An inter-agency suicide prevention helpline was launched yesterday.
The Inter-agency Suicide Prevention Helpline hopes to offer counselling services to anyone who is thinking of suicide, whose life feels unmanageable or just needs a little help.
On its Facebook page the group implores individuals to “please call or text us”, promising that when “you call, we listen and help.”
Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud told those gathered for the launch at the Police Officers Training College, that the helpline will be staffed by suitably trained persons who will be constantly available to the public through several means.
According to Persaud the new helpline, which is the result of the work of several ministries including the Ministry of Public Health and National Security, will be subject to weekly reviews to ensure that it is working in a manner that is satisfactory.
“We decided we won’t open these lines until we are comfortable that they can deliver what they are intended to deliver…we will be collecting data on suicide to prove or disprove what happened…You can call, you can text – by any of these means communicate to us and we will respond appropriately,” said the Police Commissioner.
Persons can access the Suicide Prevention Helpline through a variety of means including both landline and cellular phones, via social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter as well as Instant Messaging platforms such as Blackberry Messenger and Whatsapp.
