Accessing mental health services
The statutory sector, the voluntary sector and the private sector provide services for people with mental health problems. If you are experiencing mental health problems you are entitled to access community care services.

What is community care?
'Community care' has no single meaning. Broadly speaking it means helping people who need care and support to live with dignity and as much independence as possible in the community. Community care services are those which can be arranged and/or delivered by social services departments (and are also delivered by voluntary agencies). Those that are the responsibility of the health service, for example day hospitals, do not count as community care services - they should be thought of as community mental health services.

What are community care services?
A range of services are organised in the community by both social services and voluntary agencies - these include housing services, community centres for service users and carers, welfare rights advice and employment schemes. They also include: practical or financial support eg laundry services, home helps and meals - on wheels, special forms of housing, clinic, practical or emotional support, domestic assistance, physical or nursing care. Community care services can be arranged for a number of 'client groups', for example, children, elderly people, people with learning disabilities and people with mental health problems.

Who is entitled to an assessment?
People with mental health problems who are 'in touch' with secondary mental health services in England should have already have received a 'Care Programme Approach' (CPA) assessment. 'Secondary mental health services' can mean outpatient psychiatric services, in-patient psychiatrist units and the Community Mental Health Team. GP and primary care services do not count as secondary mental health services.

Whether or not someone needs a referral to a specialist mental health service is down to the individual judgement of the GP or psychiatrist. If the GP refuses to refer, changing GP might be an option. Local Community Health Councils can advise about this.

In Wales, initial contact and assessment could be via the GP, social workers and those working in the voluntary sector. Community Mental Health Teams are seen as the cornerstone of care provision, acting as a point of access from primary care to the specialist psychiatric services.

Family, friends and neighbours usually provide most 'informal' care. If carers of the person being assessed have caring needs of their own, or if their caring tasks are such that they need help in supporting the person they care for, they can asked to be assessed at the same time.

Can I refer myself?
Sometimes Community Mental Health Teams will accept self-referrals. This means that in some cases a you can approach them direct without the need for a referral from your GP. Policies on this differ, and it's best to check with the particular CMHT involved. Local Community Health Councils can also advise about this.