What is Our Suicide Bereavement Liaison Service?
The Suicide Bereavement Liaison (SBL) Service offers guidance, practical information, and emotional support to anyone affected in the immediate aftermath of a death by suicide.
The SBL Officer (SBLO) can meet with anyone who has been impacted by suicide. Pieta offers up to 10 sessions.
The SBLO can meet with a person/family in their own home or a neutral place of choice. The team can assist in providing practical and emotional support.
The team can provide guidance and assistance in accessing other therapeutic services or even talk about what has happened.
You may have specific questions about some of the difficult practical issues following a death by suicide. In some cases, there may be a specific concern about the reactions and emotions of family members, friends, colleagues, or the wider community.
The SBLO also provides support to parents to help support children during this difficult time. The service additionally provides information and support around the time of an inquest/coroner’s court.
No matter your relationship with the person you lost, the service is available for you. A suicide bereavement information support pack will be available to you through your SBL Officer.
The SBLO Service is available in:
| Area | Liaison Officer | Contact Number | Working Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlow / Wexford / Waterford / Kilkenny / South Tipp | Kelly Higgins | 085 807 3040 | Wed, Thurs, Fri: 9am - 5pm |
| Cavan / Monaghan | Maria McBrien | 085 870 6591 | Mon, Tue, Wed: 9am - 5pm |
| Clare / Limerick / North Tipp | Jerard Enright | 085 856 8081 | Mon, Tue, Wed: 9am - 5pm |
| Cork / Kerry | Jolanda Helder | 085 870 6714 | Mon, Tue, Wed: 9am - 5pm |
| Donegal / Sligo / Leitrim | Mairead Millmore | 087 911 5498 | Mon, Tue, Wed, Thurs: 9am - 5pm |
| Dublin South East /Dun Laoghaire / East Wicklow | Denis Sherlock | 085 870 6712 | Mon, Tue, Wed: 9am - 5pm |
| Dublin North | Marian King | 085 870 6574 | Wed, Thurs, Fri: 9am - 5pm |
| Dublin South City, Dublin South West, Dublin West, Kildare and West Wicklow | Karolina Szafarz | 085 870 6606 | Mon, Tue, Thurs: 9am - 5pm |
| Galway | Pauline Cahillane | 085 856 8082 | Mon, Tue, Wed: 9am - 5pm |
| Louth / Meath | Kathleen Moore Avila | 085 738 0444 | Mon, Tue, Wed: 9am - 5pm |
| Midlands | Bernie Carroll | 086 418 0088 | Mon, Wed, Thurs: 9am - 5pm |
You can access the service by contacting your local SBLO by telephone, email, contacting our centres, or your local Resource Officer for Suicide Prevention (HSE). In addition, first responders such as members of the Gardai, Clergy, GPs or funeral directors are also actively encouraged to refer people to this service with your permission.
Other SBLO Services
In Roscommon and Mayo the SBLO service is not provided by Pieta but can be accessed as follows:
Roscommon
Suicide Bereavement Liason Officer, Tiffany Walsh
085 740 7856 / 090 662 5898 / 071 966 3000
Email: info@vitahouse.org
Website: www.vitahouse.org
Mayo
Suicide Bereavement Liason Officer, Fiona Thomas
Email: info@thefamilycentre.com
Website: www.thefamilycentre.com
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Some Help & Advice
We have collected the most frequently asked questions that people have asked regarding Pieta and its services. If you are new to our services or our website, we encourage you to have a look through them. Thank you.