A special thank you to Dame Julie Walters for introducing this episode.

Read the full social cost-benefit analysis of the Lead Worker Peer Mentor service http://shltr.org.uk/ifj

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Welcome to Challenging, a podcast by Shelter reflecting on the ambitious and life-changing service run with Birmingham Changing Futures Together, that helped people with multiple and complex needs out of homelessness.

This week we're looking at mental health and trauma. Mental health issues can originate from trauma, but also can be impacted by other complex needs, such as substance misuse. It takes a multi-agency approach to unravel that. 

That's why today you'll hear a lot from people who worked in the Liaison and Diversion service, which provides intervention to people in contact with the criminal justice system who are identified as having complex needs. Both Liaison and Diversion, and Shelter worked together in that multi-agency approach, as part of Birmingham Changing Futures Together.

We’ll talk to someone we helped about her experiences with mental health, and the stress that comes from having your issues compartmentalised, rather than treated holistically.

A quick warning - you may hear somethings that are upsetting.