People in West Cumbria can now get same-day mental health and wellbeing support online without needing a referral.
Hope Haven, a new community mental health hub for Copeland, has launched a Virtual Safe Haven service.
It offers one-off video call appointments between 4pm and midnight, seven days a week.
The virtual sessions are run by trained mental health support workers from Everyturn Mental Health, one of Hope Haven’s partners.
They can help with social, emotional and practical issues, and work with people to agree a plan for ongoing support.
People can now book an appointment online by visiting the Hope Haven webpage.
Hope Haven, in Whitehaven, is a unique new community wellbeing project working to improve mental health support in the area.
The service is a collaboration between Cumbria Health, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust; Everyturn Mental Health; Home Group; iCan Wellbeing Group CIO; The WELL Communities CIC and Whitehaven Community Trust. It brings together health, social care and community services so people can access the right support, at the right time in Whitehaven and Copeland.
Samantha Kitula, senior development Manager at Everyturn Mental Health, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be part of Hope Haven, offering new ways for people in Copeland to get mental health support.
“This virtual appointment option means that people who struggle to attend Hope Haven in person can still reach out and easily get quick, personalised support.”
Hope Haven’s permanent home on King Street is currently being refurbished and is expected to open by the end of the year.
Once complete, it will be a place where anyone can walk in and get help without needing an appointment, a referral, or having to join a waiting list.
While the refurbishment of the building is underway, Hope Haven is offering weekly community drop-ins at the Senhouse Centre, wellbeing walks around Whitehaven, and a chatty café.
People who need more support can also be linked up with one-on-one help from Hope Haven partners.
Everyturn’s Together in a Crisis service can provide people with one-to-one support for up to 12 weeks with the social, emotional and practical concerns affecting their mental health.
This practical support includes working closely to create plans to meet peoples’ needs, offer them tools to help them understand and manage their mental health, and link the up with other services who can help with housing, financial and social worries.
Hope Haven partners Home Group has also begun providing some short-stay accommodation for people seriously struggling with their mental health.
This allows partner services to offer people more intensive support for a short period, to stay safe and get back on their feet, without them needing to be admitted to hospital.
