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.