Mayo TD 'shocked' by HSE's 'inadequate' response to suicide contagion concerns

A Mayo TD has expressed 'shock' over the HSE's 'inadequate' response to concerns he raised with the agency in respect of suicide contagion.

Speaking in Dáil Éireann, Deputy Paul Lawless elaborated: "In my constituency recently, a community and town experienced a number of suicides.

"I reached out to the HSE for help and to alert it to the great difficulty the town, community, friend groups and families were experiencing, and I was shocked by the response.

"I spent countless hours on phone calls and emails. I had expected that there would be some protocol for a rapid response whereby teams of professionals, including psychologists, would go into the community, identify the friend groups and reach out with supports.

"Instead, I was asked to share a poster on social media and put it up around the town.

"Many of the organisations and resources on the poster - including Samaritans Ireland, Pieta House, Childline, SpunOut and www.yourmentalhealth.ie are very positive.

"But if the poster is the response to suicide contagion in a community, it is simply inadequate.

"Several weeks after the contagion, we eventually managed to deliver a community prevention meeting, but meanwhile in the community the friend groups of the individuals concerned were meeting late at night in cars outside filling stations.

"These were young people of 18, 19 and 20. They were children in many cases. There was no support. Nobody reached out and nobody identified the people as potentially needing supports, signposting and therapy.

"The response, I believe, was entirely inadequate. Quite frankly, I was frustrated by the lack of proactivity and willingness to intervene and reach out to the community to indicate the supports.

"A meeting, forum or small group-support mechanism could have been set up in the local community centre, GAA club or elsewhere to help the young people and signpost them to further supports.

"Instead, there was no real action – let us be honest. I campaigned and fought and eventually we established a community support meeting.

"However, if the response is just to put up a poster with telephone numbers, it is totally inadequate.

"I believe there is a model to follow, namely the one in secondary schools, whereby NEPS staff go into a school, assist students and teachers, signpost supports and try to identify individuals in need of help.

"However, what happened in the community in question was that the young people most affected had to support each other in cars late at night outside filling stations.

"I ask the Minister of State Mary Butler to meet me to discuss the matter and determine how we can develop a framework or rapid crisis response team that can go into a community and reach out proactively, not simply throw out a few numbers and ask people to reach out for help.

"Those most in need of help are often the least likely to pick up the phone but they may be willing to engage if the hand of friendship is extended and there is a proactive approach.

"I reached out in the hope and expectation that this would happen but it did not. Perhaps as a new TD I was naïve. What happened was inadequate. I would like the Minister of State to work with me and to follow up with me on this."

In response Minister Butler stated: "There is a community response to cluster suicides. We have the National Office for Suicide Prevention guidance for local response to suicide.

"All areas should have a HSE-led integrated group to monitor and respond to clusters. Where young people are involved, NEPS colleagues are involved and respond to children. We are also providing a response by way of bereavement support. It is important to note that we have those supports."