This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Community mental health projects
18/08/2005
Changes to the award of grants paid to the voluntary sector under the terms of the Mental Health Specific Grant (MHSG) scheme were announced today.
Deputy Health Minister Lewis Macdonald said:
"Bringing greater financial security to the voluntary sector by increasing the funding cycle from one year to three will benefit not only the organisations concerned, but of course, all those who benefit from their activities.
"Grass-roots projects working to support people with mental health problems and their families are very important. I know that our local authority and voluntary sector partners will warmly welcome this move."
All Local Authorities have been informed of the changes to the funding arrangements.
Changes to the MHSG scheme will mean a shift from the current annual cycle to a three-year cycle and will also better co-ordinate with the Executive and Local Government Spending Review processes.
There will be a transition period to align MHSG to the three-year spending review process which will mean that local authority applications made early next year will cover 2006-07 and 2007-08.
The three-year financial cycle will apply thereafter and applications made in early 2008 will cover subsequent years.
As presently, MHSG allocations are subject to the necessary funds being made available by the Scottish Parliament. All other MHSG terms and conditions will continue to apply.
These new arrangements make no changes to the terms and conditions for funding for the current financial year, as set out in the local authority allocations letters earlier this year.