June 11, 2010

Mental Health Service

Making a declaration on youth mental health
Irish Medical Times (Sun, 9 June 2010)
Following a successful child and adolescent mental health summit in Killarney, Aoife Connors looks towards the endorsement of a landmark declaration at the first International Youth Mental Health Conference in Australia next month

Over 800 patients in 'outdated' psychiatric facilities
Irish Examiner (Mon, 7 June 2010)
Over 800 patients are living in 'outdated' psychiatric facilities.  40% have been living in the hospital for more than five years, and eight of those for more than 10 years.

Still waiting for changes in mental health services
Sunday Business Post (Sun, 6 June 2010)
The report A Vision for Change, which was published in January 2006, was widely lauded as providing a radical approach to a newly-prioritised mental health system. More than four years later, another report on accountability for delivering on A Vision for Change has been published by Amnesty International.

Suicide Prevention

Coroner criticises media coverage of suicides
Irish Times (Fri, 11 June 2010)
A coroner has called on editors and journalists to end the evading and “cover-up” in the reporting of deaths by suicide.
Coroner John Cannon was speaking at the inquest into the death of a South African national who took his own life near Letterkenny, Co Donegal, last year.

Suicide risk is higher for jobless, says study
Irish Times (Mon, 7 June 2010)
Unemployment is associated with a significantly increased risk of suicide in men and an even higher risk in women, according to research from the National Suicide Research Foundation.

Suicide rates rise by 26% as economic problems hit hard
Sunday Tribune (Sun, 6 June 2010)
There has been a 26% increase in the number of Irish people taking their own lives during the recession, in a trend that mirrors an increase in suicide after the Wall Street crash of 1929.

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