Pieta opens outreach service in Ballina
Pieta has officially opened an outreach service at Ballina Family Resource Centre, located on Abbey Street, Ardnaree.
The outreach is designed to broaden the availability of Pieta’s services and to better meet the needs of the growing communities in the west of Ireland.
Nationwide, Pieta House supports people and communities in crisis, providing free counselling services and support to those who are at the risk of suicide, engaging in self-harm and those bereaved by suicide. Pieta also provide educational programmes to raise awareness, reduce stigma and to support mental health and wellbeing.
Pieta House’s outreach service was specifically developed to cater for the growing demand for counselling support in Mayo. The Ballina service began operating in February and is open two days per week.
At its heart Pieta is about working with people to lift levels of suicidal ideation, to help them bring hope back into their lives and to improve their levels of self-care, and support people and families that have been impacted by the loss of a loved one by suicide.
Currently, Pieta House employ over 220 therapists and clinical staff working across the 15 centres and three outreach centres. In 2018, Pieta supported over 8,000 clients and handled over 16,000 calls through its 24/7 crisis helpline.
Pieta House CEO Elaine Austin, who attended the opening alongside the Pieta Tuam Centre manager Sinead Raftery, said: “It is important that our services are readily accessible and growing our services through the provision of an outreach service ensures that we can offer support to all those seeking help in Mayo and surrounding areas.
“It is so important that our services are offered free of charge and are freely accessible. Referral can be made through family, friends, GP or self. It is vital services such as ours exist within our communities, that we make it easy for people to ask for and to get the help they need, to make the difference in their lives to feel better.”
As over 80% of its income comes from fundraising events and donations, Pieta rely heavily on fundraising and support to deliver its services. Darkness into Light, Pieta House's main fundraising event of the year, was highly significant for the Mayo region this year, with over 4,280 people taking part in the global fight against suicide (held on May 11) out of a total 200,000 people globally.
Commenting on its vital fundraising events and services, Sinead Raftery said: “The services we provide at Pieta are crucial in today’s society and it is of the utmost importance that we have the staff and facilities readily available to offer these services free of charge to all those seeking help.
“It costs approximately €1,000 to bring one person through our services each year so Darkness into Light and community fundraising is vital to sustain the level of care needed. Our outreach location will ensure these services are more accessible to a wider range of people throughout the county.”
Pieta focuses on providing a non-institutional, community-based service delivering therapeutic support within a non-threatening, caring and compassionate environment. Since it was established in 2006 to provide free and accessible professional services to people who are in suicidal crisis or who are self-harming, Pieta House has worked with 46,000 people and has become one of Ireland’s leading charitable organisations.
For all referrals, contact Pieta Tuam Centre, who operate the Ballina outreach, on (093) 25586. For further information on Pieta House, visit www.pieta.ie.