Distress Brief Intervention Service

Tender description

The DBI Service will provide a swift, compassionate and effective response and support to people experiencing distress, and reduce the number of repeat attenders to emergency services, including Police , GP’s First Responder Services and NHS A&A Accident and Emergency Departments, while equipping people with the skills and support to manage their own health and to prevent/minimise future episodes of distress. Ayrshire requires to commission a Distress Brief Intervention (DBI) Service for individuals 16 years and over who are ordinarily resident in East, North or South Ayrshire. The DBI approach emerged from the Scottish Government’s work on the Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Strategies and has initially being piloted nationally in four sites across Scotland operating a level 1 and level 2 service. Ayrshire has become an associate in the expansion of a National DBI Associate Programme and has committed to embedding the principles of DBI within our services. The Ayrshires are proposing to commission a third sector provider with experience in developing and implementing the DBI approach and service to deliver a level 2 support service across Ayrshire. The DBI programme is expected to contribute to improved integrated working, improved staff experience and local service improvement. The level 2 service will be delivered by commissioned and trained third sector staff who contact individual’s within 24-hours of referral and provide compassionate community-based problem-solving support, wellness and distress management planning, supported connections and signposting for a period of up to 14 days, connecting people to the supports that help them over time. The Service will deliver compassionate community based problem solving support, wellness and Distress Management Planning (DMAP), supported connections and signposting. The service will deliver an initial holistic need led and problem focussed assessment for each individual supported, including assessment of risk. Planning will identify assets and include how to identify and avoid triggers in the future and how to use problem solving techniques. Distress Brief Interventions planning will be delivered through empathetic, understanding and supportive problem-solving contact with a person in distress, provided by a Level 2 DBI Practitioner, with a maximum contact length with each Service User of 14 consecutive days. However, this maximum period may be extended on a person-centred needs basis in the best interest of outcomes. The service will deliver appropriate referrals and access to core community services, e.g. CPN, psychological services, addiction services, social work, housing, other third sector and community supports; and undertake and support partnership working between third sector and other statutory frontline and emergency services. Information and supported signposting to specialist services and other community resources is provided to individuals appropriate to their needs.