CHANGING ATTITUDES
Back: Esther Brennan, Josie Cash, Jim Leacy, Jean Hendrick, Paul Delaney, Marie Louise Byrne, Elizabeth Berry and Maureen McCaffery. Front: Laura Myles, chairman Michael Wall and Elizabeth Brennan.
SUICIDE is responsible for 11% of all Traveller deaths and compared to the settled population, seven times more Traveller men die by suicide, a Wexford conference on mental health was told.
Wexford Local Development’s Traveller Community Health Programme teamed up with the Health Service Executive (HSE) to organise a conference on mental health for Wexford Travellers in the Ferrycarrig Hotel which was attended by state and community health service providers in the area.
‘It was about trying to get people to open up and talk about their mental health, to seek support and TO avail of the services that are there,’ said Marie Louise Byrne, a Community Development Co-Ordinator with WLD who was involved in organising the conference which was attended by 180 people including more than 100 Traveller men, women and young people from around the county.
The title of the conference was ‘Get on Board: Steering the Reins to Change’ and it was held with the aim
Bridget Connors, Ann Connors and Nan Connors from Clonroche.
of raising awareness of mental health and to improve the uptake of these services in Wexford by the Traveller community.
According to the All-Ireland Traveller Health Study in 2010, suicide is a major issue for the Traveller community
Katie Moorehouse, Mary Connors and Mary Connors from Enniscorthy.
but due to the devastating impact on families, it is sometimes difficult to discuss.
The last Census of 2016 recorded 1,508 Travellers living in the county, which at 1% is the sixth highest Traveller percentage population in Ireland.
Wexford Local Development, in partnership with the HSE’s Social Inclusion Office and South East Traveller Health Unit, provides a range of services including two primary health care projects which employ a total of nine part-time Traveller community health workers, who are themselves Travellers.
These peer workers are uniquely placed to help achieve better health outcomes for the community. They deliver programmes in the areas of diabetes awareness and cardiovascular and and mental health, engaging with service providers and enabling effective Traveller participation.
Last year, as part of a heart health programme, the Traveller community health workers led 33 Traveller women to complete the Women’s Mini Marathon, raising funds for Crumlin Children’s Hospital in the process.
The focus of the Traveller health programme in the early part of this year is firmly on mental health and well-being and additional funds have been made available by the HSE to highlight the issue and to encourage more people to access services.
The conference highlighted the mental health services that are available in Wexford including community-based services and also showcased the work being done in the county by Travellers themselves.
The speakers included Mary Byrne, Traveller mental health liaison nurse with the HSE in the South East, who talked about positive mental health; Pat Kavanagh and John Pender from the voluntary organisation Suicide or Survive, who gave a compelling talk about wellness and mindfulness; and Paul Delaney of the Cornmarket Project, who spoke about dual diagnosis where mental health issues co-exist with substance misuse.
Members of Tipperary Rural Travellers Project joined with Wexford Travellers to outline their Drive for Hope and Change initiative, which has had a positive impact on the mental health of Traveller men in Tipperary.
Jim Leacy, manager of Waterford and Wexford Mental Health Services with the HSE clearly explained in detail how to access services around the county, now that St Senan’s Hospital has closed.
Thomas Connors from Enniscorthy, Cllr John O’Rourke from Enniscorthy and Miley Cash from Ferns.