A chara, - In her article "Suicide support group withdraws counselling over lack of funding" (Health Supplement June 19th), Michelle McDonagh writes that a Cork suicide awareness group has been forced to withdraw a vital free counselling service for people bereaved by suicide due to a lack of financial support from the State.
To the contrary, the HSE has met with the Let's Get Together Foundation in Midleton, and outlined to them that funding applications need to be made in writing. To date, no such application has been received.
The HSE is very serious about helping people affected by suicide. In the Midleton area, the "Peer Support and Education" initiative, the first programme of its kind in Ireland , is running since 2004. Developed by the HSE with input from a local GP and the National Learning Network (formerly called NTDI), young people, many of whom have themselves been affected by the tragedy of suicide, are trained to help other young people who might be in difficulty or crisis.
Plans to extend the training programme to other parts of the country are at an advanced stage.
Other HSE initiatives in the Midleton area to help those who are feeling suicidal or for those who are concerned about someone, include:
• A HSE suicide helpline - freephone 1800 742 745 (open seven days a week from 6pm - 10pm)
• Bereavement support teams: trained professionals, who work in teams of two, have been specially trained to work with families and people in a community who have been affected by suicide.
This is a free service and is tailored to suit individual situations. The support team will meet with family members, friends, neighbours, co-workers or whoever has been affected by the tragedy of a suicide and is reachable on 087 7986944.
• Crisis intervention nurses: two nurses have been appointed to hospital emergency departments in Cork city to work with people who have attempted suicide and support them through their crisis.
- Is mise,
BRENDA CROWLEY,
Mental Health Resource Officer,
HSE South,
Clonakilty,
Co Cork.