November 19, 2010
Mental Health Service
HSE West planning for €10m in cuts to mental health funds
Irish Times (Monday, 15 November 2010)
Provisional plans have been drawn up by the HSE West to cope with a cut of €10 million in its funding for mental health services next year. While the region, which runs from Donegal to Limerick, is not yet sure precisely how much its budget will be slashed by, it is planning on the basis that its mental health funding will be down at least 5 per cent.
Suicide Prevention
Facebook page about local suicide prevention support services
Westmeath Examiner (Wednesday, 17th November 2010)
A Facebook Page called “Mullingar, fighting suicide one life at a time” has been set up to offer advice and information about local suicide prevention support services in Mullingar.
Its creator told the Westmeath Examiner that “People turn to the internet for information and advice all the time.
Samaritans ask for help
Sunday Times (Sunday, 14 November 2010)
The Samaritans’ helpline for depressed or suicidal callers could face an increase of €825,000 in running costs when an EU-wide freephone number is introduced in 2012. The charity wants to negotiate reductions in phone charges to social helplines to prevent a 40% increase in the annual cost of service.
"Breaking The Silence Trains 20 More Trainers Across Cork County"
Douglas Post (Thursday, 11 November 2010)
Breaking The Silence is a Cobh based group with the aim to listen, inform, educate and support the community on suicide. Breaking The Silence helps to create a Suicide Safer Community by connecting the person at risk of Suicide with life preserving resources. With funding raised from the Cork Senior GAA Football Team's Celebrity Boxing Event last Christmas and the National Lottery, Cobh based voluntary group Breaking The Silence organised for 20 new Peer Support Education Programme Trainers to be trained.
An Extending Lifeline
Drogheda Leader (Wednesday, 10 November 2010)
The Suicide Prevention Group SOSAD (Save our Sons and Daughters) is extending out from Drogheda and they have set up recently in Dundalk and plan to be in place in Cavan by the end of the month and are translating their website and some of their leaflets into Russian. The group was set by local man Peter Moroney and he explained that the group, who receive no government funding, are receiving pleas from all parts of the country for their help.
