A new strategy running to 2030 sets out where residents across Kent and Medway can get help, and how communities can be better prepared to have difficult conversations.
Kent County Council and Medway Council have published a joint Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention Strategy covering 2026 to 2030 — a long-term framework focused on prevention, early support and chipping away at the stigma that stops people asking for help. It lands alongside World Suicide Prevention Day, this year themed around “change the narrative”: a push to shift the way society talks about mental health and suicide.
Across Kent and Medway there are nine Safe Havens where anyone struggling can drop in without a referral or appointment, seven days a week including bank holidays. Two of those sites — in Medway and Thanet — are open around the clock, and support is also available by phone or video call for those who cannot get there in person.
Jamie Henderson, Kent County Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Coastal Regeneration and Public Health, pointed to free training available through Mid Kent Mind in Maidstone as a way for people to feel more confident in supporting others. It is funded by the Kent and Medway Suicide Prevention Programme and is open to anyone who might find themselves sitting with someone in distress. He said: “As someone who has two friends with varying degrees of mental health conditions who reach out to me when in need, I know how it feels to be uncertain about saying the right things to support, encourage or reassure them. The excellent Mind training can really give you confidence that you are listening, responding and supporting in the best way.”
Cllr Teresa Murray, Medway Council’s Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Public Health, said: “Whether you’re struggling with loneliness or low mood, or you know someone who might be, the same solution applies — please reach out and talk. Talking about a problem is the first step to solving it and there is so much help and support available from our amazing support teams. In addition, the more we talk about suicide and mental health issues, the more we remove the stigma surrounding them, which in turn opens up the pathways between those support teams and the people who need their help.”
The Samaritans and the World Health Organisation are referenced as additional sources of information and support for those who want to find out more about World Suicide Prevention Day.
Get help now
- 24/7 helpline: call Release the Pressure free on 0800 107 0160
- Text support: text STAND to 85258 to reach a trained clinician
- Safe Havens: drop-in support available daily across nine sites in Kent and Medway — most open evenings, with Medway and Thanet open 24 hours
- Free training: Mid Kent Mind in Maidstone offers free learning on supporting others, funded by the Kent and Medway Suicide Prevention Programme
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