The Ministry of Solidarity and Social Justice, Family and Children’s Rights has renewed an existing agreement with the Richmond Foundation that will amount to € 913,140 over three years. This amount covers two separate agreements, one of which incorporates a housing support scheme and the other will be financially assisting in the management of Villa Chelsea.
These details were announced during a press conference by Dr Lydia Abela together with Minister Michael Falzon.
The first agreement of € 111,600 will go to a support scheme for 31 apartments, which will house 67 people. Services for people with mental health problems are provided here. It also provides physical, psycho-social and socio-legal support, among others.
The second agreement incorporates the management of Villa Chelsea. The Richmond Foundation provides 24-hour psychological support. The goal is for each person to reach a point of reintegration into the community. The ministry will be allocating € 801,540 for the duration of this agreement.
Dr Lydia Abela described these agreements as part of a series of projects that continue to highlight the efforts we are making as a country to recognize the importance of each person taking care of their mental health.
“We must be ourselves as individuals who, through our actions, see to it that those who fall behind in society are restored to the dignity they deserve. These agreements today are another tool that will contribute to these efforts so that we can truly address these needs and keep mental health on the national agenda in a lively and effective way, and with which we will continue to feel. the pulse of the people, ”said Dr Lydia Abela.
“During these five years, this government has made a revolution in this field, of which before 2013 there was little knowledge about it. Evidence of this commitment is the sharp increase in the number of agreements in partnership with voluntary organizations that the ministry has entered into in the last seven years. In 2013 there were only three such agreements at a cost of less than one million euros. This year the number of agreements has risen to fifty with an estimated cost of 18 million euros, “concluded Minister Michael Falzon.
