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Self-Harm and Suicide AwaREness – SHARE

SHARE is based on outcomes of the HRB funded research programme: Improving Prediction and Risk Assessment of Suicide and Self-Harm (IMPRESS). The IMPRESS study aims to improve the knowledge base on predictive risk factors associated with repeated self-harm and suicide among high-risk groups of self-harm patients in Ireland. During the study, it has become clear that family members of self-harm patients are in need of more information and support, which highlights a major gap in Ireland and internationally. The current application proposes to develop an information leaflet for family members, and to offer a psychoeducational programme for family members. The leaflet and group sessions will include plain language information addressing the risk and protective factors associated with self-harm and information on effective treatments. IMPRESS has also identified a need for increased awareness of self-harm, suicide and associated risk and protective factors among first responders, including paramedics, emergency technical staff and emergency department staff. We aim to address the needs of first responders via interactive workshops of knowledge exchange and skills enhancement. To enhance dissemination, we propose to improve the content of the existing Suicide Support and Information website (http://suicidesupportandinformation.ie/) by including recent findings from IMPRESS study regarding two subgroups of patients that were identified i.e. people with high-risk self-harm and those with a history of multiple acts of self-harm, who require different therapeutic approaches. A seminar will be organised for relevant stakeholders at national level to disseminate the deliverables developed under IMPRESS and SHARE.