National standards introduced for community Mental Health facilities

The standards were created by the MHC in preparation for the upcoming Mental Health Act 2026.

This legislation will bring community mental health services, including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), under formal regulatory oversight for the first time.

John Farrelly, Chief Executive of the MHC, stated on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that the standards will define the expected level of care from these centers.

“The majority of people obviously aren’t in inpatient centres. They’re in these community residences and they receive services,” he said.

According to recent MHC research, 26% of individuals currently in inpatient facilities could benefit from community-based services.

Farrelly explained that the new standards will allow the MHC to register and inspect these centers, ensuring government priorities for community-based and early intervention services are met.

Addressing past shortcomings in CAMHS oversight, risk management, and staffing, Farrelly confirmed that these issues will be tackled through the new Act.

“We’ve also been asked by the minister to develop the CAMHS standards and we will have those standards at the start of the new year,” he added.

These standards will establish a benchmark for service quality, benefiting both providers and the public.