THE Guyana Police Force launched its Inter-Agency Suicide Prevention Helpline on Thursday August 06, 2015, under the theme, “You call, we listen and help”.It is an avenue whereby depressed persons, or their relatives or friends, can call in with a view to the affected person receiving psychological assistance by way of counselling.

A higher level of intervention will be sought through mental health specialists, should it become necessary in any particular case.

The Police Force is being supported by the Cops and Faith-based Community Network, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Social Protection, the Private Sector and other social partners in the initiative, under the Force’s Social Crime Prevention Programme.

The Inter-Agency Suicide Prevention Helpline is based at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, and is in operation on a 24-hour basis.

The Centre is manned by suitably qualified and trained personnel, who will be answering the telephones and other forms of communication through social platforms.

When a call comes in at the Centre, once it can be determined where it is coming from, efforts will be made immediately, through the nearest police station, to have one of the counsellors from the Ministry of Social Protection or the faith-based leaders attached to the Cops and Faith-based Community Network, who are also counsellors, to go to the subject and take over the process.

The Helpline can be accessed through the following mediums:

Telephone:      223-0001, 223-0009, 223-0818

Cell Phone:     600-7896, 623-4444

Email:     guyagency@yahoo.com

Bbm pin:    2BE55649, 2BE56020

Twitter:     @guyanaagency

Whatsapp:     592-600-7896, 592-623-4444

FaceBook:     Guyana Interagency Suicide Prevention Helpline

A steering committee has been established to review and evaluate the functioning of the Centre, which has been given a boost, by way of the donation of a desktop computer by the Management of the Innovative Mining Company, Georgetown.