Connecting for Life - Cavan Monaghan

Information on Monaghan Wellness Week, 9th – 13th October 2023

Suicide prevention and awareness training

A wide range of free suicide prevention and awareness training programmes is available across Cavan and Monaghan. 

• View upcoming programmes or book a place
• For more information contact the HSE Resource Officer for Suicide Prevention, Cavan Monaghan - email emer.mulligan@hse.ie or call 086 1717563

Cavan Monaghan information booklets and downloads

A range of booklets and leaflets on suicide, self-harm, suicide bereavement, mental health

Supporting yourself and others

Supports and services for emotional wellbeing

Would you know what to do if someone told you they were thinking about suicide?

Support for people bereaved by suicide

Supports and services for people bereaved by suicide

Help is at hand for your emotional wellbeing and mental health

Suicide prevention training programmes

Other booklets and leaflets can be ordered and delivered free of charge, from the mental health section of www.healthpromotion.ie/.

Stories of Recovery podcast series

Stories of Recovery, is a new podcast series shares the stories of people local to Cavan and Monaghan and their journeys to recovery from adversity. Each episode focuses on a theme related to the experiences that challenged their mental health and wellbeing and highlights how they now flourish and continue to stay well. They are joined in the conversation by people who provide supports and services locally and offer signposting to supports & services. This initiative is a collaboration between Mental Health Ireland and the HSE Cavan Monaghan Mental Health Service as part of the Connecting for Life Cavan Monaghan strategy to reduce suicide in our communities.

Visit Stories of Recovery or search for 'Mental Health Ireland Stories of Recovery' on your favourite podcast platform.

2017 Launch of Connecting for Life Cavan and Monaghan

Helen McEntee TD launched Connecting for Life Cavan and Monaghan Suicide Prevention Action Plan 2017 -2020 in Cavan Institute, in June 2017. This local action plan is based on the same vision, goals, objectives and measurable outcomes as outlined in Connecting for Life, Ireland’s National Strategy to Reduce Suicide 2015 – 2020.  Connecting for Life sets out a vision where fewer lives are lost through suicide, and where communities and individuals are empowered to improve their mental health and wellbeing. 

Alison O’ Reilly, service user and consumer panel member speaking at today’s Launch said that

"too many lives have been lost by people having to be too strong for too long. I believe that this action plan has the potential to help individuals avail of effective preventative measures that will save lives."

Padraig O’Beirne, Area Director of Nursing and Chair of the Cavan Monaghan Suicide Prevention Steering Group said

“the community were consulted through a variety of methods including public meetings, focus groups, facilitated workshops and postcard and online survey submissions. The broad selection of mechanisms employed to engage with the general public and with specific target groups led to over 1,100 persons participating in the process representing a wide cross-section of the community.”

^{Members of the Cavan Monaghan Suicide Prevention Steering Group, at the launch on 20th June 2017}

Feargal Leonard, Acting Executive Clinical Director of Cavan Monaghan Mental Health Service said that

“Connecting for Life Cavan and Monaghan has 62 distinct actions based on the National Strategic Goals and Objectives. These actions will ensure that the people of Cavan and Monaghan have a better understanding of suicidal behaviour, that communities are supported to respond to and prevent suicidal behaviour, that there are targeted approaches for people that are more vulnerable, that access to and consistency of services are improved and that these services are safe and of high quality.”

There have been significant developments in Cavan and Monaghan in the area of suicide prevention over the past two years. During 2016, a range of suicide prevention training programmes were delivered resulting in 450 people receiving training in safeTALK (suicide alertness training) and 131 people trained in ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training).  Further staff have been trained locally to increase capacity to deliver these courses to those who need them.

Other recent developments include the employment of a Clinical Nurse Specialist, specifically for Self Harm presentations in the Emergency Department of Cavan General Hospital.  The Mental Health Service has also developed a Psychiatric Liaison Team, initially comprising of a Consultant Psychiatrist and two Clinical Nurse Specialists. This team is operating from within Cavan General Hospital.

In launching Connecting for Life Cavan and Monaghan, Helen McEntee TD  thanked all those involved;

“The Cavan Monaghan Suicide Prevention Steering Group was established in June 2016 with the aim of developing an integrated action plan to assist in the prevention of suicide and self-harm and the promotion of positive mental health in Cavan and Monaghan. The plan launched today is the result of the hard work of a large number of individuals, community groups, statutory and non-government agencies, working together to promote positive mental health. I congratulate all involved in the creation of this plan.”

Helen McEntee TD concluded,

“This Cavan Monaghan suicide prevention plan sets out a roadmap to address suicide and self-harm. It is important that we all continue to work together, at all levels, to identify people at risk and to ensure that appropriate services are in place to provide the help and support needed. If we do this, I believe that we will achieve our goal of fewer lives lost to suicide.”

Download Connecting for Life Cavan and Monaghan Suicide Prevention Action Plan 2017 -2020.

For further information on the development of the plan contact emer.mulligan@hse.ie

Find Support in Cavan and Monaghan

Your local GP

Find a local family doctor (GP)

GP Out of Hours Services

If it's late in the evening, night time or the weekend, you can contact a GP out of hours service.

NE Doc (1800 777 911), covers Monaghan, Cavan, Meath and Louth (with the exception of Dundalk town and surrounding area).

Hospital Emergency Services

You can contact the emergency services by calling 999 or 112 if you or someone else has harmed themselves or taken an overdose.

HSE Mental Health Services

If you have been (or are currently) supported by a mental health team, go to the Emergency Department or contact the service you are attending and ask for an appointment as soon as possible.

Listening Service

For confidential, non-judgemental support, the Samaritans are free to call, anytime day or night on 116 123 in the Republic of Ireland.

More Information

Visit yourmentalhealth.ie to search for supports in Cavan and Monaghan, and information on what to do when someone tells you they are suicidal or at risk of self harm.

This page was last updated on 4th July 2022.