The Place of Calm is a pilot project established as part of a suicide prevention programme, commissioned by East Sussex County Council. The Place of Calm was established to provide support for adults who are emotionally distressed or considering suicide. It is part of a number of strategies to reduce suicide and suicide attempts in East Sussex, where there is a higher than average rate. The Place of Calm is open 24/7 and provides a calm space with access to one-to-one support from appropriately trained staff who also have personal experience of suicidal thoughts or feelings.
Co-Production
From start: No
During process: No
In evaluation: Yes
Evaluation
Peer: Yes
Academic: Yes
PP Collaborative: No
Find out more
Tamsyn Milne (Place of Calm) Anna Stratford (Recovery Partners) Casper Murphy (Sussex Oakleaf)
The Place of Calm is a pilot project established as part of a suicide prevention programme, commissioned by East Sussex County Council. The Place of Calm was established to provide support for adults who are emotionally distressed or considering suicide. It is part of a number of strategies to reduce suicide and suicide attempts in East Sussex, where there is a higher than average rate. The Place of Calm is open 24/7 and provides a calm space with access to one-to-one support from appropriately trained staff who also have personal experience of suicidal thoughts or feelings. People experiencing a mental health crisis, including those with suicidal thoughts, can be referred to the Place of Calm and receive practical and emotional support. Support is offered for up to 24 hours and there are close links with other voluntary and statutory sector services. The Place of Calm provides an alternative for people who may be in need of care and support, if they are not acutely distressed and do not need to be detained under section 136 of the Mental Health Act. Since it opened in July 2015, the Place of Calm has had 46 overnight stays, which has helped to avoid the unnecessary use of section 136 of the Mental Health Act.21,22
For more information, visit the two partner organisations’ websites: Sussex Oakleaf and Recovery Partners.
