The percentage of people experiencing mental health issues continues to grow –with figures now hinting at one in three people being affected, Social Solidarity Minister Michael Falzon cautioned on Wednesday.

The minister was speaking in a residence in Attard that hosts 10 women with mental health issues – the most recent addition to hostels run by Mount Carmel Hospital and Richmond Foundation, which is this year celebrating 25 years of service.

“Mental health wellbeing can affect anyone, and international data shows that 25 per cent of the population experiences issues. That one person could be any of us, considering that the average family is made up of four people. Figures are now showing that we are inching towards one in three people being affected,” he said.

The minister noted that while politicians had reached a common ground on the sector, they needed to be more innovative and fast-moving when it came to mental health issues.

Photo: Mark Zammit Cordina

Earlier, former Social Policy Minister Louis Galea spoke of the struggles of mental health issues when the government was building a vision for the sector in the late 1980s and beginning of the 1990s.

He recalled the neighbours’ skepticism and opposition when Richmond’s Villa Chelsea first opened its doors in Birkirkara in 1996.

There had been a lot of progress since, but the road was long, he said, appealing for political consensus since reform within the sector often spilled from one administration to another.

During Wednesday’s event, marking Richmond’s anniversary, chair and co-founder Anthony Guillaumier said that the foundation was launched at a time when there were no mental health community services in Malta.

Richmond Foundation was founded in 1993, with the deed of constitution being signed by the government and Richmond Fellowship International (UK). 

The first project was set up at Villa Chelsea in Birkirkara, but this was followed by several other services, including the home support service and a supportive housing scheme which nowadays hosts 61 tenants in 28 apartments.

In the meantime, the foundation opened three other hostels for people with mental health issues in the community, including two for men in Paola and Qormi, and one for women in Attard.  These hostels provide community based long-term accommodation and 24 hour care for people who previously resided at Mount Carmel Hospital.

In the coming months, the foundation hopes to set up residential services for youths, similar to the ones it provides to children and adults. It will also be moving its KIDs (kids in development) residential services from Żejtun to Ħamrun.