The Sanctuary offers people in mental health crisis, a strengths-based support to de-escalate and manage their distress, through formulating a safety plan drawing on their personal resilience and positive support networks.

It is staffed by Mental Health Recovery Workers and peer support workers and volunteers. Support can be provided face-to-face, or by telephone or online Zoom appointments. It also runs weekly groups such as Arts and Crafts, Games Night, Creative Writing and Coffee and Chat.

The Sanctuary aims to enable people, where appropriate, to be diverted from local mental health crisis services and acute Emergency Departments, by offering an enhanced non-clinical dimension to the local crisis offer.

Accessing the service
The service, is open on weekday and weekend evenings from 5-11pm for Camden residents and people presenting to Camden services in crisis.

Credit-card sized information and leaflets for distribution to patients, can be obtained by contacting hestia.media@hestia.org. Please include practice name and address in the email.

For more information about the service, please contact Camden.CrisisSanctuary@hestia.org

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusions

• Adult (18 years+) residents of Camden and those presenting in crisis to Camden services
• People who perceive themselves to be in a mental health crisis, or at risk of moving into mental health crisis for example, an individual referred may have one or more of the following: 
  • Suicidal thoughts
  • Self-harm thoughts
  • Low mood and anxiety
  • Mental health crisis brought on by social factors (e.g. family dynamics including relationship breakdown, bereavement, financial crisis).

Exclusions

• Adults with dementia
• Children or adolescents
• People exhibiting violent or aggressive behaviour
• Grossly intoxicated (with drugs or alcohol) to the extent that communication and coherence is affected
• Active suicidal ideation where clinical assessment is required
• Those who need to be assessed and potentially detained under the Mental Health Act
• Those requiring assessment under s136 of the Mental Health Act.