Pieta, a suicide prevention and counselling service, has issued a grave warning: without substantial increases in government funding, its vital services face an uncertain future. This cautionary message followed the launch of Pieta’s annual 2023 report and a five-year development strategy, aptly named ‘Hope in Action’, during the observance of World Suicide Prevention Day.
The charity’s CEO, Stephanie Mangan, expressed concern that Pieta could no longer be an anomaly in regards to receiving insufficient support from the government. She mentioned that operating the charity necessitates around €17 million yearly, a whopping 85% of which is owed to the benefaction of generous donors and dedicated supporters.
Verona Farrell from Pieta highlighted the remarkable achievements in the 2023 report, deeming it another commendable year for Pieta. But she also alerted about an escalated risk of insufficient funding, which could spell bleak prospects for the continuation of their work.
The detailed annual report revealed that in 2023, the charity offered nearly 51,000 hours of professional intervention and grief counselling. Simultaneously, over 103,000 calls and texts were answered, coming from those grappling with suicidal tendencies, self-harm, or the aftermath of losing someone to suicide.
With its 23 centres situated across the Republic, Pieta extended in-person counselling to nearly 7,000 individuals, with another 4,600 receiving long-distance counselling over the phone or on videocalls. Notably, a Resilience Academy established by the charity aims at fostering emotional resilience in second-year students via a six-week program. A significant portion, around 40%, of the clients benefiting are young adults under the age of 18.
Pieta’s ‘Hope in Action’ long-term plan, unveiled on Thursday, envisions enhancing communal engagement. Already, an outreach centre has been established in Drogheda, with more to follow in Cavan and Monaghan.
Despite the challenges, Mangan showed gratitude for the exceptional support Pieta continues to receive from the Irish public via contributions and fundraising endeavors.
She highlighted that significant, sustained contributions from the government are essential to creating long-term effects. In order to ensure that anyone requiring support gets it, she urged the Government on World Suicide Prevention Day to focus on and fund sustainable suicide and self-harm prevention services.
The Minister for State for Mental Health, Ms. Mary Butler, noted in a previously recorded video message that the narrative surrounding suicide in Ireland has been transformed, thanks to Pieta, who have created a world whereby self-care, hope, and acceptance take the place of suicide, self-harm, and disgrace.
She affirmed that suicide prevention should be a high priority for everyone. She praised the national suicide prevention strategy, Connecting for Life, declaring that over the previous decade, a successor strategy incorporating the strengths of Connecting for Life whilst also learning from its setbacks, has been initiated.
She announced that Pieta, alongside other community institutions, will play a crucial role in constructing this new strategy.