SUMIT Project Builds Momentum for Digital Innovation in Addiction and Mental Health Services: One Year on
- 6 days ago
- 1 min read
SUMIT, supported by PEACEPLUS, managed by the Special EU Programme Body (SEUPB), has been building momentum as it approaches the first year of delivery.
The SUMIT partnership Our Partners | Substance Use and Mental Health Interventions using Digital Technology (SUMIT) has made significant progress in laying the foundations for digitally enhanced addiction and mental health services across Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland. Working closely across community, voluntary and justice sector settings, demonstrator sites have been established and strengthened in Drogheda, Dundalk, Derry, Letterkenny, Fife, and Belfast. These sites will serve as real-world testbeds for innovative digital solutions designed to enhance access to support for people experiencing substance use and mental health challenges.
A key achievement has been the delivery of co-design workshops by DHI involving 25 service providers and 21 service users, ensuring future digital solutions are shaped by lived experience and frontline expertise. The project also advanced workforce development through the development of SUMIT Skills Framework, including trauma-informed training and digital upskilling programme while Communities of Practice continued to foster cross-border knowledge exchange and collaboration. Digital inclusion assessments, procurement planning for devices and connectivity, and the development of robust research and evaluation frameworks have positioned the partnership to move confidently into the implementation phase.
By bringing together expertise in digital inclusion, innovation, research and service delivery, SUMIT is creating scalable, evidence-based approaches that will help improve access to care and outcomes for people affected by substance use and mental health challenges across the region.