Dr Johann Sheehan ACT Health Directorate September 2012

 Overview of Managing the Risk of Suicide ◦ Aims ◦ Action areas  Key Achievements to date ◦ Bereavement Counselling ◦ Annual Men’s Mental Health Conference ◦ Evaluation of Strategy ◦ Let’s Talk for Suicide Prevention  Future areas of work

 Extensive community consultation: ◦ Agencies responsible for implementation ◦ General community

 Guided by national and local policy: ◦ National Action Plan on Mental Health ◦ National Mental Health Policy 2008 ◦ National Mental Health Plan ◦ National Action Plan for PPEI ◦ Life: Living is For Everyone (2007) ◦ The Social Compact ◦ Building Our Community: The Canberra Social Plan ◦ ACT Mental Health Services Plan ◦ Mental Health Promotion, Prevention and Early Intervention Framework

 Reduces rates of suicide and self-harm in the ACT  Increase resilience, coping skills and connectedness  Improve awareness of and access to suicide prevention training, education and information  Increase collaboration and partnerships between organisations providing suicide prevention and postvention services in the ACT

 Improving the evidence base and understanding for suicide prevention  Building individual resilience and wellbeing  Building community strength, resilience and capacity in suicide prevention  Taking a coordinated approach to suicide prevention  Providing targeted suicide prevention activities  Implementing standards and quality in suicide prevention

Delivery of bereavement counselling Implementation of an annual Men’s Mental Health Conference Development and Implementation of an evaluation of Framework for the Strategy Implementation of the Let’s Talk for Suicide Prevention campaign

 Raise awareness about suicide and suicide prevention for residents of the ACT  Provide information about where residents can obtain assistance about suicide risk and suicide prevention  Reduce the stigma associated with suicide

rise awareness about male suicide barriers to men accessing appropriate service encourage services to enhance their capacity to identify and address men’s mental health needs promote linkages between service delivers up skill workers  two forums have been run to date

 Increased suicide prevention training in the AMC & Bimberi Youth Justice Centre: ◦ Detainees ◦ Corrections staff Suicide prevention training for indigenous communities, including: ◦ Aboriginal Health Workers ◦ Community members

Thankyou Contact: Dr Johann Sheehan