COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
MOTION NO. 11
MOTION: Councillor F. Timmons
"That a report is issued to this committee for discussion into what SDCC can do in regards to the Clondalkin areas mental Health. There is an ongoing high Suicide rate in this part of the county. What additional supports can SDCC provide and what statutory agencies can this committee write to get action for the people in need and their families that are left devastated."
REPORT:
Connecting for Life Dublin South is a local suicide prevention action plan 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. HSE Community Healthcare- Dublin South, Kildare and West Wicklow are launching Connecting for Life Dublin South on January 23rd 2018 at 7pm in the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel, Newlands Cross, Dublin 22. Details on the consultation for Connecting for Life Dublin South can be found here: http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/4/Mental_Health_Services/connecting-for-life/Strategy-Implementation/Local-action-plans/Connecting-for-Life-Dublin-South.html
This is the link to the National Strategy: Connecting for Life, Ireland’s National Strategy to Reduce Suicide 2015-2020
When the Action Plan is made public it will be assessed for how it complements actions within the Local Economic and Community Plan and whether there are actions that should be incorporated into the Plan as part of the annual review of the LECP, which will be considered at the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC). It is also appropriate to consider how Connecting for Life Dublin South relates to other strategies like the South Dublin County Joint Policing Committee Strategic Plan 2016-2022 and the Age Friendly County Strategy. The South Dublin Children and Young Peoples Services Committee, CYPSC, will also be considering the Action Plan in terms of the Children and Young People’s Plan of that committee.
In terms of Greenfort in North Clondalkin and Glenshane in West Tallaght, following representations from the Children’s and Young People’s Services Committee an inter-agency meeting was established by Tusla in order to support the communities impacted by suicide, this meeting took place on the 21st September 2017 a follow up meeting is to be held. At this meeting a number of actions were discussed including the extension of the MOJO programme for men to the Clondalkin area http://www.mojo.ngo/
Community Action on Suicide (Clondalkin) (CAS)has been working in the Clondalkin area since 2005 and was instrumental in bringing Jigsaw to the county in 2012 and more recently has supported the formation of Clondalkin Young Minds in 2016. Clondalkin Young Minds works to address the mental health needs of young people up to 25 years of age particularly those who are below the threshold for CAMHs but have significant or complex needs that are difficult to address through existing services. CAS continues to explore different ways of addressing the incidences and impact of suicide in Clondalkin.
South Dublin County Council has and does support local community based initiatives like CAS and Clondalkin Young Minds. It is represented on the Children’s and Young People’s Services Committee and its subcommittees that are looking at responses to suicide and the development and implementation of Critical Incident Protocols to respond to communities who may become overwhelmed by an incident or death.