Dr Johann Sheehan
ACT Health Directorate
September 2012
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Overview of Managing the Risk of Suicide
◦ Aims
◦ Action areas
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Key Achievements to date
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Bereavement Counselling
Annual Men’s Mental Health Conference
Evaluation of Strategy
Let’s Talk for Suicide Prevention
Future areas of work
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Extensive community consultation:
◦ Agencies responsible for implementation
◦ General community
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Guided by national and local policy:
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National Action Plan on Mental Health 2006-2011
National Mental Health Policy 2008
National Mental Health Plan 2009-2013
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 2009-2014
Mental Health Promotion, Prevention and Early Intervention
Framework 2009-2014
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Increased suicide prevention training in
the AMC & Bimberi Youth Justice Centre:
◦ Detainees
◦ Corrections staff
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Suicide prevention training for indigenous
communities, including:
◦ Aboriginal Health Workers
◦ Community members
Thankyou
Contact: Dr Johann Sheehan
Email: Johann.Sheehan@act.gov.au