Better TTC

Toronto is one of the busiest cities in the world, apart from being the country finance capital. Everyday sees a down trend in one business or the other, the downfall of one business or people in general. Like all other big cities, there are suicide on subway, on train incidents.

TTC has joined hands this pre-summer season with Distress Centres of Toronto as well as Bell Canada to help prevention of subway suicide. Along with this, it has also taken the initiative to help those who risk their lives on subway system of the city. This new program is named Crisis Link.

Under this program, TTC has decided to post billboards and posterss on subway stations and platforms that try to help the passengers of the subway system. The question" Are you thinking of death? Are you thinking of suicide? Lets's talk." For those who are in the weak frame of mind, seriously contemplating suicide, this is encouragement of the step towards counselling.

Phone numbers are given so that those thinking of suicide can call up through the payphones on the subway station, at the waiting area. There is a button there that will connect the callers directly to the Distress Centres of Toronto with a single push. It is a free call and all the communication and information passed by the person contemplating suicide over the phone remains strictly confidential.

With the help of the phone conversation with the caller, the counsellors assess the risk of the suicide on the subway. The distress centers work in sync with the the subway counsellors and contact the TTC transit conrol room. The TTC transit control room keeps an eyes on the passenger once it has been informed of the situation and take appropriate meansures to make sure the consumer doesn't jump in front of the train.

2010 saw a lot of TTC staff reporting sick after being an audience to a suicide. Some suffered post traumatic effects. TTC employees needed assistance to get over these problems and prevent subway suicides. Crisis link is the program that can help not only those thinking of a suicide but also those employees of TTC who have witnessed a suicide on the subway.

Mental health is imperative and yet a difficult topic to discuss in the society even in the modern age. However it is a critical issues that should not be ignored by any section of the society. The distress centers of Toronto and Bell Canada were already into a partnership when TTC joined hands with them for subway suicide prevention program.

The distress center has been an agency helping distressed people and those thinking of suicide since the last forty five years and understands very well the vulnerable positiion of the employee of TTC as well as the person thinking of suicide. Professional help and support at the time of crisis is essential.