peter Butlin (Con, Admirals and Cawston), the portfolio holder for finance and property, explained some of the areas where the money would be spent.

He said: “Mental health is one of my pet subjects. Before the Covid crisis there was a spike in Warwickshire suicide rates among 18 to 45-year-old males.

"With the crisis and unemployment and the other stresses that Covid has created I think investment in that area is an absolute must.”

Among the other priorities are the supporting of dearlife.org.uk - a locally focused suicide prevention website which supports residents and their families - and to improve access to mental health and well-being services, particularly young people where there will be a focus on preventing self-harm.

The capital element of the funding will be spent on creating the signage in frequently used locations and providing dedicated equipped relaxation spaces for people in community centres.

The council’s portfolio holder for adult social care and health, Cllr Les Caburn (Con, Budbrooke and Bishop’s Tachbrook), added: “I commend the work on mental health and well-being and particularly on suicide support and signing it this way.

“We had a difficult suicide rate but have worked hard with our partners in public health and this is further work to ensure we do our very best for people in difficult circumstances.”

Cabinet members also approved allocating £400,000 from the Covid-19 government grant for mitigating the impact of the virus on the county’s BAME community.

The money will fund research to understand how they are affected with two new posts being created to help co-ordinate the delivery of grants and to support communities as they apply for funding.