Save a Life - Counselling for People in Crisis

Pieta House is works with statutory, non-statutory, and community groups across Ireland to ensure the best possible outcome for our clients. Each Pieta House location builds a relationship with local inward and outward referral pathways to maximize support for clients before, during, and after receiving counselling from Pieta House. Our therapists, administration, and clinical support officers connect with healthcare professionals, youth organizations, domestic violence survivors, and people experiencing homelessness.

As part of a proactive approach to suicide and self-harm, Pieta House has developed a number of initiatives aim at increasing support to the specified priority groups identified in the Connecting for Life program. This coincides with our own Strategic Plan, which outlines our renewed focus in implementing outreach and in reach services to access some of Ireland more vulnerable and high risk.

Planning is underway to support a translation programme within Pieta House services. This system will allow the deaf community, new migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers to access Pieta House’s lifesaving counselling in their native language. This programme is currently soliciting for funding, and once established, will extend into Direct Provision centres to provide wellness and signposting training to the asylum seekers in residence. This programme will collaborate with established organizations already engaged in the Direct Provision system and with the Deaf community and will involve bilateral trainings between Pieta House staff and partner organizations.

Pieta House is proud to be collaborating with the BelongTo which supports lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans young people in Ireland. Our Pieta House therapists offer in-house counselling service for LGBTQI+ community aged 14-23. Our Pieta Way services have been offered for two years now in BelongTo and talks are underway to expand hours offered in their offices.

Pieta House, in partnership with St. Patricks Mental Health Services, host Ireland annual Self-Harm Awareness Conference. The one-day conference provides a mix of practical workshops and presentations relevant to teaching staff, community workers, parents, and students to over 500 participants every year. The Self-Harm and Awareness Conference is approved for 6 CPD credits and 1-day GMS study leave by the ICGP.

Our overall objective is to reduce rates of suicide and self-harm throughout Ireland. Our services take a client centred and solution focused approach to support people and communities in crisis. At all times we work to identify and implement practical applications to address these needs. As of 2018, 60% of those who need our services can access it easily, we will work toward improving that number in 2019.

 Intended outcomes

• Provide effective, evidence-informed and independently evaluated treatment across all services
• Reduce overall rates of suicide and self-harm in Ireland
• Increase accessibility of Pieta House services to those in need (in-person and remote)
• Access to a free 24/7 365 crisis line and text service fully integrated to support and emergency response services
• Increase uptake of mental health support services by those in need – in particular, members of specified priority groups
• Access to targeted suicide and self-harm prevention programmes
• Increase completion of treatment programmes by clients who have accessed services
• Contribute to an inclusive understanding of mental health that will be of benefit to all mental health service providers
• Through a penetrating public engagement campaign, we hope to broaden knowledge and engagement between clients, communities and Pieta House to address suicide and self-harm

Links:

• Pieta House Video