Demand for services at a youth mental health charity was up 7 per cent last year, with the organisation saying it was the “most demanding year” since its establishment 18 years ago.
On Monday, Jigsaw, the national youth mental health charity, published its 2023 annual report which also found the complexity of mental health presentations is increasing.
According to the report, last year saw the charity offer its highest number of in-person appointments to young people (45,376), while also receiving its highest ever number of referrals (8,952) since it began operating in 2006.
Alongside direct therapeutic services, the report highlights that more than 16,000 people attended mental health workshops and training courses and almost half a million people accessed online supports through its website.
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The primary issues faced by young people who accessed Jigsaw’s services throughout 2023 included anxiety, low mood, low self-esteem and isolation.
Some 62 per cent of these young people, which is those aged between 17 and 25, reported experiencing moderate to severe distress levels at their first session, while among 12-16 year-olds, 64 per cent reported experiencing distress within the clinical range at first session.
“As with the trends of the previous years, it is clear that meeting the demand for mental health services remains a big concern, and there is no indication that the number of young people seeking support will ease any time soon,” the report said.
“We know that with the growing pressure on support services, young people are all too often facing longer wait times and limited support options, which only adds to their anxieties.”
The organisation recorded a €1,325,838 financial deficit for the year, of which €1 million was “planned and budgeted”.
“Jigsaw agreed with the HSE to use €1 million of its non-HSE funds raised by the organisation to maintain our existing level of service from 2022 to 2023. This agreement was put in place in the expectation of receiving increased HSE funding from 2024 onwards,” the report said.
“The remainder of the deficit was driven by lower than anticipated fundraising income and increases in costs. Securing increased government funding to meet the growing demand for our services is the greatest risk we face and our number one challenge as we enter the final two years of our strategic plan.”
Dr Joseph Duffy, chief executive of the charity, said it would “continue to advocate for increased funding in the face of surging demand”.
“We have plans in place for service expansion, wait times reduction strategies, ongoing evolution of how our services are delivered, growth in breadth and depth of our work with communities, schools, online and more. Budget 2025 is the opportunity to invest in these plans.”
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