PLACE OF CALM: SUICIDE PREVENTION
The ‘Place of Calm’ is an innovative and ground breaking pilot project which was the first of its kind in the UK. The pilot project was commissioned by Public Health in 2015, as part of a suicide prevention initiative and was delivered jointly in partnership by Sussex Oakleaf and Recovery Partners, two established Sussex-based, not for profit organisations. Working alongside emergency services, the project provided a 24 hour, 7 day a week, service to support those who were being held or detained for mental health or suicidal behaviours. Our focus is to support people to survive crisis, give hope and recover control. Our staff have lived experience and peer support has widely been shown to break barriers and reduce stigma. We work with ‘people’ who suffer mental health crisis, often marginalised from society and excluded from mainstream health based services of support. We are passionate about supporting people to survive, to gain control and to recover, so that everyone has a chance to live a happy fulfilled life.
University of East London research findings show the intervention model to be very effective in reducing suicidal ideation (view the findings here), the service had effective referral pathways and could be accessed by large numbers of people who were out of their local area. A large majority of guests who used the service reported ‘the place of calm saved my life that day’ as well as a reduced use in services. Outcomes showed that suicidal ideation reduced after a ‘Place of Calm’ stay and guests left with a safe plan - a personalised plan of support pathways, names, numbers and any other relevant details. During the stay we may also provide signposting and support for people to manage other personal issues.
Suicide is preventable, in 2014 there were 6,581 suicides in UK and Ireland, but emergency services have routinely struggled to identify, manage and effectively support those with mental health issues relating specifically to suicide.
CONTACT US
If you'd like to discuss setting up a Place of Calm in your local area then please get in touch.
Telephone - 01444 459517
Email - [email protected]
Click here to read the findings of East London Universities research into the effectivness of Place of Calm.
