Hse highlights supports available on world suicide prevention day
Today (Wednesday) is World Suicide Prevention Day, and the HSE is using the day locally to address suicide prevention under the day’s theme 'Suicide Prevention: One World Connected’.
Speaking to the Offaly Independent suicide prevention and resource officer Josephine Rigney said the key focus of mental health promotion work within the HSE midlands area is to foster within the community an awareness that mental health is everybody’s concern.
Groups and services locally that are worth noting today include Good2Talk, Midland Living Links and Jigsaw Offaly, as well as ASIST and SafeTALK training.
Good2Talk is a low cost counselling service that looks to proactively work towards resolving issues that cause a decline in the mental well being of people at the earliest point of intervention possible.
Barriers to gaining access to effective therapeutic interventions are to a great degree removed, with costs removed, self referrals taken and walk-ins welcome.
The service is located at 1 College Street, Mullingar and is available to those in Offaly too. Contact can be made by calling 044 9332531 or emailing info@Good2Talk.ie.
Midland Living Links aims to minimise the distress felt by those bereaved by suicide and provides a voluntary listening and outreach support service throughout the midlands. Practical help, support and a listening ear is provided, ensuring that those who are bereaved don’t feel isolated or vulnerable. A local co-ordinator can be contacted on 086 1600641.
Jigsaw Offaly is part of the Headstrong network of Jigsaw sites, which work with young people and the public too. The service is both free and confidential, and works in collaboration with other services and supports to provide safe and evidence-based practice approaches for early and brief mental health interventions and supports for young people in the Offaly area. The service is based at 1 Cormac Street, Tullamore, and can be contact by calling 057 9352871.
To strengthen the ongoing work in suicide prevention, the HSE in the midlands has established mental health promotion and suicide prevention support networks in all midland counties.
Members of the networks have previously got training in suicide intervention skills, and get further information, training and support to put them in a position to promote positive mental health and suicide awareness behaviours in their own communities. More information on these groups is available from suicide prevention officer Josephine Rigney on 086 8157850.
Training available through the HSE meanwhile include ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training), a two-day skills based workshop and SafeTALK, a three-hour programme to prepare participants to identify those with thoughts of suicide and connect them to suicide first aid resources.
More information on both programmes are available from Josephine on 086 8157850 or josephine.rigney@hse.ie.