In Cornwall, the rates of suicide are higher than the England average. There is no one simple answer to why this might be the case, as some risk factors for suicide are linked with socio economic factors, mental or physical illness, abuse, relationship breakdown and bereavement. Not everyone who needs support for their suicidal thoughts seeks help from mental health services, encouraging as many people in our communities as possible to undertake mental health/suicide prevention training is a way of increasing the likelihood that supportive listening and signposting is available wherever you are in Cornwall.
Creating a mental health safety plan can help you identify both the things that keep you well and the places and people who can support when things don’t go to plan. Here is a link to information about mental health safety plans as well as some mental health safety plan templates that may be useful.
Suicide first aid training can help people to understand how to have supportive conversations, raise awareness and understand appropriate signposting routes.
There is also support for parents/carers on the NHS website and resources for dealing with young people, taking account of the whole family perspective.
Orange Button Community Scheme identifies people who have taken mental health/suicide prevention training and can listen and signpost to further support. You can find out more about it here.
Communities can be supported to become Suicide Safer Communities using a framework to map work in this area. You can find out more through the Every Life Matters website here.
Some useful links for further information are available below:
