Mental Health Reform (MHR) represents our 81 member organisations on over 20 External Advisory Groups. Many of these groups aim to oversee and progress the implementation of key policies and legislation in the mental health system.
MHR assesses the External Advisory Groups to ensure that our members are best represented in key areas of importance to them. MHR welcomes the opportunities to shape policies, plans, and innovative solutions for the provision of mental health services and supports across Ireland and globally.
The following is a list of currently active External Advisory Groups to which MHR contributes. Some groups are time-specific, some require a longer commitment and some are ad hoc. MHR always assesses the added value we bring to the table, the opportunities for reform and rebuilding of our mental health services and supports and the learning possibilities for our 81 members.
Further information about our work each year is available in our annual reports. If you have any questions or queries about any of these External Advisory Groups then please email us at info@mentalhealthreform.ie. Thank you.
National Housing Strategy for People with Disabilities Implementation Monitoring Group
The aim of this group is to oversee the implementation and monitoring framework to support the effective implementation of the National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability, 2011 – 2016. More information is available here.
Housing Sub Group
The aim of this group is to oversee the implementation and monitoring framework to support the effective implementation of the National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability, 2011 – 2016. More information is available here.
Advisory Group for a New National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability
The 2022 Strategy re-echoes the vision of the first Strategy with a particular emphasis on disabled people having choice and control over their living arrangements. More information is available here.
Disability Consultative Forum
Membership of the Disability Consultative Committee is drawn from organisations representing people with disabilities and service providers, members of the Disability Stakeholders Group, key agencies under the aegis of the department, including the HSE, as well as other relevant State agencies. More information is available here.
Dialogue Forum with Voluntary Organisations
The aim of the Forum is to build a stronger working relationship between the State and the voluntary healthcare sector for the benefit of patients and service users and to facilitate regular dialogue with the voluntary sector on future policy and strategic developments. More information is available here.
Disability Stakeholders Group
The Disability Stakeholder Group (DSG) is a group of individuals with expertise and lived experience of disability. It is recognised for the important role that it plays in the monitoring of the Government’s disability policy and strategies. The DSG has an important role in More information is available here.
Disability Participation and Consultation Network
MHR is a grant funded member of the Disability Participation and Consultation Network (DPCN) in partnership with ASIAM, Inclusion Ireland and Disability Federation of Ireland. The DPCN aims to ensure that disabled people and disability organisations are actively engaged and consulted on policies and legislation in line with the UNCRPD. More information is available here.
National Individual Placement and Support Advisory Steering Group
The steering group makes sure that the roll-out of Individual Placement and Support is supporting people with mental health difficulties to find work. More information is available here.
Early Intervention in Psychosis Model of Care Implementation Group
The National Implementation and Oversight group for the Early Intervention in Psychosis Model of Care oversees and supports full implementation of the Early Intervention in Psychosis Model of Care. More information is available here.
Trauma Informed Group in Ireland Expert Oversight Group
The objective of the group is to identify the range of interventions and supports that may be required along with promoting and recommending practices and general service responses to persons experiencing trauma. More information is available here.
Assisted Decision Making Implementation Steering Group
The role of the Assisted Decision Making Steering Group is to provide advice and guidance on the implementation of the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act in the HSE and HSE funded agencies, and to provide advice and guidance on the development of tools and support services to prepare for the commencement of the Act. More information is available here.
Mental Health Engagement and Recovery Working Group on Sharing the Vision Recommendation 65 on Advocacy
The aim of this group is to progress Sharing the Vision recommendation 65 – The HSE should ensure that access to appropriate advocacy supports can be provided in all mental health services.
Sharing the Vision Specialist Group Digital Mental Health
This Specialist Group is focusing on progressing Sharing the Vision recommendations 2 and 31:
2 – Evidence-based digital and social media channels should be used to the maximum to promote mental health and to provide appropriate signposting to services and supports.
31 – The potential for digital health solutions to enhance service delivery and empower service users should be developed.
2 – Evidence-based digital and social media channels should be used to the maximum to promote mental health and to provide appropriate signposting to services and supports.
31 – The potential for digital health solutions to enhance service delivery and empower service users should be developed.
Trinity College Dublin Public and Patient Involvement Ignite Partner Council
Trinity PPI Ignite is supported via a joint funding scheme between the Health Research Board and Irish Research Council along with co-funding and support from the Office of the Dean of Research, the Office of the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, the School of Nursing and Midwifery and the Trinity Centre for Ageing and Intellectual Disability. More information is available here.
Loneliness Taskforce
The Taskforce is a collection of individuals and organisations which will work to address loneliness and advocate for policy change. The Taskforce will seek to continue to highlight the issue of loneliness and ensure that there is national strategy to address what is a generation-wide issue.
Community Development Mental Health Network
The Community Development Mental Health Network brings together our members who are concerned with current models of mental health provision and seek the development of emancipatory and human-rights based approaches to mental health. This includes transformative, integrative and empowering adult education and community development approaches to healing, inclusion and mental health. More information is available here.
Traveller Mental Health Network
This is a collective of Travellers and Traveller Organisations across Ireland whose goal is to develop a collective space that is Traveller led, where local, regional and national Traveller mental health issues are highlighted, discussed and addressed. A space where solutions are explored with a view to being included in culturally appropriate policy on Traveller mental health.
Expert Advisory Group to inform the revision of the Rules/Code of Practice relating to the use of restrictive practices (seclusion, mechanical means of bodily restraint, and physical restraint) in inpatient mental health services
The aim of this group is to provide input into the revision of the Rules/ Code of Practice relating to the use of restrictive practices in inpatient mental health services.
Ukrainian Civil Society Coalition
This is a short-term, responsive initiative convened by Civil Society acting collectively to support the emergency response to Ukrainian refugees arrival and integration in Ireland. More information is available here.
Oireachtas Disability Group
The Oireachtas Disability Group (ODG) comprises six national umbrella bodies representing disabled people’s organisations; disability and mental health service providers; and advocacy groups. More information is available here.
Women’s Mental Health Network
The Women’s Mental Health Network (WMHN) is a network of people and organisations with a committed interest in women’s mental health issues. More information is available here.
