Samaritans use other agencies — if they’re open

I WISH to correct the statement of Senator Mary White quoted in your report on youth mental health (February 22). This inaccuracy may lead to a misunderstanding of the service offered by Samaritans.

Each year in Ireland, more than half a million calls are made to Samaritan services and, of these, 300,000 calls are dialogue contacts. Samaritans provide 24/7 emotional support to all callers.

Samaritans’ volunteers are trained to provide “active listening” — a technique which provides immediate support to people in distress, provides time and space for callers to organise their thoughts in a safe environment and encourages them to generate positive ways of moving through a period of intense distress.

This is an established and internationally recognised approach for supporting individuals in emotional distress.

Where appropriate, Samaritans will refer a caller, with their consent, to other agencies with whom we have established relationships. The reality, however, is that the majority of our calls come between 10pm and 2am at weekends when referral to agencies other than the emergency services is impossible.

It is important, in light of the situation in Bridgend in Wales and last year in Craigavon, that people are fully aware of all aspects of the support service that Samaritans offers to anyone in distress, including referrals wherever possible.

We are acutely aware of the levels of distress being experienced in Ireland — not every person in distress requires psychiatric support or counselling — but for those who do services simply do not exist to the required level.

Suzanne Costello

Director

Samaritans

PO Box11218

Blackrock

Co Dublin