RESULTS from round 11 of the strategic mental health grants have recently been announced by Worcestershire County Council. 

Three organisations, including two from Redditch and Bromsgrove, have successfully been awarded a total of more than £100,000 to deliver specific mental health recovery and employment based services across the county.

Two community based 'Reablement' Service grants of £25,000 have also been awarded to organisations EPIC CIC, based in Bromsgrove, and Onside which delivers services in Redditch.  

These two grants will enable the organisations to help people live independently and reintegrate with their local communities and move beyond the negative and often devastating effects of mental illness. This includes the active process of regaining skills, building confidence and moving towards independence, all of which, requires the expertise of a number of disciplines within the service.

A single grant of £60,000 was also awarded to Onside, based in Worcester. This grant will be used to help people remain in work. 

Dr Richard Harling, Worcestershire County Council's director of adult social care and health said: “The county council recognises the value of working with the voluntary sector to support people with mental health problems. We are pleased to be able to award these grants.

“As funding becomes increasingly scarce we will need to think about how we continue to work with the voluntary sector and our communities to improve mental health and well-being.”