Mental Health Service

Manchester Women’s Aid is proud to have had since February 2010, a Mental Health Service to enable our staff to meet the needs of service users who have experienced domestic and sexual abuse/violence and who as a result suffer with ill mental health.

‘Domestic abuse causes mental, emotional and or psychological distress, not just physical injury and is the most common cause of depression and other mental health problems in women (eg anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder, self harm, suicide and substance misuse.)’

Source: Greater London Domestic Violence Project, 2007 “Sane Responses” – good practice guidelines for domestic violence and mental health services.

Manchester Women’s Aid Mental Health Service strives to support and empowers clients in refuge and outreach services to access local statutory and voluntary sector mental health services. Research shows that it is important to give clients control of thier recovery and a choice of intervention.

Manchester Women’s Aid Mental Health Service offers the following menu of options to service users with mental illness/mental health need:

Needs assessment.

Care planning and intervention including psychological interventions.

Advocacy on the client’s behalf at health appointments such as the GP.

Referrals to voluntary sector services such as computerised CBT and depression and anixety groups via self help services.

Counselling.

Physical activity referral scheme.

42nd Street for Young People with mental health problems.

Signposting for staff and service users to useful websites and helplines.

Referrals to culturally sensitive organisations to meet the needs of the BME community.