Photo: Folly Hall Mills NHS Community Mental Health Services
By Daniel Wood – KLTV Contributor
A range of support packages are being produced to tackle mental health issues across Kirklees.
In total, £627,368 had been made available via Kirklees Council’s Place Partnership initiative.
A total of £1m is set to be spent across the borough and the cash will be allocated towards improving mental health awareness, supporting schoolchildren who are suffering from mental health problems during the current pandemic, and for specific matters such as a two-year pilot for women experiencing the menopause.
The funding is set to be approved at a meeting of the council’s decision-making Cabinet next week (Nov 18).
The Denby Dale, Kirkburton, Holme Valley North and Holme Valley South wards will receive £187,778 to focus on mental health-themed work with children, young people and families in school settings.
Two mental health professionals will work across the 37 schools in the four wards for 18-30 months.
Dewsbury’s East, West and South wards will receive £142,857 for a 12-month pilot project to provide programmes of workshops, mental health support sessions and activities to raise awareness of positive mental health and well-being interventions.
A 367m-long ‘walking path’ will be implemented in Holroyd Park and £30,000 will be given towards that.
A share of £93,370 will be received by Batley, Birstall and Birkenshaw, Colne Valley, Huddersfield Central, Huddersfield North, Huddersfield Rural and Spen Valley wards.
The funding will benefit a total of 21 wards. It will go towards the training of “champions” who will deliver mental health first aid training to community providers/groups.
Batley, alongside the Birstall and Birkenshaw ward, will get £82,261 for carers’ support sessions will be set up to help reduce feelings of loneliness and social isolation, develop new friendships and informal networks of support, and gain the skills needed to better manage the issues they face.
The Almondbury, Dalton, and Newsome wards will get £42,947 for a two- year pilot will be set up that aims to better understand and raise awareness of the menopause and its impact on women, their families and lives.
Finally, the Huddersfield Central, Huddersfield North, Batley, Birstall and Birkenshaw, and Spen Valley wards will benefit from £38,255 spending on an 18-month pilot to tackle mental health through improved physical activity.