Support project that has helped hundreds of adults around Inverness to be rolled out to 17 and 18-year-olds
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A SUICIDE prevention pilot project that has already helped 400 adults in the Inverness area is to be extended to 17 and 18-year-olds.
The Distress Brief Intervention (DBI) programme supports people in great distress or emotional pain.
The short-term intervention programme is for those in difficulties who while not needing medical treatment still appear at A&E or GP surgeries, or come in contact with the police or Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS).
After initial contact, they are asked if they would accept additional support from DBI with specially trained staff getting in contact within 24 hours and helping people to manage difficult emotions and situations early on.
Later, they develop what is called a “distress plan” in the hope of preventing a similar crisis in the future in a move that has assisted almost 3000 people since it was launched two years ago.
In Inverness, the pilot is led by the mental health charity Support in Mind Scotland (SiMS), alongside Police Scotland, SAS, GPs, emergency departments and mental health teams.
SiMS chief executive Frances Simpson, said: “DBI is all about equipping people with the skills and support to manage their own mental health and wellbeing and to prevent future crisis.
“Those who have received the DBI support show their level of distress has halved and report experiencing very high levels of compassion and feel they are working towards their own goals.”
