ANOTHER charity has been awarded government contracts to take on some of the work of Fasa which closed its doors last month due to financial difficulties.
Extern, which has been helping the homeless and vulnerable for the past 30 years, will take over mental health, suicide prevention, as well as drug and alcohol services funded by the Public Health Agency (PHA).
The PHA confirmed that the contracts for Family Support and Suicide Prevention Response Services and Crisis Response and Out-of-Hours Service in the Belfast area will transfer to Extern.
The charity will also take over the PHA's Belfast Drug and Alcohol Coordination Team Connections Service, a community-based `Step 2 Early Intervention Services for Adults and Family Members Affected by Substance Misuse' in the Northern Trust area and youth services for issues affecting young people through `One Stop Shops' in the Belfast Trust and South Eastern Trust areas.
A PHA spokesman said: "No changes have been made to the contracts and therefore adults in need of mental health or drug and alcohol support, or young people in need of information, advice and support, will still be able to access and receive the same services as before.
"The agency acknowledges the hard work which has been undertaken in recent weeks by a wide range of stakeholders, including both Fasa and Extern, to ensure that PHA-commissioned services have continued to be provided, and welcomes this move to put their future provision on a firm footing."
Fasa, which helped people suffering suicide, self-harm, substance abuse and mental health issues is based at five sites across the north.
It had 64 employees and 70 volunteers. Last month it announced it was facing "the prospect of immediate and terminal financial insolvency".
It is facing an investigation by the Charity Commission.
