‘Take a minute, change a life' in Louth for World Suicide Prevention Day

With World Suicide Prevention Day taking place this Sunday 10 September, the HSE Community Healthcare Organisation in Louth are asking people to engage with the campaign and join in the theme of 'take a minute, change a life'.

The HSE Midlands,Louth/Meath Community Healthcare Organisation, have shared the below information on this year's World Suicide Prevention Day. There is information here on some very helpful resources, for those who are suffering or have concerns for the welfare for a loved one:

The theme this year for World Suicide Prevention Day 2017 is ‘Take a minute, change a life’.

As members of communities, it is our responsibility to look out for those who may be struggling, check in with them, and encourage them to tell their story in their own way and at their own pace.

Offering a gentle word of support and listening in a non-judgemental way can make all the difference. ‘Taking a minute can change a life’.

As World Suicide Prevention Day approaches, the HSE would like to give reassurance that there is help and support available for anyone who is feeling vulnerable, distressed or having thoughts of ending their life or if you are concerned about the welfare of a loved one.

The range of support services are outlined below:

• GPs who can make a referral to all relevant services within the HSE system, i.e. Child and Adolescent, Young Persons and Adult Mental Health Services, Psychology, Social Work, Addiction and Substance Mis-Use Services, Primary Care services, etc.
• NEDOC: Out of Hours service: LoCall: 1850-777-911.
  Psychiatric Liaison and Self Harm Nurses who are available in the Emergency Departments to assess, support and refer individuals who present.
• HSE Counselling in Primary Care (CIPC) – a short term counselling service with a Therapist.  The service is available for persons over 18 years of age who are medical card holders and who may be experiencing difficulties such as: depression, anxiety, panic reactions, relationship problems, loss issues, stress etc.  Access to the service is by referral from GP’s and any member of a Primary Care team.
• Bereavement Support Service: Pieta House operates Suicide Bereavement Counselling centres. They provide free counselling, therapy and support to individuals, couples, families and children as well as groups who have been bereaved by suicide. You can contact them anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on our Freecall suicide helpline 1800 247 247.
• TRAINING PROGRAMMES: The aim of ‘Connecting for Life’ – The National Strategy for Action on Suicide Prevention’ is to endeavour to increase individual and community capacity and responsibility to prevent suicide. The prevention of suicide is everyone’s concern. No one individual, organisation or indeed initiative will successfully reduce the number of deaths by suicide.

Programmes in suicide awareness and prevention skills training are delivered on an ongoing basis in various locations and in 2016 over 1,200 people attended both the SafeTALK (Suicide Alertness) Programme and A.S.I.S.T. (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) workshops.

SafeTALK is a 3 hr programme which teaches the skills to become ‘suicide alert’ and to be able to recognise, engage and support people who may be contemplating suicide.

A.S.I.S.T. is a 2-day skills based workshop with the aim of training participants to respond to a suicide risk and intervene appropriately to provide immediate help and safety.

Enquiries to participate in these programmes should be directed to Sandra Okome Resource Officer Suicide Prevention Louth & Meath, email: sandra.okome@hse.ie

The HSE works in partnership on an ongoing basis with voluntary and other statutory organisations such as Grow, Shine, Mental Health Ireland, Midlands Living Links and Aware to deliver a community wide targeted approach for the promotion of positive mental health and the prevention of suicide.

Specifically targeted programmes are funded and delivered to key groups within the community, i.e. secondary school students, community groups, sport clubs, the unemployed, workplaces and those bereaved by suicide.

Within Louth and Meath, there are many other organisations who work in the area of mental health awareness and promotion:

• SAMARITANS: Helpline: 116 123 / Text: 087-260 9090
  Email: jo@samaritans.org
• 24/7 Suicide Helpline: (Pieta House) 1800 247 247 / Text ‘help’ to 51444.
• PIETA HOUSE, Suicide Helpline 1800247247
• AWARE: Helpline 1800 80 48 48; Email: supportmail@aware.ie
• GROW: Info Line: 1890 474 474 / 018408236 for GROW support office.
• MENTAL HEALTH IRELAND: Regional Development Officer: 086-8353387
• SHINE (supporting people affected Helpline: 1890 621 631 / 0868525422
  by mental ill-health)
• SENIOR HELPLINE: 1850 404 444
• FARM AND RURAL STRESS HELPLINE: 1800 742 645.
• CHILDLINE: 1800 666 666.
• Meath Living Links: Co-Ordinator: 0868171669 (Bereavement listening/support service)
• Youth Support Services:
  • www.jigsaw.ie
  • www.spunout.ie 
  • www.reachout.com

www.yourmentalhealth.ie is an online resource that contains a comprehensive database of mental health support services throughout Ireland.

The site is the place to learn information on mental health and how to support yourself and the people you love.

You can find support services near you and learn about the #littlethings that can make a big difference to your level of mental health.

For World Suicide Prevention Day we are all being encouraged to play our part in ‘working towards the common goal of suicide prevention’ at an individual, community and national level.