£1m for mental health services in black and minority ethnic communities

Health minister Rosie Winterton has announced £1m in new funding for 40 community engagement projects across England to help build stronger links between mental health services and black and minority ethnic communities.

The projects are part of Delivering Race Equality, the government action plan for reducing inequalities and discrimination in the mental health system, and aim to improve the access, experience and outcomes of BME communities by forging links between the statutory and non-statutory sectors.

The projects will join the 40 community engagement projects already set up.

Winterton said: “Services must better adapt to the needs of BME communities, and offer care that more successfully avoids the need for detention in hospital and can prevent mental illness leading to a prison sentence.”

More information

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