Co-occurring Mental Health Conditions and Substance Use Conference

In November we were invited to the co-occurring mental health conditions and substance misuse conference held by KCC in Maidstone.

It gave us the opportunity to give a presentation on the LERO with an overview of who we are and what we are hoping to achieve.

The audience were professionals from local authorities, healthcare providers, charities, mental health services as well as the alcohol/substance use services in Kent. We also participated in a Q&A session where we addressed queries and arranged further follow up with individuals, the presentation was received very favourably and the feedback confirmed the need for a LERO.

We heard accounts from charities where individuals needed connection and support, not necessarily from the main agencies but a peer with lived experience. 

I also shared my experiences in respect of co-occurring mental health conditions and addictions to highlight areas where improvements in service collaboration could potentially improve outcomes.

Subsequently I have now been invited to be a lived experience representative at the Substance Interface meeting which forms part of the Community Mental Health Framework looking at better connected services for people with co-occurring conditions. The core focus of this group is to establish the best opportunities for implementing the Kent & Medway Joint working protocol for co-occurring mental health and substance misuse disorders. The first meeting was in January 2024.