Ampara, Sri Lanka — The 1333 Crisis Support Line (CCCline) team recently conducted a training programme for hospital staff at Sammanthurai Hospital and Kalmunai Base Hospital in the Ampara district, focusing on suicide prevention and early support for people in crisis.
Understanding the Local Context
The programme was made possible through an invitation from Dr. Kasun, who works at Sammanthurai Hospital. Dr. Kasun shared that communities in the area continue to face deeply challenging circumstances, shaped in part by the lasting psychological impact of the past conflict. Even though the war has ended, many residents continue to live without a full sense of psychological safety, and the community has seen a rise in suicide cases in recent times.
Understanding this local context was central to shaping the training, ensuring it responded directly to the realities faced by hospital staff and the communities they serve.
Training Hospital Staff as First Points of Contact
Hospital staff are often among the first people a person in crisis will encounter, making their role critical in suicide prevention. The 1333 team's training focused on equipping these frontline staff — including those most likely to be a person's first point of contact — with practical skills to recognise warning signs and respond with care and confidence.
Insight from Local Psychiatric Care
The area's psychiatrist, Dr. Achini, also joined the programme and shared valuable real-world insight into the suicide-related cases seen in the region, along with a candid look at the positive and negative approaches currently used in responding to them. Dr. Achini and her staff expressed their appreciation for the training, noting how it has strengthened their ability and confidence to reach out to and talk with people experiencing suicidal thoughts.
Dr. Kasun also played an active and supportive role throughout the programme, helping bridge the training with the day-to-day realities of hospital staff in the area.
Volunteers Bringing Lived Experience
1333's own volunteer team contributed by sharing their real experience of crisis support work. As the majority of the volunteer team are Tamil speakers, they were able to connect and communicate with hospital staff and the community in a highly interactive, relatable way — an important factor in a region where Tamil is widely spoken.
Why This Outreach Matters
Programmes like this help CCC Foundation and the 1333 Crisis Support Line:
Strengthen suicide prevention support in communities facing unique psychological challenges
Equip hospital staff to respond confidently as first points of contact
Build trusted, language-appropriate connections with local communities
Bring together medical professionals, crisis support teams, and volunteers around a shared goal
About the 1333 Crisis Support Line
Established in 2009 at the National Institute of Mental Health, 1333 is a toll-free, tri-lingual (Sinhala, Tamil, English) crisis support line, available 24/7 across Sri Lanka. All calls are handled confidentially and anonymously, offering everyone a safe space to talk. 1333 is affiliated with Lifeline International and the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP).
About CCC Foundation: CCC Foundation is a registered charity organisation in Sri Lanka dedicated to mental well-being and suicide prevention across the country.
