By Natalia Forero, Local Democracy Reporter
A new service will offer support across the county to anyone affected by suicide.
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Hampshire County Council has commissioned Amparo to provide help to all four corners of Hampshire – including in Southampton – for people who face personal losses due to suicide.
The initiative will support those who had an experience or are dealing with suicidal situations within their families, friends or personal lives.
Amparo is a confidential service that offers short and long-term help. The service can be delivered at home or wherever the person is most comfortable.
They provide residents with one-to-one sessions with family groups and groups of work colleagues.
You can be referred at any stage during grief, or other agencies can make a referral on your behalf – your GP, a coroner, a police officer or a funeral director, for example.
Amparo’s local liaison workers aim to make initial contact within 24 hours of a referral.
The service was presented to councillors on Thursday, June 15 at the health and wellbeing board.
During the meeting, officers indicated that simple gestures could make a difference to people who are silently dealing with suicide in their lives: for example, simply asking someone “How are you?” might make a huge difference for them.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
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