The Limerick Alliance for Mental Health Support is pleased to announce a large-scale public awareness campaign in Limerick to increase awareness of depression and to encourage people to access mental health supports when needed.
Considering the approaching Christmas holidays, for a two-week period (1st–14th December 2025), buses travelling through major routes and high-visibility locations across Limerick City will carry the message:
“Depression can affect anyone, but it can be treated”
This initiative aims to strengthen public understanding that depression is a treatable condition, reduce stigma, and encourage help-seeking behaviour. Visibility in everyday public spaces is a key part of the strategy of the Limerick Alliance for Mental Health Support to embed mental-health awareness in the community.
The Limerick Alliance for Mental Health Support is being implemented via the EU-funded project MENTBEST: Protecting mental health in times of change. The overall objective of MENTBEST is to enable vulnerable individuals, mental health practitioners, and communities across Europe to prevent and mitigate mental health problems (clinical and non-clinical) related to rapid changes in our societies.
The Limerick Alliance for Mental Health Support adopts the evidence-based 4-level depression and suicide prevention model developed by the European Alliance Against Depression (EAAD). The EAAD model has been implemented in over 120 regions globally and operates simultaneously across four levels:
- Level 1: Training of general practitioners and other health professionals concerning diagnosis and treatment of depression and suicidality.
- Level 2: Addressing the public via a depression awareness campaign with posters, cinema spots, information leaflets, brochures, public events, and online offers.
- Level 3: Training of community facilitators and stakeholders, including educational workshops concerning recognition and handling of depression and suicide risk. Trainings are tailored to various target groups, including carers, teachers, priests, pharmacists, police, and journalists.
- Level 4: Information, psychoeducation, and support of self-help for patients with depression, high-risk groups, and their relatives.
EAAD’s 4-level depression and suicide prevention model
Ireland is one of the implementing partners, with Limerick as the intervention region.
Recently, a Level 1 training for mental health professionals was organised on the 28th of November 2025. It was attended by participants from various public and voluntary health organisations and aimed at strengthening knowledge and skills in identifying signs and symptoms, assessment, and supporting people living with depression and suicidal behaviour.
Contact: darragh.OShea@ucc.ie or almaskhan@ucc.ie