Besides services offered at Mount Carmel hospital, the government is increasingly investing in the field of mental health in our communities. This is done in conjunction with directives of the World Health Organization.

The government has invested in 160 professionals working in the community, five day centers for persons with mental health problems, and six mental. Another success story is the Crisis Intervention Team that offers intensive support to clients who are experiencing a psychiatric crisis.

This was stated by the Parliamentary Secretary for the Elderly and Community Care  Mario Galea during the opening of the Floriana mental health clinic.  The building houses a day centre for clients with mental health problems.

Mr Galea stressed the importance of the mental health law that was enacted in Parliament during this legislature. The law emphasises the point that involontary care can be given in the community and not only in the institution.   This was a novel concept for Malta.

Mario Galea stated that during the year 2012, 80 clients made use of the Floriana day centre. Presently, 320 clients are using the five day centres. 612 clients use the services offered by the Floriana mental clinic. 3135 clients use the six mental health clinics available in the community.   

Mario Galea said that currently there is a partnership with the Housing Authority to aid clients who complete their course of treatment at Mount Carmel Hospital. A number of these customers often encounter social and financial problems, causing great suffering. For this purpose, the mental health services in the community thought to help these clients by reaching an agreement with the Housing Authority, whereby apartments are subsidized by both entities. Currently, eight persons are using these apartments.

Clients who use these apartments are followed closely by professional staff and are eligible to make use of the various existing community services, such as mental health clinics, day centres, outreach and other services.