Crisis Cafés are a safe space for individuals struggling with emotional and mental wellbeing who do not require immediate medical care, they are places that people can go to if they are experiencing a crisis, usually to access mental health support and advice as an alternative to attending A&E.
Voluntary Action LeicesterShire in partnership with the NHS and Clinical Commissioning Groups delivered a Crisis Café grant programme.
The CCG and LPT provided a specification brief and VAL used this to design and develop a programme to disseminate 447,065.00 to groups across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR) in the hopes of launching a target of 12 new Crisis Café’s initially.
For the Clinical Commissioning Groups, this has been an opportunity to trial a new way of establishing services across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, as opposed to the more formal commissioning and procurement process that is traditionally used. The aim being that smaller VCS organisations would have the opportunity to deliver localised services.
As part of the launch for this scheme VAL delivered two information sessions, allowing groups to further understand the concept, the National context and the expectations for the Crisis Cafes. It also gave groups the opportunity to hear from Turning Point, who currently deliver 4 café’s across LLR. The CCG had set out 12 priority locations for this first round of funding, with the aim being that we achieve one in each of the 12 priority areas.
VAL will continue to work with our partners in Health to support the setting up and development of crisis cafes.