Citation

Houle J, Codaire AM, Poulin C. Can. J. Commun. Ment. Health 2009; 28(1): 35-47.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Wifrid Laurier University Press)

DOI

10.7870/cjcmh-2009-0004

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study describes a telephone mentoring service intended for people who have been taken to a hospital emergency room following a distress call to a crisis line at a suicide prevention centre. A few days after help is sent, an experienced care provider from the suicide prevention centre calls these individuals to assess their situation and offer telephone support services, even though they have not asked to be called. A process evaluation was made with an analysis of information available in files and interviews conducted with a consecutive sample of 16 users. Our study shows that the service has reached the targeted population and that participants greatly appreciated the proactive aspect of the service as well as the quality of the relationship established with the care provider.

RESULTS suggest that adopting a "reaching out" approach with individuals at high risk of suicide may be beneficial.

Language: en