More than 30 mental health professionals in the Peel, Rockingham and Kwinana region received training to assist them in their work supporting LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex) young people.
Participants attended a one-day training workshop, co-delivered by the National LGBTI Alliance and Living Proud, on October 30 and 31.
Statistics reveal that people who identify as LGBTI are significantly more likely to be diagnosed with a mental health issue or experience suicidal ideation.
The training, funded by WA Primary Health Alliance, aims to support mental health professionals and organisations in identifying barriers to LGBTI people accessing mental health services or support and equipping them with therapeutic strategies to work meaningfully and responsively with the LGBTI community .
The recent workshops are part of a training series which includes Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), Youth Mental Health First and SafeTALK.
The training will be delivered across the Peel, Rockingham and Kwinana Suicide Prevention Trial site, which is being led by WA Primary Health Alliance.
The objective of the Suicide Prevention Trial is to find the most effective approaches to suicide prevention for at-risk populations and share this knowledge across Australia.
Local activities are guided by the Peel and Rockingham Kwinana Community Response Steering Group with a strong focus on community level planning.
For more information about the Peel, Rockingham and Kwinana Suicide Prevention Trial contact Chloe Merna, Project Coordinator via chloe.merna@wapha.org.au