Development of the nation's first Indigenous Suicide Prevention Strategy

The Menzies School of Health Research has been appointed to help the Gillard Government develop the nation's first Indigenous Suicide Prevention Strategy.

The Menzies School will work with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Advisory Group and the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) to ensure the Strategy is coherent and comprehensive, and backed by a strong evidence base.

'Any person taking their own life is a tragedy that deeply affects their family and community. We are determined to tackle the high rate of Indigenous suicide in Australia and this announcement is a further tangible step we are taking to do just that,' Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler, said.

Mr Butler also today announced the first tranche of projects which will share in around $2.4 million funding.

'This funding is for five local projects which have their roots in the local community. They are being delivered by organisations focused on prevention and with experience and knowledge of the unique issues faced by Indigenous communities.'

The Government is providing funding for the following projects:

• $1 million will be provided to the University of Western Australia to expand Empowerment. This suicide prevention pilot was delivered in the Kimberley region last year to address high rates of suicide. Empowerment will be rolled out to eight Indigenous urban, regional and remote localities around Australia.
• $1.05 million will be provided to Vibe Australia to help them deliver suicide prevention messages to young Indigenous people through dance, music and sport. Vibe is a dynamic Aboriginal media, communication and arts organisation and will roll out a program to restore pride in culture and build self-esteem, and link young Indigenous people to local Aboriginal-led community organisations and services.
• $240,000 will be provided to remote communities to run Deadly Thinking workshops developed by the Australasian Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health. These workshops will train members of those communities to work as ‘natural helpers' to help prevent suicide and raise local awareness of mental health issues.
• $91,500 will be provided to the United Synergies group for the ‘Who You, Which Way' project, enabling them to train people in Indigenous communities to deliver culturally appropriate community approaches to trauma and suicide bereavement support.
• $67,320 will be provided to the Queensland Remote Aboriginal Media to deliver ‘Yarnin' about Mental Health' radio broadcasts for Cape York communities, which will build community awareness of mental health and suicide prevention issues and services.

Source: Minister for Mental Health and Ageing

Links

• View media release: Empowering Indigenous communities to tackle suicide
• View website: Menzies School of Health Research
• View website: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Strategy - national consultations