As the 35th National Suicide Prevention Week draws to a close on Saturday, February 8, it's essential that we shine the spotlight on an organization that has been saving lives in our region for over 40 years: Le Tournant suicide prevention and crisis center. 

The organization opened its doors in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield in 1984. Its mission is to help people with mental health problems or in crisis, as well as their loved ones. 

The territory served by the organization's caregivers extends from the Haut-Saint-Laurent through the Beauharnois-Salaberry RCM to the Vaudreuil-Soulanges RCM. 

More specifically, Le Tournant offers the following front-line services;  

- 24/7 telephone intervention line; 

- Crisis intervention in the community;

- Close follow-up for high-risk individuals; 

- Crisis housing (short-term); 

- Measures for loved ones or witnesses of suicide;

- Suicide bereavement support group. 

Le Tournant also offers the following mental health rehabilitation services: 

- Midway transitional housing;

- Rehabilitation housing (medium-term); 

- Supervised housing (apartments); 

- Support of varying intensity (S.I.V.)  

The aim of these rehabilitation and social reintegration services is to improve the well-being and autonomy of people with mental health problems, by providing them with temporary, structured support adapted to their situation.

In addition to personalized support, Le Tournant is also a source of training for interested professionals and the general public. On-site, interested parties can receive Agir en sentinelle pour la prévention du suicide and Agir en sentinelle pour la prévention du suicide (declinaison agricole) training courses to share the concepts acquired in their professional environments. 

For professionals, Le Tournant can also share its knowledge via the training courses Intervening with the suicidal person using best practices (youth version 14-18 years), Identifying the person vulnerable to suicide and applying the required protective measures, Preventing suicide in the elderly : Identifying, protecting and instilling hope, Learning for life: Postvention measures following a suicide, “Distress and suicide in children” training, Intervening with the suicidal person using best practices and Provincial training in crisis intervention in the 24/7 environment.  

Many other resources in the region 

The Suroît region is home to other support services for local men and women suffering from psychological distress, health problems or other issues that could lead to suicide. 

These resources include 

- Le Versant; 

- Via L'Anse; 

- La Passerelle; 

- Le Pont du Suroît: 

- L'Accueil pour Elle; 

- Open area for 12-17 year-olds; 

For more information, visit the Tournant website. Staff can be reached at 450 371-2820. 

To read also: 

- Putting death expertise to work for the Shift