Holy Cross College launches suicide prevention centre

Holy Cross College launched Crossian Live Wire, a 24-hour suicide prevention centre for students and the general public in Tiruchi district on Friday

Holy Cross College launched Crossian Live Wire, a 24-hour suicide prevention centre for students and the general public in Tiruchi district on Friday.

The centre will train students and faculty of the college to prevent suicide and serve as gatekeepers in providing emotional support to vulnerable people.

As part of the programme, a national workshop was organised by the PG Department of Social Work, School of Rehabilitation and Behavioural Sciences, with training provided by Bharath Rathinam, senior research associate, ‘Promote’ Project, Department of Psychiatric Social Work, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru. A logo for the centre was launched during the meeting.

The initiative is aimed at addressing the social and mental health issue of suicide and its prevention, especially among students.

The workshop educated participants in imparting knowledge and skills to identify and function as first responders within their communities.

Crossian Live Wire will offer a helpline to those in need of counselling, once a toll-free number is assigned to it.

In his address, Mr. Rathinam spoke about the warning signs of persons with suicidal tendencies, and focused on ways to advise such individuals against taking the extreme step.