Community-led approach to suicide prevention empowering regional communities

It is well recognised that the causes of suicide, as well as resources and services required to prevent it, are unique for each region and community. To improve care for people living with depression and prevent suicidal behaviour, WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) commissioned a range of activities to better equip health practitioners and the community simultaneously.

Building on lessons learned from the National Suicide Prevention Trial and using the European Alliance Against Depression four pillar framework to inform their approach, WAPHA’s suicide prevention team has been working closely with communities, GPs and organisations to tailor activities suited to the needs of their local communities.

WAPHA has partnered with a range of organisations, enabling them to target activities to areas of need across WA. In the past six months alone, these initiatives have supported around 1000 people from community members to clinicians, enabling them to improve care and recognise and respond to those in need of mental health assistance in their community.

Activities over the past 12 months have included:

  • Events held by Black Dog Institute in depression management and suicide prevention for GPs, multidisciplinary teams and pharmacists.
  • Events for GPs to support local service connection and primary health care education regarding depression management.
  • Development of a helpful GP resource for quick access to contact details for Doctors Health Advisory Service WA, Head to Health and the GP Psychiatry Support Line.
  • Collaboration with the Doctors’ Health Advisory Service WA to create a short film to use at GP events to promote their services and encourage doctors to seek care when needed.
  • Delivery of nine sessions by Wesley Lifeforce to provide GP staff training in suicide prevention in a general practice setting.
  • Presentation of an interactive case discussion on depression and suicide prevention in general practice with Midwest Psychiatrist Dr Andrew Ntsowe, and Black Dog Institute providing accredited training at the Rural Health West Conference.
  • Partnership with The Men’s Table to establish eight new Men’s Tables, helping to build meaningful male friendships and connection by creating safe places to share, overcoming the stigma that ‘men don’t talk’.
  • Delivery of Black Dog Institute’s Suicide Prevention Capacity Building Program in the Goldfields region, with 92 people attending the five workshops.
  • Collaboration with the WA Mental Health Commission suicide prevention coordinators to provide access to funds to expand suicide prevention training activities for each region. Activities were unique to each region and included provision of accredited courses such as ASIST, Red Dust Healing, Mental Health First Aid, as well as train the trainer opportunities.

WAPHA Executive General Manager – Commissioned Services, Mark Cockayne, said hundreds of health practitioners throughout the state have accessed best practice accredited training and local case-based learning through this work.

“Now more than ever, mental health is a primary concern for community members, and we are seeing an increase in both community and organisational investment into mental health, wellbeing and suicide prevention education and awareness initiatives.

“We are really encouraged by both the uptake of the community-based training being delivered by our partners in the regions, and the volume of health professionals attending the variety of accredited depression management and suicide prevention courses.”

What’s next?

The Australian Government 2024-25 Budget included a $21 million investment nationally to continue targeted regional initiatives for suicide prevention.

Over the coming year, WAPHA will be strengthening the work that has already been done, commissioning initiatives in communities across WA, including:

  • Depression management and suicidality project to offer GPs peer to peer bespoke training, with case-based discussions to build the capability of the local GP workforce in depression management.
  • Launch of a Balint group in partnership with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, to facilitate a forum for GPs to discuss difficult clinical cases. The group is a supportive setting in which doctors can explore the human side of their work, adding a fresh dimension, learning new skills and avoiding burn-out.
  • Expansion of community capacity building program to interested communities.
  • Expansion of suicide prevention training to general practice staff across WA.
  • Launch of a state-wide depression awareness campaign due to go live in late 2024.
  • Additional online GP education courses.
  • Provision of community capacity building funding to all regions to upskill community members to recognise, respond and refer.
  • Mental Health – Suicide Prevention Practice package of resources to be delivered to all WA general practices in October for Mental Health Week.

Find out more about WAPHA’s work in suicide prevention